PORTUGAL, Filipa Costa/fma. With great joy, selflessness and dedication, 30 volunteers will embark on an adventure of discovery as volunteers to Guinea-Bissau. The project Guinea-Mission started with the Girls’ Youth in Lisbon, who want to go beyond their borders to give their “yes” to the invitation of Guinea’s Bishop Pedro Zilli. On Saturday 12 February 2011, the holy Mass “On Pilgrimage to 2014” was celebrated in Covenant with Guinea-Bissau. There is a Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Campaign in Guinea-Bissau. She somehow arrived in that country, where she works silently and effectively. During this mass, prayers were said for all those who would one day arrive in Guinea-Bissau to spread the Covenant of Love and would one day live the Covenant of Love and build a Covenant culture. The Portuguese volunteers will not step onto unknown soil when they arrive. The Pilgrim Mother, the prayers of the Schoenstatt Family and the graces of the Mother Shrine preceded them.
The group consists of young men and women between the ages of 18 and 40. They are youth missionaries both within and outside of the movement. They want to open the doors and make the Schoenstatt Movement known to those who still do not know it.
Their motto is “You are the Key!” They want to open many doors and take Christ to others through this mission. Each key, each volunteer, is necessary to open the door of our shrine into Africa. Like their predecessors, they want to go on a voyage of discovery form Restelo (where the Lisbon Shrine is located) to Bafatá (Guinea-Bissau).
Guinea-Mission will take place between 13 and 27 July 2012 and have a duration of 3 years.
It consists of eight groups: children, youth, adults, professionals, liturgy, logistics, spirituality and marketing. They are carefully preparing all of the necessary steps for this project.
Like St. Paul, they want to take Christ to others and with the Blessed Mother’s help offer them our joy and missionary desire.
Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, South Africa
Editor`s note:
Guinea-Bissau has had a volatile political situation since 1998. Since then several presidents have been assassinated and there have been several military takeovers. It is also a drug trafficking hub. Guinea-Bissau’s people live in fear of political instability or even the threat of civil war.
On 12 April 2012, a military junta took over the civilian elected government and the situation has rapidly declined. The military and the ousted government cannot come to an agreement on how to solve their problems. This means that things have stopped working in the country.
The capital city, Bissau, has run out of water and electricity. Many people have abandoned the city and fled to the countryside out of fear that a war will begin. The main source of income – cashew exports – has been disrupted because everything has stopped working. The country is running out of food supplies. There are fears that there will soon be a humanitarian crisis in that country.
Last year we celebrated holy Mass in Covenant with Guinea-Bissau. This is the time when the people of Guinea-Bissau need our prayers and our contributions to the Capital of Grace. We pray that the country’s leaders will find a peaceful solution to their problems. We pray that the people living in Guinea-Bissau will be able to return to their normal lives.
We pray also for the volunteers of Guinea-Mission that they will have the courage to take up the mission they have started. Blessed Mother, keep them safe and let their hands be put to work where the people of Guinea-Bissau need them most. Through your Holy Spirit, Lord, help the volunteers to discern what is most needed in Guinea-Bissau right now and that you will place people in their path who can provide the necessary help.
Sarah-Leah Pimentel
