Portugal – Page 26 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

A happy time in Carapira – Mozambique

7 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

The going of Jesus, as told in the Gospel of Sunday XXIII Ordinary Time, to a territory outside the Jewish tradition tells us that God’s concern is with everyone, not leaving anyone out. A deaf is brought before Jesus, he knows nothing about Him because he did not hear and, of course, could not seek Him by his own initiative. Who does not know Jesus we do not have to censor, but rather lead to Him.

On the way we did for the trip to Mozambique we went to meet those forgotten by society, I talk about the homeless and the poor, because, however much people are supportive, we forget the real suffering of these our friends, loneliness. How many times have told us that we were different, we brought a smile, a hug, a kind word…? The feeling that I wanted to take with me to Carapira. I did not know what I was going to find, but I took an open heart, cheerful, full of love to give. We must learn from Jesus to feel the problems of others and get involved in their solution. It was that feeling and purpose that we try to achieve, and the Fe and Mission group conducted. We open ourselves, we listen, look, get involved and engaged with students of the Industrial School of Carapira, with the missionary family (fathers, brothers, sisters, laity) and with the community of Carapira. Where I loved the beautiful work of everyone, especially Lay Missionaries, who are close to people, communities and their everyday problems, as well as students of the Industrial School of Carapira.

Every day we went to meet the community of Carapira, after praying Lauds (06:00), after the “mata bicho” funny expression means having breakfast, from 1:30 to 2:00 I stay with the kids, playing with them, wearing a smile, I helped the moms to draw water… to be with people, give them a hug and a kind word for everyone we met. I learned that those who have nothing of material goods, are the happiest, they do not care for physical appearance of the other, about the dress or the way we are, but they appreciate the joy of life and the ability to share the little things We have to each other.

Highlighting some important moments of my stay. I visited on a Friday with Father Firmino the community of Caserna, it was the day of baptism. I loved to participate in this beautiful celebration and a special culture, while Fr. Firmino confessed youth they were to be baptized, I went for a walk around the community, and in one of the houses, was a young man of 12 years, David, lying at the entrance, moaning in pain. After having asked what was going on and not getting response appeared young David’s mother, who informed me that he was bitten by an animal. David’s hand was very swollen, so I got scared and tried to warn the mother to go to the doctor, but she said they could not, they live far from the health center, and had no money to go by public transport, the only transportation that could take. I could not escape this situation, however, I took from the backpack drinking water to clean the hand of the young and offered him a piece of cake, which I have to eat if I was hungry, David loved to eat something sweet and so good.

When I got to the school of Carapira, I went to the house of the Lay Comboni Missionaries, and asked for help to Marcia, a laity working in this mission, Portuguese and from the District of Aveiro, who immediately offered to help David.

The next week I was with a group of five young of Carapira talking on the street, when suddenly I see a man carrying on his back a woman who was ill with malaria, and could not walk far. I asked the young people for help, to assist the man, but the response was negative, as was normal, the lady was with malaria… but I could not bear to see this situation without doing anything, so I helped him, the man took the woman in the back and it was leaning on my shoulders… that will not be very helpful, but I think it was useful. These are small gestures that can change the world.

What I liked least to live and see in Mozambique was the lack of conditions in relation to health, education and equal rights for women, which are considered inferior to men. But the joy, friendship, simplicity of these people are able to overcome any existing negativity, I want to emphasize “people’s education”, they are highly educated (they like greeting people), even without the right to education that many other peoples have.

We all had various responsibilities, some more heavies, other lighters, but all very important and meaningful for the mission. We live and work as a community. I thank all the people who greeted us, welcomed us, who trusted us… but above all the youth of the Industrial School of Carapira, the 3rd B, of which I felt closer and every day I remember them, I pray that they study, strive for a better future and do not forget that they can be what they want, they are not inferior to anyone.

I have lived a dream I will never forget. I can say “I smelled the Mission,” which helped me grow as a man and as a Christian. I want to come back!!

For this and for that, I ask the Lord to heal us of deafness and blindness, and put us in sincere communion with His love and with the world around us.

See you son Carapira – Mozambique!

