Link

Edition December 2002

New President of Fimcap Europe

Hi,

As the new president of Fimcap Europe I would like to introduce myself. My name is Corno de Mol and I come from Utrecht, the Netherlands. After being a youth member for eleven years, a local youth leader for ten years and member of the international committee of Jong Nederland for about seven years I considered that it was time for me to go for a new challenge.

International work has attracted me for a long time. I studied history in Utrecht from 1990 till 1995. And during these studies, I studied in Berlin, Germany, for a year. There I experienced what it is like to live and work together with people of all kinds of nationalities. I discovered that internationalism is an enrichment for life and I decided to devote my time to give other young people that same experience.

I participated in several international Fimcap activities since then. The most impressive activity was the World camp in Paraguay in the year 2000. This has made such an impression that I still remember everything as if it just has happened yesterday. Though distances between the Netherlands and Paraguay make it difficult to keep in touch with each other, the people I met there are still in my heart.

I am very happy that there will be a new chance for other people to participate in a World camp, this summer in the Philippines. I can only strongly recommend it. Participation and international involvement is what Fimcap is all about. Without the possibility to meet each other, Fimcap would just be another organisation on paper. Fimcap is not a theory, Fimcap is a reality. One can experience this reality best when one directly meets other people. That is why I would like to focus myself the next three years on stimulating the possibility for people to meet each other, on a European and intercontinental level.

It is very difficult to give you a clear picture about who I am in just a few words. I will be around several activities in the future. So, maybe we have a chance to meet there. Otherwise you would have to come around in Utrecht. When you happen to be in the neighbourhood, do not hesitate to contact me.

Corno de Mol

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New Fimcap Poster!

Fimcap has a very nice new Fimcap poster! It can be seen in colour on the Electronic Link version and on the Website! It is possible to order some at the Fimcap secretary office. Please contact Zeger Van Besien in Antwerp!

The editors of Link wish you a nice Christmas time and a Happy New Year.

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Partnership visit in Namibia

Nine leaders from Blauring & Jungwacht Switzerland visited Namibia this summer during four weeks. They were hosted by their partner organisations Blouring, Jongwag and the youth of Namibia. “After a nice welcome evening in Windhoek we travelled directly to the very north of Namibia to the region of Kavango close to Angola and Caprivi next to Zambia and Botswana. For Caprivi Region it was the first time having visitors from Blauring & Jungwacht Switzerland. In both regions, we were splitted up for some days to stay with a host family. We discovered the place (village or town), had the possibility to attend youth meetings, to visit many people, schools, clinics, churches and to experience the daily life of the families. Many of the families did a lot us and we got a lot of impressions.

During the youth meetings it was possible to play and talk to many members. We learnt many songs and dances and we tried to teach some Swiss games to our hosts. In the parishes during Sunday mass we were welcomed by the church councils and many times we had to explain the partnership and talk about Blauring & Jungwacht Switzerland to many interested people. During our stay we saw many wild animals and we enjoyed the endless landscape of this beautiful country.

As the reality of life is very different to ours we couldn’t understand everything, but I think it was important to get in touch with people as close as possible. All the participants who were on the trip will remain engaged in the partnership working group to run our partnership in future.
We returned back to Switzerland with a lot of new experiences. We want to thank all the people in Namibia who took care of us in a very friendly manner!

Pascal Vonlanthen

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Chiro Burundi has a new national leader

As mentioned in the last Link edition, Chiro Burundi elected a new national leader . His name is Jean Minani, born in 1974. Before his election on 6 October 2002, he was the permanent secretary of the Chiro Movement where he was very active, setting up new sections in secondary schools. He is very sportive, he was a member of the national Athletic team and participated at world championships (10.000 metres) in Italy (1997 ) and Spain (1999). He is now a teacher for economics in the secondary school of Gitega.

