Link

This is the on-line version of Link, the bimonthly newsletter of Fimcap.

Edition December 2001

Fimcap secretary in Lithuania

Before the European Fimcap Bureau in Lithuania, Zeger Van Besien, General Secretary of Fimcap, Bart Slosse and Wim Selderslaghs of Chiro arrived there a few days earlier. The aim was to get to know the country and to meet the people and the organisation. This was important both for Fimcap and for Ateitis, new member organisation of Fimcap, one of the few in Eastern Europe. Ateitis is very active and enthusiastic, and this is also interesting for Chiro, which is considering possible Roundabout exchanges.

On Wednesday evening, 28 November, we had dinner with the president of the federation (Ateitis is a federation of different organisations). It was a nice, almost family evening with many national collaborators. Both sides brought up questions and expectations in a very open and positive atmosphere.

It soon became clear that the context, the recent history and the present situation of Ateitis are quite different from those of the other (western) European organisations. That doesn’t make things easier, but a lot more interesting. We discovered an organisation that is keen on exchanges and international experiences. They also said clearly that they thought Fimcap was the right place for this. Even though they intend to apply for full membership, they are quite happy to be observer for a while.

As they had to start all over again ten years ago, they are still working on their own identity in a quickly developing society. International issues will surely have an important place, but they do not want to go too fast.

We spent the next days with some sightseeing and visiting Kaunas, where the national office is.

Many thanks to Af in Lithuania for this warm and hearty welcome.

Zeger Van Besien

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Partnership Namibia - Switzerland

It is the one who travels that has always something to say

This sentence introduces the experience of ten young people from Southern Africa who have spent a month in Switzerland. Six female and four male leaders from Namibia have spent the whole month of July in Switzerland due to their partnership agreement.

Throughout their stay they had plenty of time to discover many astonishing things and went back home with lots of new impressions.

This adventure should have started on the 3 July 2001 with the arrival of the Namibians at Zurich Airport...However there was a bad surprise: the plane Windhoek- Munich had not been able to take off as scheduled because of technical problems. Consequently they arrived one day later and unfortunately... without their luggage. A quite stressing kick off for all participants.

However, the positive experiences soon took the upper hand. The Namibians arrived on the same day at their host families. The stay with the families was an important part of the exchange program.

When you live with a family you learn a lot about the social and the cultural life of a country. In Namibia many of the young people still live together with their brothers and sisters who are more numerous then in Switzerland, and in addition their uncles and aunts also live in the same house, which of course does not have many rooms. The small Swiss family was something new for them. Agnes spent some days with Eliane’s family. She accompanied Eliane to school, to see how the teaching is like in Switzerland. During the English class, she stood up to answer the teacher. This really surprised the Swiss pupils. When they were again at home, Agnes learned everything about the bicycle and did her first try - outs. Not easy at all, the first time, isn’t it?

As the visit was taking place in July, and not in May as in the past, many groups of Jubla reacted positively on the call of the Namibian work group, to invite 2 Namibians for some days at their summer camp. During these days they discovered how a Jubla year experiences its best moments: Big games, handicraft, tournaments, discussions, board games, and ghost hunting! “On one hand, games seems to be quite different from those in Namibia, but on the other hand they are also quite similar”, the Namibians said.

Other peak moments of their stay where: the concerts in Bern and Zurich. Some Namibians met again for the first time after three weeks. During the last week, they were just finalising the preparations for their journey back home and rehearsed for their concerts in Switzerland. In a very short time, they had a repertoire of more than hundred songs that filled the public with enthusiasm. Many people had gone to hear them sing and were fascinated by their marvellous voices and the songs with four parts. At the end of the concert they could not resist the invitation to dance and sing with them. These were a few scenes of the stay of Agnes, Antonet, Brian, Simeon, Eglin, Mary, Petrina, Sister, Floriana and Andreas.

It was also very impressive for the Swiss people...they had their head filled with tunes and their eyes full of pictures of the trips done together. They really experienced a partnership, in a very close way.

Now it will go on through letters, exchanges of pictures and E-mails. Up to 2002 ...Then, a group of Jungwacht and Blauring leaders will go to Namibia to live there in the spirit of the partnership and will bring the fire back to Switzerland.

Excerpts of Idee

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Ghana

Ghana CYO is now connected to the Internet.
The email address is:ghanacyo@ghana.com.
Rev. Fr. Robert Edwin Hagan, National CYO Chaplain, takes this opportunity to wish all Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.

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Sierra Leone!

A letter arrived in Antwerp from Sierra Leone. Fr Rocco Puopolo has been called back to the USA, and is no longer chaplain of the CYO. Since war seems to have ended over there, they ask us to send again the mail to Sierra Leone.

Fr Daniel Koroma is the General Vicar of the Makeni Diocese and teaches in the major Seminary. He will be the new contact person.

Fr Daniel Koroma P.O. box 1335
Freetown
Sierra Leone, West Africa

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News from Kiro Congo

On 17 November, we had a meeting with Louis Van Dijck the chaplain of Kiro Congo. While having a cup of coffee at the Fimcap secretary office, we got more information about the situation Kiro people are dealing with in Congo.

Although the social, political and economical situation is rather bad, Kiro Congo is doing marvellous work in many parishes. At the moment the organisation counts about 18.000 members in different age groups. Congo is a large country and part of its territory is occupied by rebels. This makes it very difficult to communicate with the other dioceses, and many times impossible. As there are good contacts with the Salesians there, they can often use their infrastructure to communicate. Nevertheless, participation at international activities is not possible for the moment, as it turns out that it is very difficult to leave the country. In many cases it is much more easier to travel to a European country than to neighbouring countries. However, Kiro Congo is not giving up and goes on with enthusiasm and motivation.

This year each age group is focusing its activities on a definite liturgical period: the youngest focus on Christmas, the 12-13 years old on Easter, the 14-15 on the feast of Christ the King and the older ones focus on Pentecost. To be able to be self-supporting and finance all their activities and initiatives, they are trying to work out projects to promote self-supporting projects in the different local groups, like rabbit- and chicken breeding. Parallel with these local projects, they put a small centre with computers at the disposal of students for writing and laying their work. At the same time, it is a kind of income for the organisation.

I would like to encourage all Kiro leaders and members to go on with this work, which is essential for the future of the society in their country.

Carme Carrion i Ribas

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Xaveri Burundi

An international ecumenical work and training camp in Burundi
The Burundi Xaveri Movement with the collaboration of the national Council of the Churches of Burundi (Protestant Churches), The Scouts Association of Burundi and the JAMAA association, during the period 19 August - 2 September organised an International work and training Camp in Nyangungu, Mutaho, Province Gitega, in the centre of the Country. In this place, there is total peace and therefore young people coming from all parts of the country and members of the organisations mentioned above, could build within 14 days 7 houses out of adobe bricks cover them by a tiled roof.

These 7 houses were donated at the end of the camp to seven Batwa families (minority group in Burundi with very poor life conditions). The local administration was active as well and mobilised the local population in order to help the young people. They experienced a real community life in an environment that hasn’t known real joy for many years.

Six scouts from South Kivu (R.D.Congo), two from Rwanda and one from Uganda took also part in the work. Xaveri Burundi has been invited during this camp to present a speech on mutual acceptance and progressive reconciliation, supported with video material. The financial support of the camp, which gathered 72 young people, could be assured by the former legal representative of the NGO Christian AID (England), Mr Nigel Watt.

Initiatives like this should be encouraged within Fimcap youth organisations!

National training camp of Xaveri leaders
From the 2 to 5 September 2001, 37 Xaveris from 7 Burundi dioceses took part in a leaders training camp. This camp was organised by the national movement committee on the following themes: lay-people responsibility in their life environment, personal ascension within the Xaveri Movement, revision of Xaveri movement statutes, the importance of complementary techniques in the movement, the commitment of Xaveri people towards self-development (introduction to project elaboration), communication and leadership, HIV/AIDS and development.

Due to money scarcity, it had not been possible for the Committee to organise such important activities.

All themes were developed in the Kirundi language (for the first time) by all members of the National Committee. The dioceses were asked to pass on the given training to others.

Young people, let us work for peace and fight Aids!
This was the theme of the Eucharist on 23 September 2001 held at the Football stadium of Bujumbura, where many young people from the movements of the Catholic Action and from parochial apostolic groups of Bujumbura. The Bishop of Bujumbura, His Excellence Mgr Evariste NGOYAGOYE, accompanied by many priests from his diocese encouraged the young people to commit themselves to work for peace and to fight Aids. The Stadium was colourful (flags, uniforms and emblems) and the atmosphere was more of joy than of prayer. Such activities will be organised in all parishes of Bujumbura and this diocesan meeting will be annual in the future.

Xaveri and Chiro people of Burundi had been excellent in organising and supporting the whole day. Let them go on!

Térence Mbonabuca
National leader of Xaveri Burundi

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South Africa Chaplains Training

The chaplains training took place from the 24-27 September 2001 at Koinonia Conference Centre 2001.

It was attended by seven chaplains from the dioceses of Kroonstad, Klerksdorp, Oudtshoorn, Mariannhill, Maseru (Lesotho) and Rustenburg. The aim of the meeting was to have chaplains to come together and plan for the coming year. Chaplains were able to share their experiences concerning Chiro. An important resolution that was made was that Chaplains should meet on an annual basis. This encourages them to continue working with Chiro in a vibrant and supportive way.

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News from Jupach, Chile

“Dear friends, On 12 October 2001 we celebrated the national day of the “Jupachino”. The youth movement Jupach celebrates its 36th anniversary on that day, and its presence for children, teenagers and young people all over our large country.

To celebrate this big encounter, each diocese presented its own programme. For instance, in Los Angeles, they had a diocesan meeting gathering about 900 children and young people. The meeting place was the village of Negrete in the neighbourhood of Los Angeles.

The presence of the children was a real “revolution” in the village! There had been a big moment of opening where each group shouted to all other groups” we are present” and then we greeted and thanked our Brother Jesus and were grateful for having the opportunity to come together and to celebrate a new Jupach year.

The activities were numerous. Group activities for the different age groups were held at different places: the village, the stadium, the streets. We would like to underline the great friendliness of the Negrete village, which welcomed so many children and youngsters. In the North of Chile, especially at Iquique, the Jupachinos met for a Eucharistic mass, to share and thank Jesus, their big friend for the 36 years of Jupach existence.

As national team, we got in touch with the diocese of San Bernardo (i.e. with 7 groups, Fatima, Buen Pastor, Montserrat, San Vicente de Paul, Pirque, Buin et Nuestra Señora del Rosario) and with the groups of Santiago (Pedro Rojas y espiritu Santo). Some months ago, we travelled to the North and to the most southern part of our country to take up contacts with the dioceses and to organise some training sessions for leaders. Unfortunately, due to the wideness of our country, we could not pay a visit to all groups, but by phone we could see that they do their very best to “travel Together with us to Juan Salvador Gaviota”, the year theme of our organisation.

We are also preparing and dreaming about our national Camp that will take place 31 Oct.- 3 Nov. 2002 at a place of the “Cordillera”, near Chillan.

The leaders are very enthusiastic to meet again. In spite of the difficulties in our country (high unemployment rate, despair and violence) the groups meet regularly every weekend. At the moment they are finalising their last preparations for their local camps in January. The national team is preparing the General Assembly that will take place between 11-13 January, with the participation of three delegates of each diocese and of some guests invited by the movement.

I send very warm greetings from Chile to all Link readers and kind regards to all our friends.”

For the co-ordination team,
Katty Katherine Concha Gaete,
National Co-ordinator

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Brazil

The movement “ Movimento sem Terra“ is an organisation that was born in the 70‘s in Brazil. Its basic objective is to stand up for the rights of the farmers to have a place to live and to cultivate. At the moment this movement is supporting more than 250.000 families and more than 2.600 farmers associations.

Annemie Laurijssen et Daan Vanderhulst from Belgium have been in touch with this movement and wanted to tell us about their experiences and thoughts of a possible collaboration between MST and Fimcap. They have explained the way that MST is organised. In fact, they have built real existing towns that are based on democracy principles, on the rights of education, on legal rights for all, with an opening towards the outside world and the respect of the environment.

Within these rural organisations, there are children groups called “Movimento em Terrinha”. These boys and girls organise and perform activities to favour their training and their growing up while having fun.

Next spring, there will be a delegation of MST in Europe. It might be good idea to take the opportunity to meet them and to examine the possibilities for co-operation and common work in the future.

Carme Carrion y Ribas

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Sri Lanka

The Pubuduwa is a people’s movement in the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka. The Youth movement is a very important component within the whole movement.

There are adults (men and women) young people, (girls & boys) 18 and above, students (12-17) and children (3-12.)

The spirituality is firmly rooted in the living Lord, the Scriptures, the Living Traditions of the Church, and what the Holy Spirit has thought the Pubuduwa during its short history of 30 years.

They work on the intensification of the faith life of the parish-based groups, sharing personal experiences of the Lord in the concrete daily living. There are regular workshops, seminars, recollection days, and formation programmes at the various centres and camps. They are reaching out to the poor, the drug addicts, the jobless inviting them to pocket-meetings at the village level and subsequently following them up on a personal level, providing thereby a sense of dignity to these poor people, often under the shadow of a type of fatalism that ties them to a state of sheer inferiority. Invitations to a simple meal are also a sign and symbol of acceptance and hope-filled future. These small gatherings provide space for free discussions regarding personal problems as well as bigger issues of exploitation, political chicanery, and social and structural sin that bedevil our society.

