the culture of Giving.

after the ipod, then ipod NANO, ipod shuffle, iPAD...

the world never stops producing, as consumers constantly want more and BETTER.

a bigger house, more luxurious car, but the society we live in 

all the wants never equate to the "needs"

when we buy a $200 cellphone because we're tired of our old one,

as we are conscious that there's people in the world that are homeless, hungry, depressed, lost, abandoned.

how is that even possible?

because for me, I just can't live like that...to be CONSUMED.

because every corner as I walk down Florence, there's 50% discount, there's a special offer for these souvenirs, or today's deal is Buy 1 Get 1 free...

and I am left constantly battling the current of the world, what the world tells me to buy this and that without even thinking of someone in need.

because we live in a society that is so much more common to "HAVE" rather to "GIVE."

but Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare Movement on her plane ride approaching the city of San Paolo, Brazil, she was struck by the sight of the vast ring of ”favelas“ or ”shanty-towns“ surrounding one of the greatest concentrations of skyscrapers in the world.

and she did something about it.

She started the "Economy of Communion," a branch of the Focolare Movement in the area of ECONOMYwith the aim of building and showing a human society where, following the example of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, "no one among them was in need".

Around the world almost 1000 businesses are involved in this movement, where each business divides each profits into 3 parts: 

1/3 for the development of the business and its workers

1/3 for the income of the workers

1/3 for the misery ("the poor")

the last portion of the profits goes to projects around the world which the Economy of Communion works closely with another branch movement of the Focolare called "Actions for a United World." Building homes, helping the jobless find work, and building communities where it is a culture of Giving rather than Having.

We had the chance to visit one of the shopping centers near Florence, where all businesses take part in the Economy of Communion...

the shopping center: Polo Lionello Bonfanti

Azur: business that specializes in baby products

Dulcis fondo: a cafe

Risana: a medical clinic with a physiotherapist, cardiologist, neurologist, and etc

which works together to help each person as a whole, not just in one aspect of health,

but in UNITY

But as I wrote in my last blog post about the Inter-religious dialogue in the Focolare Movement, and now the branch of the Economy of Communion, I can't write without having put into practice also the "Culture of Giving" in my life. So when I arrived I met girls from around the world, from Africa, South America, Asia, countries that are less fortunate than where I'm from. Arriving with a camera, computer, clothes, hair straightener, purses, a backpack, pens, and an abundance of things. I realized that all these things are not really "mine" because I want to put it in "communion," where what I have is also at the dispense of others. I started to freely let others use everything that I brought with me. All my things are just things that I USE, but they don't belong to me because I don't want to be attached to material things. 

Also that wasn't enough for me to just share my things, one day I was out in Siena, and I was about to buy a permanent marker, but before paying, I thought to myself if I really needed it as I already had many other coloured pens, I stopped myself from buying it and I thought that instead of using this money to buy this pen, I can put this money into a box, that I can put into communion, towards somebody that is in greater need. After that experience with a simple pen, I remembered that I really wanted to buy a leather jacket, but I realized that I could sacrifice not buying it because I didn't really "need" it, and put that money that I would have used to buy that jacket also in my "Communion" box. From the pen, the jacket, sweater, chocolate or the gelato I really wanted to buy, I started to collect this money which I wanted to give to someone that will be in need. And sure enough, my friend headed to Angola for a volunteer project in March, and before she left, I gave her all the money that I had in my Communion box, which was the money that I sacrificed for the things I really wanted to buy, but I didn't need. So sacrificing my "wants and desires," it changed into somebody else's needs, in this case, orphans in Angola. 

And also that money I also use to save for the two children, a girl from Haiti, and a boy from Philippines I decided to adopt at a distance last year, that in itself was a beautiful experience, because in a way I can help someone else because for me the world is one family. You probably wonder how I would be able to support those two children, but it doesn't take that much. I just sacrifice not buying things I want and living with what I need. Such as not going to the theatre to watch a movie, but watching one on television, or instead of going out clubbing, have a party at home, or instead of going out for dinner, cook up something at home...

Life can be simple, it only takes a little sacrifice, but for me it's worth it because I want to make a CHANGE!

we can change, each person can do their part