Germano Ferreira

Love as mission

30 September, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

If a year ago you would told me that today I would be writing about the Mission in Carapira, I would have said you were dreaming and that those fertile lands were too remote for me. However, God, as Father Jorge says, knows better what He does than what we want. And it is so true!
Before entering into the risky adventure of trying to put into words what I experienced in Carapira during the month of August, I want you to know that we will lose some sense: hands that touch and are touched; strange odors, but then they are missed, such as land, market, burning garbage, the air hot and heavy; the eyes that see faces that seem to ask us to discover and smiles that remind us that life is the greatest gift of God; greeting mouths at all times, even when you are not known.
Thanks, first, the missionaries that were already in Carapira and, besides of being disciples of Christ, they were heralds of our arrival and faithful companions of our steps, while leaving us free to be. Thank you for the confidence you have placed in us, without which no work could be developed.
The first problem I encountered was the time. In Carapira, time seems frozen in time and, indeed, the days passed slowly. The mornings were far greater than the afternoon and a date marked at three, could be at any time after the scheduled time. I thought the time was slow because there was completely entangled in the agitated pace that the Western world imposes on us. It was then that I realized that being compassionate was walking at the step of the other. If the other slows down, we slow down to walk with them. Then we get carried away by this so different time from our time and our days were filled: with night study in the Industrial School; support for girls at boarding school of the sisters “Mother Africa”, with the presentation of the encyclical “Laudato Si” to the EIC students, teachers, community, priests and sisters; we filled the day with times when we prayed the rosary in communities and try to learn Macua, visiting the sick, or replacing a missing professor.
In Carapira I discovered a charm. After trying to help girls with English, where the theme was “famous people”, I tried to illustrate with Cristiano Ronaldo and that’s when I realized that I had fallen into the terrible mistake of looking at reality only with my eyes. I do not say this no dislodging me, but quickly got the right example, which has always been there and knew very well: Jesus. Who else could be as global as Him? We were going with a huge desire to make Jesus known to others, going step by step, discovering that he was already there and is revealed in the smallest things: in the embrace that shipped with Sister Mary Joseph when I took girls home for holidays; Jesus appeared in the warm way in which these people welcomed us on arrival and took these foreigners as a part of their daily lives without closing the door.
These children show me the face of God, because they unknowingly have been and are an example for me. They get to be so alike and so different in its smallness. And how many childhoods exist worldwide. These children are heroes of palm and a half, before being able to speak carry buckets of water over his hands and head. As if, at the time, they had to endure a burden that is not theirs. Children carrying bricks. Children who care for other children like them. The children who walk kilometers and kilometers from home to go to school. I was also surprised with the ability they had to run for our arms, with sincere and contagious smiles. And I tell you, I will never, ever, be able to forget how they ran up and down the street with those cars made with plastic bottles and caps, or made careers pushing tires with a stick.
I was moved when I discovered that some people left the house, three to four hours before Mass, to drink from the Word of the Lord. I cannot forget the youth group of vocational discernment, traveling kilometer walk and/or bike in order to attend a Sunday training. And they do it every month. Here sometimes when it rains or is cold, the children no longer want to go to Sunday school. And even we, I wonder, how many reasons we out to excuse our faults to Mass? Given this, it is clear that those who wants look for ways and those who does not want find an apology. They are living proof of that!
There are people, people like us, who surprisingly are happy with so little. It is not so little … they are happy just to live. And how big is this give: life! And how big are these people, imagine, deeply grateful that comply with the Father’s. After this month, I know that my contribution was just a drop in an ocean of tasks that remain to be fulfilled. However, as I read in the market the first day I went, “Stop force produces nothing”. I am sure that being young and Christian, today, it is to be this force that never stops. It is not to fall into indifference to be touch by life and be able to do what God expects of us. However slightly, let’s do it, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned here is that the little become a lot. My heart is so full and grateful for this experience.
A “Koshukuru” (thank you) the size of the distance between Portugal and Mozambique is little for all that I have lived this month. Until I return, there is a vast ocean of longing and desire for further meetings. And you know what? I sincerely believe in that old maxim of “Little Prince”, which says that “those who pass by us, do not go alone neither leave us alone”. Today, I am a lucky for all the meetings I had on this land that is a lost paradise in the middle of nowhere. Today, I am richer for being a bit of all those with whom I shared this month.
Mariana Gonçalves

Testimony in Carapira

24 September, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

Carapira

“The essential is invisible to the eyes”! I never found much meaning to this phrase as after Mozambique … When we dare to open our hearts to God’s call, we run the risk of discovering the true meaning of happiness. In fact, there were so many graces received, the experienced and shared love, that this experience has shaped my life, my heart filled in such a way that my thoughts, desires and dreams are all oriented towards Mozambique. Throughout the year we prepare these months of mission in Mozambique, we prepared ourselves with actions of charity, intense training, intimate encounters with God through prayer and so expectations were high and immense the anxiety. The truth, however, is that I never thought we will live so intensely this month with such dedication, with so much love … Weak was my faith, I admit! After all there were many people who prayed for us, there were many sincere hearts that have directed their prayers to God. The seven members of Faith and Mission group that reached the Carapira mission in Mozambique have only reasons to thank God for all we received.