His impressions after the elections were: “I am very proud to have been elected as a new director of the Chiro Movement and promise to devote time and energy for the movement. I would like to call all friends of Chiro Burundi to help us to revitalise the movement. Chiro Burundi is mainly present in the parishes of the rural areas, and we are now trying to implement Chiro in the secondary schools. We want to introduce subjects related to modern Church life and to the situation of our country in the Chiro Movement pedagogy. We will give priority to reconciliation and rehabilitation initiatives in this country”. There are lots of challenges to take up. The many massacres that gave a bad image of Burundi also touched the Chiro movement. 5 Chiro leaders were murdered recently. These injustices are unacceptable. These acts of terror make me often feel discouraged, but I count on the determination of the Chiro people who have the motto “ We are the apostles of love, of justice and peace”.”

The new Chiro Burundi leader and the national team take the opportunity to wish a Happy New Year 2003 to all Fimcap members.

Zénon Manirakiza

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National council Kiro Congo august 2002

It took 4 days to arrive in Kamina were we had a National Kiro Council meeting. The permanent Bureau of the national secretary and delegates from the dioceses of Lubumbashi and Sakania Kipushi (13 people) took the train. Problems due to a railway accident on the way to Gitega made it quite uncomfortable as three people had to spend four days and three nights sitting on 2-person benches, with a forced stop of ten hours in a tiny village only to have some food and water. Only the solidarity of the people made this journey look positive!

On our arrival at the railway station of Kamina, we were warmly welcomed by Kiro priests, nuns, and Kiro members . A night and day presence had been organised to get informed about the arrival of the train. The meeting of the National Council took place 6-10 august 2002 in Kamina ( Lycée Maidio ). Four diocesan delegations and the permanent Bureau of the Kiro secretariat - about 30 people (3 priests, 4 nuns, 6 female leaders and 17 chiefs on the deanery, diocesan and national level) participated at the meeting. Two centres were represented : the Kananga and the Lubumbashi centres The centre of Kabinda was again absent due to the state of war (occupied territory) and due to transport problems in the diocese of Luiza.

The meeting was lead by the national chief secretary César Bamwepela under the presidency of rev. Father Louis Van Dijck. Didier Tshikung was in charge of the minutes. After the different reports from the dioceses and from the national secretary, the meeting focused on the publication of a brochure on basic training for leaders, based on the year theme: “Let’s reconcile for peace in Dem. Rep. of Congo”.

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National Youpi meeting

During the 14-18 August 2002, about 450 Youpi and their leaders coming from all over the Katanga province met in Likasi in the nice school of St Francois Xavier of Kikula. The theme of the meeting was: «True for peace today and forever ».

The Youpi had the joy to meet children of the same age in a Kiro structure and shared knowledge, skills and experiences through games, songs, sketches, and other recreation activities. As a whole, people drove about 3360 km to enable the national meeting of the different Youpi delegations.

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Opening of the Kiro year 2002-2003

At the official opening of the Kiro activities planned on the 6th October 2002, there was a commemoration mass for Father Joseph Sterck, founder of Kiro Congo Father Louis van Dijck took the opportunity to challenge the leaders on the validity of their mission and on the deeper meaning of their commitment. More than 100 leaders (male and female) were present at the opening mass. There were also three members of the Salesian Sisters provincial Council, leaders of some groups in Lubumbashi.
There was a small reception with a drink for the guests at the national secretary centre.

César Bamwepela
National Secretary Kiro Congo

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Sierra Leone

I am Fr. Daniel Osei Yeboah, C.S.Sp a Ghanaian by birth but a missionary in Sierra Leone who have been there throughout the rebel war. Presently, I am the Acting Youth National Chaplain of Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone as you know has been off the activities of FIMCAP due to the war and also the lack of support from the Youth Bishop who has retired since June. Most of our activities were done by ourselves without support from the Church and so we could not do much. Now that we have got a young and interested bishop for Youth we would like to renew our membership and also to participate in all the programmes of the movement.

We would be very happy if you can send us some of your Newsletters or programmes of activities. We will also like to register our interest to participate in the Afroconference 2002 this year and would appreciate if you give us all the necessary information and how to go about it as we feel that we are almost new since we have been absent for a long time.

