mcb. On September 10th the Holy Mass “toward 2014” will be celebrated in covenant with Mozambique. A Schoenstatt family from Burundi who lives in Maputo, Mariana, a girl from the Girls’ Youth from Buenos Aires on mission with the Pilgrim MTA in Muvamba, and some Mozambiques who live in Johannesburg, South Africa and who belong to the Movement will join this Mass…
Mozambique, a country located in southeastern Africa a neighbor among others of South Africa and Zimbabwe, was the scene of a terrible civil war that lasted from 1977 to 1992 leaving two million land mines that are still active. It was the community of Saint Egidio that negotiated the peace treaty at that time. The treaty was signed at the Saint Egidio Center in Rome. Saint Egidio continues to be committed to this country where -among others – the DREAM program has been developed. DREAM is the acronym for Drug Resource Enhancement against AIDS and Malnutrition; it is program with a global focus to treat AIDS in Africa that the Community of Saint Egidio began in February 2002. Presently DREAM exists in Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, the Republic of Guinea, Guinea, Bissau, Nigeria, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon. The program is the child of a dream, hence the name. It is the dream of confronting the AIDS epidemic in a new and more efficient manner on the African continent. It is the dream of equality between the North and South of the world. It was calculated that just in 2007 more than two million people died of AIDS (three out of four in sub-Saharan Africa). Moreover it has been calculated that 35 -50 million adults and children have died since the epidemic began. On July 14th in Maputo, Mozambique, the DREAM program signed a new and important agreement with the Health Ministry of the country that seals the long friendship between the Community and Mozambique. This friendship was born at the end of the 1980’s, and it has developed during these thirty years becoming a concrete work for peace, justice, and solidarity for the Mozambique people.
An interesting fact: the same day that the Holy Mass in covenant with Mozambique is celebrated in the Original Shrine, there will be a global conference for peace in Munich that is organized by the Saint Egidio Community.
Mozambique has a population of 21,669,278 inhabitants, with a median age of 17.4 years since 44.3 of its population is less than 14 years old. Portuguese is the official language, and it is the most widely spoken in the country, but only 40% of population speaks it.
The Pilgrim MTA in Muvamba
The Covenant of Love exists in this country. Siliva and Santo Orihuela relate: “In the middle of June 2011, Francine, a member of the Girls’ Youth, called the Campaign Center in Buenos Aires; she told them that Mariana, another member, was on mission in Africa, and she wanted to have a Pilgrim MTA with her. It was an urgent request because someone was going to travel there at the end of the week and could take it. So the following Thursday night the group had it and was on the way to meet the person, who would be its missionary. What a beautiful trip! The Blessed Mother always guides us and shows the way in the simplicity of daily life as well as in the adventure of traveling so far, and She ALWAYS warms our heart. The youth, who gives all their heart, is also very beautiful! Mariana will remain at the Redemptorist Camp in Muvamba, Mozambique for two years, and we are sure that the Mother and Queen, the great missionary will WORK MIRACLES!”
A family from Burundi in Maputo
During the civil war in Burundi, many of the Burundi fled from the country –Jacques and Marie were among them – they belonged to the Schoenstatt Youth. Both of them arrived to Maputo, Mozambique, where they met…they fell in love…and they married. Now they have two children ages seven and four, a little brother died at six months of age. Both of them are still studying…and they felt a little abandoned by Schoenstatt. It was the news about the Pilgrim MTA sent from Buenos Aires that inspired a Schoenstatt Father from Portugal, who knew them, to get in touch with them again. On September 10th, they will celebrate Jacques’ birthday with friends…and they will join in the Mass celebrated in Schoenstatt, “united in the same prayer”, they wrote.
In Johannesburg…
Sarah-Leah Pimentel, from Johannesburg, South Africa, is spreading the word about the Mass celebrated in covenant with its neighbor, Mozambique. “I am sure that many people will unite spiritually. I am going to ask my parents to unite with us. They were born in Mozambique, and surely they will want to pray for their country. Either way, I will be present…”
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio/Melissa Janknegt, Elgin, USA