In Carapira, from the beginning , we were welcome as family by the various members of the Comboni Family present there, we really felt welcomed, integrated. The first night we had a meeting to present ourselves together, allowing us to learn a bit of the work done in the mission, and to affirm our willingness to work hard this month. Yes, it was always a concern of the whole group to work hard, or in the words of Fernando Pessoa, to put in all that we are in everything we do no matter how small it is. And we did not stay unanswered. The next day we had a meeting where we received several proposals, either in the Industrial School of Carapira, in the ministry, at boarding school of the sisters, as well as with the community. I remember that after this meeting, the group began to divide tasks, specify the duties of each, with an intensity that quickly filled the quadrant of our activities. I was always glad to see everybody working. I am well aware that this was only possible by the confidence placed in us from the beginning, but I also know that throughout the month we did everything possible to meet expectations. To be honest, despite wanting to make the most of myself and work hard, I was always aware that a month would be very little to give ourselves unreservedly. The truth is that I was wrong. Of course, the difficulty of the language and adaptation to the place complicated things, but also the smiles, sympathy, trust placed in us and the fantastic reception we had, made everything so much easier. From the beginning, Brother Luis allowed us to participate wholeheartedly in school, either in the administrative work, whether in activities with students; Father Firmino allowing to accompany him on the visits to communities; the sisters allowing us to help with explanations to the girls at the boarding school and visiting the sick and elderly in the community and the Comboni Lay Missionaries that have always followed us closely and with whom we work very comfortable. I knew the work of the sisters, brothers and priests minimally by the various testimonies I had heard. But I confess I did not know the great work done by the Comboni Lay Missionaries. Their dedication to the Industrial School of Carapira, classroom, administration, nursing, in the dining room, as well as monitoring of extracurricular activities is impressive. But beyond that, the pastoral work in the communities, work in the parish, in the formation of the animators, the role of justice and peace for the communities… they left me baffled. Honestly, for the first time, I want to become a Comboni Lay Missionary. On a personal level, this month was very important to me. I found many of my limits when fatigue wanted to beat me, I was challenged to learn to live in community, how to be tolerant, to try to solve problems through dialogue, to examine me internally. When I think about it all, I’m glad I could grow. But apart from all these challenges I’ve been so happy … The Eucharist filled my heart with songs and dances that expressed so much, the smiles of children, the joy of the people of the communities, the Comboni family who I met in Carapira and I now call friends, girls in the boarding school that made me smile, young in the school, young people … Oh, my God, how I miss it! I want to mourn for joy …. I want to go back!!! … In Mozambique I felt the sun on my hand! The sun of joy, the sun that illuminate our life, the sun that warms us, that warms our hearts, the sun that allows us to exchange glances, the sun that makes us live intensely the day! In Mozambique I had the sun in my hand!

Pedro Nascimiento

A dream come true!

9 September, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

Mission in Africa, a dream. Something that I have wanted to live and finally got. I was 17 when I started to dream about Africa when I started to want to learn more about the “world” of the mission. In August, I went as part of Faith and Mission group with another four young and two missionaries of the Comboni Family, we went to Mozambique, to the mission of Carapira. I always thought that the mission was to bring Jesus to others, but when I got to Carapira He was there with open arms to welcome me and tell me that He had chosen me and that was His people.

It was an indescribable experience, but I will try to share: I found a warm, generous, cheerful, full of smiles people. A people without hurry, where time is a detail.

People always have time to talk; they stop to greet each other. You do not feel the stress, if my neighbor is sick, I am not indifferent.

I found a great team of missionaries who does an excellent job, every day gives his body and soul to the people of Carapira.

Brothers, sisters, priests and Comboni lay missionaries, give their best as educators, trainers. They accompanied dozens of young, regardless of their beliefs. Accompanying communities, trying to be the presence of Christ among the people. I knew about the work of lay missionaries, who work to support the various activities in the Industrial School, where they have a very active role. They lay people involved as someone who educates, cares, as someone who loves, as the young people attending the Industrial School left their homes to study. The laity are a friend and even maternal presence. Lay also help in pastoral, help children and young people to discover Jesus.

With all the missionary community that I met and beside whom I worked and learned a lot, I met that a missionary gives a true love, is capable of love, is capable of unconditional love. I keep me every time I lived, I appreciate the confidence they have placed in my colleagues and me.

The biggest challenge we faced throughout this month was certainly living in community.

The whole experience was extraordinary, impossible to remain indifferent, I really liked all the work we did with young people of the Industrial School. On the Laudato Si, I loved being with the girls in the boarding school, I liked working with the youth of the community, “Save the Youth by the Youth”..