You can reach me of the following address and email:

Fr. Daniel Osei Yeboah, C.S.Sp
Acting national Youth Chaplain
St. Martin's Parish
P.M.B 563
Freetown - Sierra Leone
West Africa

Email: spirisal@sierratel.sl

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Paraguay

In October 2002, Doris Rengli from Jubla Switzerland and I paid a visit to Nippac, the Fimcap organisation in Paraguay - Nippac (Niños Perseverantes Paraguayos Católicos) We had some meetings with the national team to evaluate the work realised during the last period. We also met some local groups like Villa Hayes, Remansito, Limpio, Paso Yobai y Guayaquicua. During the visits we noticed the joy of the Jupachinos, the very popular songs, their expressions, excursions, but most of all we discovered their simplicity and human qualities.

For Doris, it was the opportunity to bring to mind her participation at the Fimcap World Camp 2000. It was a great joy to discover that the children’s playground in Paso Yobai which she helped to build up was in good shape. It has even been improved and they have obtained new toys for the children. The playground is used by the Nippac children and by the community.

In Guayaquicuá, where Doris had helped with the construction of the Solidarity House, she could see that it was well ruled and used by all. This was also a real opportunity to have a World Camp feeling, when you meet some of the leaders and their families. Also, for myself, it was very moving to listen to some of the people telling me about their world camp experience, the adventures, the days they shared with all those foreigners who finally became members of the community and the sons and daughters of the families. They also remembered the many hours Corno de Mol spent drawing the world map.

I think that when you go back to places where Fimcap left such an impact, you feel like continuing the work initiated some years ago. I take the opportunity to motivate you to participate at the next World camp in the Philippines in 2003.

We participated at the official hand-over of the “corbatin”, the Nippac scarf, to at least 30 children of all ages, now official members of the Nippac Group. It is worth mentioning that I was also given the “corbatin”, which made out of me a Nippacino! We also had discussions with the parents of the Nippacinos who were present all the time, specially those of the Kindergarten school. We discussed various subjects concerning the school, as well as their collaboration with the teaching team. The Kindergarten school that went through some problems, is now on the way to find the right solutions. With the teachers’ team, Father Julio and Elodia, we had a day of work to clarify the present situation of the school, to examine the future projects and to work out the organisation of these.

We also attended an extraordinary General Assembly in which a new national team was elected - Angelica as Coordinadora nacional, Miguelito, Nidia, Eustaquio, Pablita and Sister Rosalia as national spiritual assistant. During the Assembly counted on the presence of the Bishop of Benjamin Aceval, Mgr Candido Cardenas, who supported greatly the new national team. Nippac has confidence in its own strength, in the love of the Nippac children and in the help we could bring through Fimcap. I believe in the national team because it is a team which wants to work and wants to leave behind the difficulties, the quarrels... and is ready to start again with a new hope for the best of the Nippacinos. Have a nice summer and nice camps!

Alveiro

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Visit to Nippac, Paraguay

Alveiro, the international chaplain of Fimcap and myself spent a great time with our friends in Paraguay. I was travelling through South America, so I took the opportunity to visit the friends I made during the Fimcap world camp in 2000.

We arrived in Asunción where the national team of Nippac welcomed us warmly and brought us to Villa Hayes. This is the town where the national house of Nippac is situated in which the last world camp commenced. Most of the leaders I met in the year 2000 are still part of the movement and it was a great pleasure to meet them again.

We admired the flags that have been painted on the walls of the school and we were walking through the street with the trees planted by participants of the world camp. During the weekend we went to visit local groups, talked and played games with leaders and kids. It was great to become acquainted with these groups that are doing very well and with the leaders who work with so much energy and a minimum amount of resources and finances.. We visited the playground that was made in Paso Yobai during the World Camp. It looked very well and they use it for their summer camp. The house that was built in Guayaki-Kuá during the same time is also very well. They use it a lot with the children because it often rains heavily in this region.

