The
commitment to work for unity, an aspiration written on the human heart, opens
new trails and generates relief from pain. This is an experience Youth for a
United World (Y4UW) group from Egypt working with refugees from Eritrea,
Ethiopia and Sudan.
Hearing
of a jail for “special cases,” the Y4UW decided to look further into the situation. At the
jail they found men, women and children, mostly Christians from Eritrea.
Their
story was one of incredible pain. In an attempt to seek a better place than
their own land, they discovered instead that they had fallen into the trap of
human organ trafficking and would soon be among the anonymous dead. When they
realized this, they fled over the border and took refuge in Egypt. Without
documents they were arrested and jailed. This is where the Focolare Youth for a
United World met them waiting for a way back to Eritrea.
Abdo who
is a firsthand witness, recounts: “With the help of a missionary and the Y4UW,
we were able to go into the jail. We were enthusiastic about offering help, but
we never imagined the suffering we would touch with our own hands. There was a
scarcity of food and hygiene; and medical care was non-existent inside the jail
that had once been an army barracks.
The young
people were shocked to see children there, even small children. One child had
been hit by a stray bullet as he was making his way across the border.
“It’s
impossible to express the deep pain we felt in the face of such great
suffering,” Abdo continues. “With our eyes filled with tears, we asked what
evil thing these people had done that merited them to be in such a situation.”
But we didn’t
lose heart. We split
into groups, listened to people’s stories, tried to bring help and hope in
God’s love. We provided material assistance for the most urgent needs.
“Some
needed medicine, others clothing or a telephone in order to contact their families
and inform them where they had ended up. But their first need was for someone
to visit them, and show an interest in them.
The
people running the jail told us that the main problem was food. Abdo recounts: “One day, we
prepared a hundred small containers of kosheri, a typical Egyptian dish
made with lentils, pasta and rice. Our meeting ended as usual with a moment of
intense prayer. They were singing the psalms in their own languages, with one
soul and one voice. They sang with such faith and strength that it enveloped us
all in a deep spiritual atmosphere. It was very moving!”
Since then the visits have continued, involving Y4UW members from other Egyptian cities,
such as Cairo and Sohag, in this strong experience. “Several Eritreans
have already returned to their homeland, but new inmates who have been the
victims of the same dramatic situation continue to arrive at the jail. Often we
feel our powerlessness in not being able to do or give more, but we entrust
them all to God who can do all things. Perhaps we’re only being asked to make
this small contribution towards building a more united and fraternal world.”
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento