Most of us first heard of East Timor, a small island country in the Indian Ocean, when it battled for independence in the late '90's. The Marist Brothers began their ministry there in 2000 with the mission of educating teachers. Of the 1.2 million inhabitants, 52% are children under the age of 15. 42% of the population live below the poverty line. Infrastructure is bad, little electricity and clean water in the rural areas, very bad roads making commerce and communication difficult. The country is 98% Catholic, at least nominally, so it is fertile ground to receive the services offered by the brothers, who, in collaboration with lay people, have 150 students in their teacher formation program and run a small kindergarten. An amazingly challenging enterprise, calling for courage and conviction, boldness and daring.
Our Central graduates look towards a brighter future, and carry with them a desire to "make the world a better place". They have been instilled with the need to "serve the least favored". It wouldn't surprise me if some of them, in the course of their lives, didn't end up helping out in East Timor. Our General Chapter urged all Marists "to look at the world with the eyes of the poor young people and children." Whether if be in far off places, or locally, this is part of our mission.
Bro. Rene
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment