The Child Within

The Child Within

Our CSR activity at Pequena Casa de Nazareth was a reawakening of my natural love for children. Being with them is a joy, I do not think much of what I give them, the efforts I made for them. Rather, I just let myself be with them, enjoy their company, enjoy the simplicity of life. Enjoy once again that I am a child within.

Children has a special place in my life as a priest. In fact I have written something about my past work that I was reminded during our CSR activity that I would like to share in this blog.

My work in Kinshasa since 2010 is mostly with the Youth, with pupils and students, and children and young adults of the parish. Kinshasa is the capital city of Democratic Republic of Congo with almost 9 million habitants. Being the capital city of a vast African country, Kinshasa is not unknown to most of the elements the modernity like internet and mobile phones, bars and restaurants, disco houses and nightclubs, shopping centers and beautiful cars. Our youths are not ignorant of any of these.

Despite the modern life and amenities of the city, there is a mind-set that prevails wherein children and young adults are insignificant, hence they wield no influence in the society, community, church and family. They are simply children they would say and the argument is finished. As such, they are last.

It is common place for adults and for us priest to be served first and with the best food and drink on feast days and at banquets. This is hospitality, a sign of respect and appreciation. But on the same occasion it is also a practice that children will not be served a meal or will just take some piece of bread. No one complains, children would not complain for they know and understand their place. They cannot demand.

But this is not the case at all times. During parish youth activities, when the youth are among themselves, children get the best place in the table and served a meal by their older brothers and sisters, (they call them “yaya”) who serve as their mentors. I enjoyed activities of the youth because here children are put ahead. It gives me joy to see the youth empowered and take decisions for themselves without fear and constraint. Activities of the youth is living example of charity, doing mission today, a new evangelization.

There are many other things than eating first in the youth apostolate in Kinshasa. There is value formation. Every weekend, their mentors (yaya) gather young children to study, meditate and pray the bible together. They search together for the relevance on the Word of God in their day to day lives.

There are quite of number of youth organizations in the whole archdiocese of Kinshasa. The number varies from parish to parish. In our parish, we have legion of Mary, Bilenge ya Mwinda (Youth of the Light), Bana Mwinda (Children of the Light), Kizitu-Anuarite among others. Yet all of them, their value formations and spiritual activities are all founded and centered on the Word of God.

Before coming back to the Philippines for my vacation and further studies, we celebrated the Holy Mass together. It was my last Mass with them. Within the Mass, we prayed for the success of their summer activities and with a Rite of Sending, blessed all their mentors (“yaya”). This week, third week of August, they are all busy with their respective Summer Camps which is a time of prayer, a time centered on the Word of God, a time of value formation, yet also a time for friendship, empowerment, recreation and enjoyment.

I will be going back to Congo with heavy concerns about organizational efficiency and new administrative  responsibilities. But the child within me longs to continue sharing my gifts, my skills to other children, so that when they grow up, they have a big heart for other children as well.