After the journey we stayed a few days more in Villa Hayes. We had meetings with the national board, with the chaplain, with the teachers of Nippac school and with the bishop to work on papers that clarifies the future of Nippac. We also had time to chat, to play Volley and to drink Terere (the national drink of Paraguay). Thanks a lot to the leaders of Nippac for hosting us so warmly and for working patiently for so many hours!

Doris Renggli,
Switzerland

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Chile

After the short visit to Paraguay, I went to the country along the Pacific ocean, a long and narrow piece of land, a nice country called Chile. I could participate at some meetings with the national team, in Conception, where the national secretariat of Jupach is situated. The Bishop in charge of the youth Mgr Estanilao helped me to communicate with some local groups, but the main objective of my visit was to participate at the national leader’s camp in Pinto.

About 200 Jupach leaders, coming from all over Chile participated. There were also representatives from other organisations e.g. 2 from Nippac, 4 from Chiro Belgium, and 3 from Jupae (Juventud Parroquial Ecuatoriana). The experience was a very positive one for the international guests. We learned a lot of new expressions that are typical Latin-American, as well as new games...but what surprised us most was the incredible energy of the Jupachinos who were singing, playing, doing workshops, dancing, cheering, animating.... from 8 in the morning up to midnight.

For me, it was a nice surprise to see the intense activity of the local groups. The different leaders explained to me that although there are particularities in each region regarding the dances and the typical meals, they were still united in the same organisation, in different age groups symbolised by the green, blue, or red colour.

They also explained the contents and the methods used during the training session for leaders. I would like once more to thank Jupachinos for their great hospitality and the national team for giving me the feeling to be at home. Unfortunately the weather was not as good as we would have liked to, but we had enough time to learn new things.

I wish the best to the Jupachinos and a nice summer with lots of sun for your camps. Latin-America, Africa and Asia are the continents of the hope. While visiting our organisations here, I really had this feeling. But unfortunately, little by little, this hope is dying. Without support and without a real possibility of fair development...a depressing situation will be encountered by many countries where Fimcap is present. At the same time I am happy to see the creativity of the group leaders who give their selves and continue with their work in the local groups.

The marks of friendship I was given in Chile and Paraguay and also from Jupae and the Chiro people at the camp encouraged me to go on doing my best. I believe this is a good opportunity to think of our sister organisations in the South. Christmas this year should be an opportunity for the Fimcap member organisations to have a closer look at their partnerships and for those who haven’t dared yet to enter in partnership, to share dreams with an other organisation of the south, don’t think twice do it.

Alveiro

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Seminar on “connecting people” Fimcap Europe – European Fellowship

A little history first. It all started 3 years ago, at the Euroconference in Dingli, Malta. During informal moments at the conference, I discussed with the representatives Helle and Tage of FDF, the Danish protestant organisation and associate member of Fimcap and at the same time full member of the European Fellowship (EF), the sister umbrella organisation of Fimcap Europe (FE) (EF, itself being a continental part of the Global Fellowship for Christian youth). Soon we discovered several parallels between both umbrella organisations. We were both European umbrella organisations, working with youth organisations in Europe that gather youngsters and children in their free time, on a voluntary basis in a Christian atmosphere. EF with protestants and FE with Catholics. We were both facing the same realities, in the countries, in the organisations as well as towards the European institutions (e.g. less structural financial support, more support on basis of projects). We found out that we had enough common items for future discussions. And that’s how it started.

The idea to make a common project was born. A common project has advantages: discussions about the common items, encounter of people, making each others’ realities (differences and similarities) more visible. However like always if you want to work out something on an international level, it takes a lot of time to realise it. Throughout the years, we had several common moments between both presidiums: at each others Bureau meetings, at the FDF and the Julso camp. At the same time, the preparations for the FE General Assembly started also. We were very glad that the Catholic Jungschar from Austria offered us their hospitality. And as I think that - while hosting a Fimcap activity - it is important to take profit of your presence to meet the “officials” of the organisation, we made a proposal to organise our common EF-FE meeting at the time with the KJSÖ’s General Assembly.

On the 6 November, we gathered with the representatives of FE at Castle Wildegg, an old castle that belongs to the Jungschar of Vienna, near Vienna. On Thursday 7 November, we took off with the first part of the statutory meeting. We welcomed 10 member organisations and 4 guest organisations. 4 Organisations apologised for not being present. So all in all, delegates from Austria (KJSÖ), Switzerland (Blauring & Jungwacht), Catalonia (CCCCCE), Malta (ZAK), Germany (KJG), Belgium (Chirojeugd, Patro), The Netherlands (Jong Nederland), Denmark (FDF), Lithuania (Ateitis Federation), Slovakia (eRko) and Italy (FOI) were present. Unfortunately, we missed Jongerengemeenschappen (B) and the 3 catholic Scandinavian organisations SUK, DUK and NUK.

After the official welcoming and opening, the candidates for the vacant functions of the presidium were presented:1 candidate for presidency, Corno De Mol from Jong Nederland, and 1 candidate for spiritual assistant, Wim Selderslaghs, Chirojeugd’s chaplain. After the approval of agenda and of the minutes from the last Euroconference we started with the discussions on the future work. Before each working time, we gave the possibility to the organisations to present their international work of the last 3 years.

The first point was the FE activities - the bureau meetings, the seminars and working groups. Every time, we presented the results of the evaluation forms done by the organisations or persons responsible, organised a brainstorming about the future so as to come to a synthesis (on Sunday) with decisions on the future way of working and with concrete engagements (see further down).

On Thursday evening, we organised an international evening. And as the delegates from the European Fellowship did arrive little by little, the group enlarged with delegates from Finland, Estonia, Romania, Hungary and board members of the Global and European Fellowship. Also a delegate from the Austrian Catholic Youth joined in. Unfortunately, the people from Ukraine couldn’t attend as they couldn’t obtain their visa. All together, we were about 43 people.

On Friday morning, the seminar part (common part with EF and FE) under the title “connecting people”, started officially. After an introduction on the background, the aims and perspectives of the seminar, both umbrella organisations were presented. Then it was time for some group discussions. The main issue was “Being a Christian youth work organisation of today in our countries: what kind of challenges are we facing?”. 9 items were put forward with the question “do you see this item as a problem in your organisations and if yes, how do you solve it?”. These items were about 1)how to find new members – and not loose old ones, 2) to find enough young leaders to volunteer, 3) to forward the gospel of Jesus Christ to young people, 4) co-operation and teamwork between young and old leaders, 5) the structure of the local work – the meetings once in a week or more? Development of new structures, 6) family lives of today – how does it influence the lives of the children in our organisations, 7) economics, how does it influence your work, 8) the co-operation with the local church/parish and 9) international activities in the local groups, how? This was a very good way to discover the different realities in which our organisations and groups have to work. Then it was time to present the workshops that were programmed for the Friday and Saturday afternoon, the latter in company of the KJSÖ (see further down). The chosen themes were 1) what is Europe, 2) intercultural learning, 3) out of Europe: partnerships and world-wide engagement and 4) Ecumenism.

On Friday evening, we organised a market. All present organisations could list up what they wanted to sell (good & strong points of their organisations) or to buy (weaker points for which information/help/experiences were sought). After a short presentation of each one’s shopping list, the market was opened. The commerce started and some made quiet promising contacts. We hope that it will be continued after the seminar.

Saturday before noon, EF and FE held a separate statutory meeting. At noontime, we all went to Eisenstad, some 70km away from Wildegg, where the KJSÖ held its General Assembly. There we joined them to have common workshops. It gave the possibility for KJÖS to see the internationality of the youth work world they belong to, and for both umbrella organisations to work together with the local organisation. After the workshops, we went to church to hold an ecumenical celebration and spent the evening at the diocese house for a typical Austrian meal. The atmosphere was great! On Sunday morning, we ended the common seminar part with a kind of evaluation were reflections about the content of the seminar could be given. Besides very few minor remarks, the main feeling was very positive, also on the project itself “connecting people”. We commonly agreed that these kinds of initiatives should be continued in the future.