It really touch me a conversation I had in the early days, when I arrived at boarding school to work to support the girls in the study and clarification of Portuguese and math. Nelson, a girl aged 13-14, who attends seventh grade, she didn´t get much closer, always watching me, but always a little distant, when I went to try to stop her reserves, she said “I don´t wanna be your friend, because you will be gone in a few days and I will never see you again”. This cut my heart, let me stop, I wanted to say something, but could not find words, I wanted to tell the girl that it would not be like that, but I would be lying because it was true, I had a scheduled trip. I accepted her choice and I decided not to insist. And during the 15 days worked in the boarding school, we talked little, we study together, we discover new and difficult words, we do our homework.

But I know that I interacted with Nelson, I’m sure, she smiled and even joked when I spoke something wrong in Macua, or when I said I was afraid of getting sick from malaria. And the day came when I had to say goodbye to her and all the other girls. And Nelson asked: “Teacher will you forget me now?”

She is an expert in letting me “locked”, is beautiful, has big, beautiful, bright eyes, and they were full of water and I thought how could I forget this, Lord? I will not do it. I hugged her and told her that “I will not forget you”.

What also impressed me a lot was the Eucharist, celebrated with much joy, sing, clap, they are strong, very beautiful. Mozambican women, I cannot stop talking about it, she is struggling, hardworking, always in charge of the most complicated tasks. It plays a fundamental role.

This is what I experienced; it was a good experience that I really want to repeat.

It was very important to me, every day had significant facts that I cannot forget.

And do not forget that dreams come true. We just have to make 5%, God does the rest.

Sofia Coelho

[Portugal] We live the call to mission as Christians moved by faith and not by work

3 June, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

On Friday May 22, we had another meeting of the CLM candidates in Viseu. The theme of this training unit was Laity in the Church – a lay and missionary spirituality presented by Carlos Barros.

We started watching a movie that touched me very much “Selma march of freedom” which chronicles the struggle that Martin Luther King had to fight to grant the right to vote for every person, which ends with an epic march from Selma City to Montgomery, Alabama, and prompted President Lyndon B. Johnson to sign the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

On Saturday Carlos told us of spirituality, has talked a lot, but some of the phrases that marked me were “spirituality is a path to God,” “is a love relationship with Christ,” which is “life fed by Christ”. Christian spirituality is not just for some, it is a lifestyle…

We had the opportunity to reflect on the identity of the CLM in Articles 4 and 5 of the directory in which they asked us to think of some questions:

How do I evaluate my spirituality in the light of these Articles of the CLM directory?
Through this training process, have I gained awareness about some aspects contained in these articles?
Are there any points in these articles where I feel that I have not yet succeeded? What are they? Why?
Do you think that someday you will guide your life by the principles contained in these articles?

During the Saturday morning, we were still surprised to receive the visit of Palmira Pinheiro – Comboni Missionary Secular, newcomer of the mission; she shared some of her missionary life.

After the meal, which was nice, and with reinforced powers, it was time to return to work. Carlos continued talking about spirituality, and more specifically Lay Spirituality where we discussed the role of the laity in the Church and, indeed, following Jesus is “a demanding and challenging task”. We must take an active role, being available to serve and not to be served. We must be radical to assume “the call to live the mission as Christians moved by faith and not by work”.

During the evening prayer we reflect on “Go you also into the vineyard,” where Jesus invites us to be part of his vineyard, not just religious, but all the faithful laity, all the baptized, because we are united by Baptism. Each of us is part of the Church, when someone is not present, the church is poorer.

Jesus also invites us to live a different life as Lay, he invites us to live detached from material goods, family ties (which is for me the most difficult to think or imagine …) and have the courage to go … not be afraid to say “Yes Father, I am here…”.

In the evening we received the testimony of Fr. Ginno Pastor in Skype (new technologies do wonders like this) where we hear his mission experience, always in Mozambique, where it showed that Fr. Ginno talked about it with love. His smile when talking about the mission, his words radiated love for others, an example of which was poor with the poor, someone who was certainly one of them while living in the mission… The phrase that touched me more of his testimony was “the smile of the other pays for everything 🙂 .”

The night dragged on because it was a great night, Pentecost, where we had a small vigil where each of us was able to share what is “being Church” writing in a bunch of grapes when we feel as Church…” I am church when…”.

On Sunday morning we participate in the Eucharist with the community of Viseu, and was nice to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit … it was a very special moment. I felt again the desire to be radical, to be different and do what I do by faith and not by obligation, as someone said, “If it is inside and not out of obligation this reflected”. It is necessary to believe in the words of Pope John Paul II: “Christ takes nothing away, only gives” and is with the certainty of this love for us, which I continued commitment as a Christian… and I hope every day to say the Lord “Here am I…”.

Andreia Martins (CLM candidate)