SPAIN, Pilar de Beas. The ENCUENTRO [Encounter] Project began in Navidad to prove that “our streets” of Madrid were full of people just like us, human beings, “defenceless” children of God who have lost everything and find themselves living on the streets, on our streets, creating a routine from the fight for survival without direction, without hope, without a home.
What does this project mean?
It is learning how to look at my city, my streets, my suburb with new eyes.
It is being part of the reality that surrounds me and not to be indifferent towards what is happening but to get involved through concrete actions (sharing my time, my material possessions, my help).
It is an awakening of solidarity, which in a time of crisis demands as much of me as of my surroundings.
It is giving myself to others, love for my neighbour without protocols and without prejudice, service without wanting anything in return…it is not something that happens once, a commitment of a few hours or a thought that comes and goes, but it is an attitude that runs through me day after day until the moment we meet, until it becomes life.
Encuentro Project is, therefore, not simply a volunteer or social activity, but it goes so much further than that. It is an exercise in taking on the problems of those around me and, by my witness, building a better world that reaches out to others and welcomes everybody.
“I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink, I was a stranger…”
It walks the streets with other feet…
It walks the streets with other feet, looks with other eyes, hugs with other arms. It is a call to listen without judging, to speak without mourning and to accompany without imposing ourselves. It is an act of being aware that we need to be a response in today’s world that is hurting and directionless.
This is how they entered our lives: Froilán, Teresa, Amparo, José and so many more who entered our hearts.
We were asked for a testimony and we could tell hundreds of stories, because each story is a world of its own, so we will focus on Amparo, whose story is truly moving.
Amparo
Late one afternoon as we were on our way in search of homeless people on the streets of Madrid, we found some mattresses near Orense set up in a kind of shanty town. We approached with the intention of speaking to the people inside, but we couldn’t speak to anyone. Several minutes later, seeing that nobody had answered us, we decided to continue on our way, but as we turned the corner, we met Amparo.
She was somewhere between 35 and 45. As we began speaking with her we realized that this was an educated and religious woman who was in deep despair.
She would go to the church everyday, looking for “something” to eat. She was joyful, talkative and showed solidarity with the other poor people around her. But she had hit rock bottom and had decided to commit suicide that very night so that she could stop suffering (from cold and hunger) and stop looking for a “better life” that never came
She had so much to tell us…and we had so much to learn.
After we asked her and showed an interest in her life, we gave her “something” to keep on fighting, because she really was very important for many other people living on the streets, because of her joy and positive attitude. She also had a son abroad who had no idea how and where his mother lived…After listening to her poetry (she was a great poet) and her songs, it was as if I had received an “intravenous” injection of life.
I am certain that if we were in her position, we would be far worse. We had received such an enormous gift from God: when after long while of sharing, we were able to take hands and pray the Our Father together, which if it wasn’t one of the most beautiful one of our lives, it was certainly the one that brought us the closest to God with an astonishing power. In my mind, I heard the Holy Father’s words very clearly:
“God gives the most difficult battles to his best soldiers.”
Why is it Lord, that those of us who have everything we need always need something more and we run away from those who have nothing but need everything?
What a contradiction! They are God’s best soldiers.
I asked myself repeatedly: why are we always justifying ourselves by blaming the government for their faults, when we ourselves are not committed to the weakest in our society?
If each one of us gave a little of what he had and gave it to the neediest, we could put an end to poverty! There would be no more hunger…are we even aware of this?
Each one could take care of one of “God’s small children” and put an end to hunger and cold.
Are we really aware of this need? Many could survive even the hunger pangs and the cold, if only they could find a “friendly face” to whom they could talk, from whom they can draw strength, to know that there is “someone” to help you, as was the case with Amparo, who at the end hugged us as if she would never let us go and thanked us for having given her the “strength” to keep on fighting.
We cannot stay in our homes.
We cannot remain in our homes. The time has come to go out, to help a “needy brother.”
Many cannot physically go out but they can help in many ways: bringing food, basic necessities, clothes or blankets.
There are so many needy people, but there are many more who can help and the words of our Holy Father call us to this:
“The Church needs apostolic fervour and not Sunday Christians.”
LORD, WHEN I AM HUNGRY
Lord, when I am hungry – give me someone in need of food;
When I am thirsty, send me someone needing a drink;
When I am cold, send me someone to warm;
When I am grieved, offer me someone to console;
When my cross grows heavy, let me share another’s cross, too;
When I am poor, lend me someone in need;
When I have not time, give me someone I can help a little while;
When I am humiliated, let me have someone to praise;
When I am disheartened, send me someone to cheer;
When I need understanding, give me someone who needs mine;
When I need to look after, send someone to care for;
When I think only of myself, draw my thoughts to another.
Lord, let us be worthy of serving our brothers,
Give them, through our hands, not only their daily bread,
But also our merciful love, a reflection of your love.
Mother Teresa de Calcutta M.C
Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, Cape Town, South Africa