Finally, Sunday was also left over to close the statutory part for FE. In the synthesis, we tried to work out the results of the evaluations and suggestions. Besides the overall attention to items like partnerships, E-media (e.g. website), further co-operation with the EF, and training courses, we defined several working themes and activities for the future. Activities as Euroforum, Eurocontact, Euroclass, Roundabout and world camp are to be continued. An inter-rail game and having a Fimcap day once a year were new activities chosen. The system of 4 bureau meetings per year, alternating with seminars (max.2 per year) was kept. Working in the working groups was seen as a good system in principle; nevertheless, in several aspects, the system has to be improved to function well in practice.

Last but not least, both candidates were elected with more than a 2/3 required majority. So we welcomed Corno and Wim as new presidium members. However, the need for finding a vice-president and a secretary were discussed as well.

We thanked all those who contributed to the success of the global setting, especially the Catholic Jungschar as they had been so kind hosts.

Kurt Van der Herten Outgoing FE President.

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Euroclass

Melanie from Jong Nederland is telling us why she joined EuroClass and what she thinks about it so far.

“Hi, I am Melanie, 22 years old and up until August I lived in the Netherlands. I am a youth leader in Jong Nederland Heusden and have been so for five years now.I graduated in Marketing in June and I didn’t want to start working right away. But what should I do then? Another study? Travel around the world? EuroClass? EuroClass - that sounds exciting. Another study in another country. That is why I subscribed.

It is strange to live at a Højskole. It is nothing like the educational system that I know at home. Everybody knows your name. People here are very collective. I am having a good time here. We are having a lot of fun and I have already learned a lot of new games that I can try with my kids when I am back in Heusden. Nevertheless, it is hard to be away from home for nine months. Fortunately, I have the possibility of going home for some weekends or get visitors, but there are also other EuroClassers that barely have any contact with their home front, for nine months. In fact that’s why you need your new friends (from EuroClass) most, so that you don’t feel lonely for even one second.

But no, not everything is positive. I cannot take part in some of the workshops because they cannot take more students, and a lot of other classes are in Danish, so I cannot follow them. But all in all, I am very happy that I chose to go to Silkeborg Højskole to join EuroClass. This will be a year that I will never forget, that’s for sure!”

Kind regards from lovely Denmark

Melanie

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Spoor ZeS, Chiro Belgium

20 Chiro people, old Chiro people and Chiro friends started a new project about values and solidarity ( Solidarity with each other - What about solidarity in Chiro) using the “railway” vocabulary. While using railway stations as symbols “North” for the solidarity in Flanders and “South” for the solidarity over the borders they took up different points:

• Solidarity within Chiro: Are all children welcome in Chiro and can they all afford coming to Chiro and what do we do about this? How can we support leaders in an attitude of solidarity which is not only compassion? Integration of persons in a group requires that the group enables integration.
• Solidarity over the borders: Chiro and people from Fimcap, International Commission, Spoor ZeS, Broederlijk Delen felt the need for more co-operation on the solidarity market. The input had been very challenging statements like “The average Chiro leader does not really bother about the North-South relation of the national Chiro. Information and games on the theme are quickly forgotten.” Fimcap volunteers, people from the international commission, representatives from Broederlijk Delen vehemently denied this or at least put the statement into perspective.

Spoor ZeS, is the name of the project, a word game that is difficult to translate. “Spoor ZeS” can mean “Platform 6” at a railway station or here: “Platform for Values/Orientation and Solidarity” (Zingeving en Solidariteit).
Lots of ideas, impulse, experiences were shared. Other points of attention are planned for the next months: Values in Chiro and weekly youth work, catechesis and Youth pastoral.

For more information about our project, please contact us: Spoor ZeS, Kipdorp 30, 2000 Antwerpen, tel. 03 / 231 07 95 of SpoorZeS@chiro.be !

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