SPECIAL. "We are praying for the victims of the floods... Can we also do something to help the Schoenstatt family there, can we help as Schoenstatt family?" Mails keep coming in daily, especially from Latin America, USA, and Africa, sharing the sympathy, their prayers and contributions to the Capital of Grace offered for the victims of the floods in Germany and Central Europe. A wave of prayer and solidarity around the world.

The Schoenstatt Family Movement in Germany (League, Federation and Institute together) on Sunday, August 25, opened a donations account to give help specially to families in the affected areas.

Repeatedly, German Schoenstatt members had expressed the wish to also help financially. Spontaneous solidarity and willingness to help was strong. Within few days, representatives of the Family League, the Council of the Federation and of the Institute joined to create a possibility to collect and distribute donations in the framework of the Federation's foundation "Family is Future".

Help specially directed to families

In their common appeal for donations, the Schoenstatt Family Movement points at the situation of so many persons who, few years after the reunification of Germany and the reconstruction work hardly finished, have to begin from scratch again. Many within minutes lost everything, left with debris and loans to be paid for houses or small enterprises washed away by the flood. In times of need, the initiators write, "we should stand by one another and help our siblings in need." Help is directed specially to families who, returning from emergency accommodation need support, to families whose houses or apartments were damaged, and also to those who offer room, food and other help to others.

Karola and Herbert Frick (Federation), and Ruth and Peter Fischer (League) are coordinating the efforts. "The common social commitment that is such a strong feature of the Latin American Schoenstatt Movements that we know," Ruth and Peter Fischer said, "is new for Germany. We hope that this is not a once-only action, but the beginning of a new awareness of being family."

The many prayers said by Schoenstatt members in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina (where parts of Buenos Aires are also affected by floods), South Africa, Canada, Chile, USA, England, Peru … left many in the German Schoenstatt Movement deeply impressed and grateful: "We are family," a young woman said: "Next time when I hear anything on the news about a natural disaster anywhere in the world, or any other desaster, I'll start to pray for the Schoenstatt people there and all who are 'theirs', and would like to help…"