Monday, April 25, 2011

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

Saturday, April 9, 2011

the World as ONE Family.

so reading the news everyday, and looking at the world around us...
learning that in Ivory Coast, nearly 800 people will brutally killed, women were raped, the innocent buried...
it really makes you think of the world as a place where there's just endless sufferings, that makes you ask the classic question: WHY? how?
but at the end of every question, at times there isn't really a direct response, or answer.
because in reality, many sufferings such as murders, terrorists, rapes, drugs, broken families, abuse...they lead to the freedom of each and every human being.

I believe each and every person has a natural tendency to good, but many good people just make BAD or WRONG decisions. Since I believe that God created us, why would He create us with the freedom to choose between good or bad. Well the obvious answer is that we would all be robots and not ever know the difference between good and bad. But I searched for this answer...and it is because if we weren't created to be free, then we would not be able to experience what LOVE is, because only with human freedom we can choose LOVE rather than hate. what is LOVE? it is what every human being longs for...the longing to BE LOVED, and to LOVE.

Do you every imagine a world where peace, freedom, and LOVE only exists, where universal brotherhood is the norm, where each and every person despite religion, age, background, culture, race gets along, where there is no war, destruction...that is the world that Chiara Lubich, the foundress of the Focolare Movement, realized when she read in the Gospel with only a lit candle to see these words, "May they all be one." (John 17:11) underneath a bomb shelter with a few friends during WWII. Jesus on the cross, Son of God cried out on the cross these words to the Father. ALL is in humanity, that is every person no matter where they are from, unity among the whole human family. And Chiara Lubich didn't just read those words without LIVING it, without putting the Word into practice. To reach UNITY in the world is to not assimilate humanity, but to concentrate on the similarities rather than differences.

This unity in religion, that each believer respects the other and focuses on what is common among all religion: the Golden Rule- One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself. As the Focolare Movement has inter-religious dialogue through Muslims, Buddhists, Hebraism (Jewish), Hindus, non-believers, traditional believers. Also intra-religious dialogue with the Catholic Church and Christian denominations. Also of which the Focolare Movement has built relationships with Rissho Kosei-kai and its 6 million adherents in Japan; with an African American Muslim movement in the United States; and with various movements inspired by Ghandi in the south of India. Chiara Lubich became the first Christian and woman to enter into Muslim Mosque in New York where she spoke about this universal brotherhood. Also she was the first woman to speak in a Buddhist temple because of her rapport with Rissho Kosei-kai (founder of a Buddhist Movement).


Here in Loppiano (where I'm living), we had an event with inter-faith dialogue with Muslims.
It was beautiful to see the similarities between my religion and theirs,
which is the Golden Rule, Love your neighbour as yourself.
We listened to one of the responsibles for the Inter-Relgious Dialogue,
where he spoke to us about the Focolare Movement's history of inter-faith dialogue
I don't want to speak just about what the Focolare Movement has started to build in the world we live in, but reflect on myself also rather in this aspect. That at university, also I've been able to see and open my eyes to the beauty of each religion. Also meeting people of different religious background from Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim background, where I never speak about my faith or any differences between us, but to love that person as I would want to be loved. Also last year in one my classes, I met a Muslim girl, which was because I had offered to give her my notes because she had missed a few lessons. From that small act of love, a relationship began. Little by little, she shared with me about her family and her life. We never spoke about our differences, but rather see what we have in common. A few times where she encountered problems, she would come to me, and I would try to love in whichever I could. Even one day I saw her at my church as she attended a catholic mass with her boyfriend. Despite being in Italy, I have still kept in contact with her, and we continue to communicate to each other without ever coming into a disagreement. It made me realize that in every human being, despite religion, just longs to LOVE, and to be LOVED.

and this UNITY is not just in religion, but in all aspects of Society that the Focolare Movement builds: Economy, Law, Politics, Communications, Media, Education, Culture, Arts, Health, Environment...
but I'll write about those topics next time!





Sunday, April 3, 2011

UNITED WORLD

March 8- Loppiano: where unity lives, and
United World is not just a dream,
but a reality
March 10- meet the Popi
Mar 13- Festa per Marieta (Burundi)
with Silvia (Brasile)
Mar 25- We went to a highschool, to teach them a little about  "Friendship"..
we sang, taught them songs, shared our experiences...and in the end
I could say we brought them this United World we live in at Loppiano to them..
it was quite amazing to see the smiles on their faces, and the joy they experienced
we asked the some questions on friendship: 5 characteristics of a friend,
how "real friends" do you have?
just to get them thinking

they were some attentive to us it was pretty special to have been able
to touch their hearts

I was sharing to them that we wrote to the youth in Japan,
and to tell them we are united with them even in the difficulty,
in the end they gave us 150 euros for our project for Japan 
Mar 26- with the Canadians! 
lots of LOVE

Mar 30- our project for Japan, we fundraised some money
and also I made a video to inform the youth of the reality in Japan


Mar 30- my UNIT!