“Hope is daring, it knows how to look beyond personal comforts,
of the small securities and compensations that reduce the horizon,
to be open to the great ideals that make life more beautiful and dignified.
Let us walk in hope!”
(Fratelli Tutti Encyclical Letter – Pope Francis)
In bold and joyful hope, as baptized persons, we are sent by Jesus on the Pilgrim to risk new paths to meet those who are not loved by society. As the Formation Community of Nampula – Mozambique, we put on pilgrim sandals to go and meet our brothers and sisters displaced by the War in Cabo Delgado. It is an intercongregational mission of Catholic youths from parishes in the city of Nampula.
The settlement camp for displaced people from the Cabo Delgado War is 58 km from the city. We go there twice a week for missions with children, young people and women. One group carries out the mission of listening, training, guidance, vegetable gardening, recreational activities and sports. Another team of nursing Sisters, with government authorization, assists the population in the area of health. At the moment there are 1,668 families, with a universe of 4,459 children. Many widows and orphaned children. What moves us is faith and hope. Being at the presence of someone who lost everything, as many were surprised by the arrival of insurgents/terrorists. Thus, it was not possible to collect any material goods, but only to run into the bush in order to save his/her life. Even with all the effort, many were unable to escape the weapons. In the settlement, we found people who had lost all of their family members, children who, on the way to escape, were found beside their lifeless mothers or who were forced to watch their parents die.
We are a group of six female Congregations, in formation, mothers and young people. Our goal is to be hope and give hope to our brothers and sisters who have suffered and been traumatized by war. “Hope does not disappoint, for the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”. (Rm 5,5). The testimony given by some people in the settlement reinforces our commitment and mission: “When we see the Sisters' cars entering the Settlement, we are happy, because we know that there are still people who remember us”.
“Where the Consecrated Religious Life is, there is joy” (Pope Francis). May we never lack the inner strength to be pilgrims messengers of joy and Christian hope!
United by the same faith and daring hope, let us follow our mission as baptized and sent ones.
With affection, Sr. Celeria Gabriel