UNITED WORLD.

united world sounds utopia doesn't it, it sounds kinda strange in the world we live in.
At the moment with the disaster of Japan, or the happenings in Libia or Egypt.
how can that ever be reached, this unity in the world in the midst of disaster and suffering.

Since I have arrived here, I have begun to believe in this UNITED WORLD, why?
because at the moment and for these 7 months I've been here,
I live in a united world, with people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world.
and we live for this UNITY, we live in UNITY because?
we have LOVE as the only principle: to treat others as ourselves.
I could say before coming to Loppiano (the community I live in),
I would tell you, you're crazy to believe in this united world,
but this experience has changed my mentality.
It has made me see not the little things in life with that one friend or my immediate family,
but to see the world as ONE FAMILY!

and here, us 45 girls, since the happenings in Japan, we wrote to the youth of the Youth for United World in Japan (a branch of the Focolare Movement which I'm part of) , to tell them we are with them in this tragedy, that the world (as we come from 23 countries) are with them and they are not alone. In a week, we received a response back to tell us, that everything is in control and they are safe, but there has been a lot of need, with children without families. They went to the train station to collect money for the disaster, and witnessed the generosity of the Japanese people. And here this weekend, there will be over 450 youths coming to Loppiano, and we will be sharing with them the reality we live in: a UNITED WORLD!

and yesterday some of us were asked to go to a highschool to meet with 68 italian students (16-17 years old) to have an english lesson with them on the theme of Friendship/Freedom. From the beginning we entered, I was reminded of my highschool, people smoking, girls with lots of makeup, young couples, and all that we know in the world. There was a moment of fear as I first took a glance at the eyes of these teenagers. But immediately after, there was no more fear because come on...I want to build this United World, how can I be scared of these 68 highschool students. I immediately sat next to them, introduced myself. we shared with them our experiences of why we are here in Italy, sang with them, taught them songs, talked a little about the letter from the youth in Japan, shared about Chiara Luce. Each moment, I tried to love each one of them. Such as, I saw a girl videotaping when we were performing, so I offered to help her videotape it. Offering to help them with any questions they had, or playing the game amongst them. They joined us upfront infront of their friends to play the guitar, or sang the song we were teaching them. At the end they even contributed 150 euros to us for the people in Japan even us even asking. In one phrase, I could say and feel from the joy, and smiles on their faces that we brought this United World we live in here in Loppiano, to them, 68 teenagers, who are searching for more than just something ordinary, but to make a change in this world.

and it only takes each person to do their part, to not just live this ordinary life, but we were BORN for something GREATER!