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Bureau meeting in Kaunas, Lithuania

Since Ateitis Federation has the status as observer member since the General Assembly in Ghana, we were glad they accepted hosting the Bureau meeting, because it gives the possibility for a deeper contact with the organisation itself.

After our arrival at the Vilnius national airport, Gestautis, the general secretary of AF and Ruta, the Fimcap delegate of Ateitis, picked up several delegations. We were taken to Kaunas, about 100 km from Vilnius, in a minibus. On the motorway, the car broke down. Fortunately it was the accelerator and not the brakes! So we experienced the –5C° (coming from +10C°) outside. By the end of the weekend, we would know that you can warm up with funny games, but at that moment we had no idea.

So we were glad to arrive in a shop to warm up and compare prices. After arriving at the cloister, we had a little dinner and got some sleep.

The meeting started with a tour of table and the news from the organisations. Contrarily to what we heard at the meeting in Barcelona a year ago, the news was positive and we heard about a lot of nice initiatives and activities.

For the next item on the agenda, little working groups discussed the seminar in Malta (replacing a regular Bureau meeting) about leadership training. A lot of ideas came up as input into the further planning of the seminar. We agreed on inviting national representatives and national experts on leadership training, so we can combine national knowledge with working on a European level.

Next were the news from the intercontinental presidium and a report from the General Assembly of the European Youth Forum in Athens, a discussion about the working groups, Euroforum 2002 in Sweden, the Roundabout projects and next Bureau meetings. We haven’t found host organisations yet. As fellow-up of the seminar in Haarlem, we also discussed a document about the preparation of participants for Fimcap activities.

We had a first outlook to the Fimcap Europe General Assembly. We are planning an umbrella project with the European Fellowship and the Katholische Jungschar Österreich, which is prepared to host all three meetings at the same time. A further discussion will be held among the steering groups in January and an update/feedback moment will be foreseen in Malta in March. The date was fixed on the weekend of 8-10 November 2002.

Between the 2 meeting parts, an evening was organised by AF. After the celebration, we went to their national office in the city where they presented their work as well as the principles on which it was founded. And to put into practice the principle of Ethno culture, the second part of the evening was full of folk dances with AF youngsters. Despite the fact that we were warmed up, we played some warmer games while waiting outside in the cold for the next taxi. We all enjoyed it and returned tired to the cloister.

We ended the meeting with the remaining items on Sunday and drove back to Vilnius with those returning home. Thanks again to Ateitis Federation for the nice bureau meeting.

Kurt van der Herten
Fimcap Europe President

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Youth 2002

Danish EU-presidency assisted by European Youth.
1000 young European’s summit

Youth 2002 is organising a European summer event for 1000 young people from the EU-countries, the EU-applicant countries and from the Balkans. The event has the same name as the association, Youth 2002.

It is of utmost importance that citizens contribute to the debates preparing the EU Intergovernmental Conference scheduled to open in 2004 (IGC 2004). The guiding question of the summer event is: If a European constitution should become existent, what would we want it to contain?

With this we would like to invite you to consider the participation of young people of your organisations in this outstanding and maybe even historical event in order to consider the 1000 young people as representative of the European reality as possible, even though we have to consider only participants able to communicate in English, young people between 18 and 25 (incl.) Travel, lodge and board will be covered even if there is going to be a participation fee of 100 euro.

Find the application form, fill it in and remember to submit it. The deadline of the first selection is January 5th, 2002. An on-line application form as well as more detailed information are enclosed and at the address www.youth2002.org.

John Petersen
Youth 2002 Secretariat
Brandbjergvej 12
DK-7300 Jelling
+45 7020 1425
john@youth2002.org

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Youth Exchange Switzerland- GUS

The foundation “Jugendaustausch Schweiz-GUS“ organises an exchange project for youth groups between Switzerland and Belarus.

It will take place 9. - 21. February 2002. We would like to invite young people between 18 and 30 years who are active in youth organisations to go together with Swiss people to Minsk, the capital of Belarus. We want to get to know similar organisations there, have contacts and exchanges about youth work.

Information under the Email Address: http://www.schweiz-gus.ch/

Stefanie Jud
Stiftung Jugendaustausch Schweiz-GUS

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