Extending the Marist Mission

A noteworthy aspect of this Easter Season is the reality that the Resurrection of Jesus, though accomplished and annually celebrated, is not finished.  It is a work in progress...to be carried on by us.  There is so much of ourselves that is still in the tomb and needs to be brought forth, even before we can think of helping our wounded world fully recover by becoming fully "resurrected", that is fully alive and a full actualization of its potential.  Yet, little by little, we see hopeful signs of this coming to pass.
Two of my former students in Rwanda, who came to our school with almost nothing, are taking our Marist Mission of reaching out to "the least favored", taking care of immediate needs, such as food and education, and in so doing, are introducing folks to Jesus, thus making him known, and, we hope, loved.  One of these men, although living in the United States and working as a civil engineer, has gathered friends into what he calls the "Tusome Group", which, using money from their own pockets, is trying to help the refugees from that war-torn area of the Congo on the border of Rwanda.  He's hoping to expand the membership and with a lot more financial help, provide jobs which will enable these folks to get back on their feet.  The other former student is in Burundi, almost a twin country just south of Rwanda, who wants to build a technical training school, again to help people find, and create jobs that will make them self-sufficient.  These two hope to collaborate and with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, make their dreams come to reality.  They are living out the Easter Season, and helping people experience resurrection. How happy I am to see our Marist Mission taken so seriously by these two former students, and so many others.
Bro. Rene