On November 25, the young people who are preparing to receive confirmation in the rural parish of San Francisco Javier (Chiquitania, Bolvia) went on a mission to the village of San Javierito. The young people were joined by catechists, religious leaders, members of Idente Youth of San Ignacio, three volunteers from Slovakia and one from France.
With great enthusiasm and commitment the families of the village were visited, house by house, taking Gospel readings about charity; proposing them as a key to the experience of love, forgiveness and family coexistence, often weakened and affected by abandonment, irresponsibility, alcoholism or lack of human and spiritual maturity.
The fact of having integrated the youth of the different communities created a greater unity in the teams that were going to visit the families. The initial shyness of young people gradually changed into enthusiasm and security to transmit the Gospel in the community, where most families live hunting, fishing and gathering wild plants.
After the meal, the mission was concluded with an “Athenaeum”: an artistic encounter in which children and young people delighted us with their performances, highlighting their love of Chiquitano and Bolivian folklore. The grateful faces of the families for the visits they received and for having seen so many youth encouraged to live and spread the Gospel will remain for a long time in our minds and hearts.
