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Cansadas y felices: llegada de las chicas de Chile, despues de un viaje de 17 horas Tired, but happy: the girls from Müde, aber glücklich kommen die Chilenen an. |
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Se dirigen al Santuario Original They go to the Original Shrine Die Chilenen versammeln sich vor dem Urheiligtum. |
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Hay que anotar las emociones, experiencias, ideas... They feel the need to write down their emotions, experiences, ideas Die vielen Gedanken und Gefühle möchten gerne aufgeschrieben werden. |
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Rosario Lopez, 16 años, de Rancagua: „Espero cargar muchas fuerzar para seguir luchando por nuestros ideales” ideal Rosario Lopez, 16, from Rancagua: I hope to recharge the batteries here, in order to continue to fight for our ideals. Rosario Lopez, 16 Jahre, aus Rancagua: “Ich hoffe, hier in Schönstatt viel Kraft tanken zu können, für unsere Ideale weiterzukämpfen.“ |
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No deben faltar las fotos de recuerdo The photos with the Original Shrine are a “must” Ein Foto hält das Urheiligtum fest. Fotos: Kanya © 2005 |
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WYD –SCHOENSTATT, eka. Tuesday, the 2nd of August, at noon. In House Sonnenau there is a row of mattresses and the same time the tables are being taken out of the rooms. We have to prepare even the smallest free space. Where there were ping pong tables, now there is an encampment of mattresses. An international group of helpers, "Camp Helpers", composed by 14 young girls along with other volunteers and with the Sisters, prepare everything for the arrival of about two hundred girls from Chile.
The house is about to explode, it cannot be fuller!, said Sister M. Vernita. In the kitchen there are also diligent collaborators. Justine Backes, the cook, prepares 45 Kg. Of meat for dinner: "Today we will serve beef Stroganoff, with rice and salad" "In what was the storeroom (and it will be a storeroom again after WYD) extra showers were installed for the guests from Chile. And so the road that leads to the center of the festival will not be too long, a temporary bridge was built which crosses the small arroyo. Sister M. Vernita said "Everyone works together to make the impossible – possible.
The guests from Chile will arrive at any minute. Everyone who passes through the vestibule at the entrance looks out of the corner of their eyes, with curiosity, towards the parking lot to see if they see someone from Chile or a suitcase from Chile.
At 2:30 p.m. the bus that had been anxiously awaited since 12:30 p.m. arrives. There were problems with the baggage at the airport: They boarded the bus they had rented. And the last straw was that during the trip one of the tires had a blowout.
It was worth while…
They are all tired, but very happy to finally be here. The girls from Chile had traveled for 17 hours. Ljubiça Sarka Malinarich Sarbia, (16 years old) from Iquique, in the far north of Chile, describes the trip: "It was very bad, but we are finally here, and it was worth the enormous effort".
"It is a gift to be here, said Camila Mercadal, from Talca (17 years old). "My parents are not Catholic. I wanted to come so much, but I never dreamed that my parents would give me permission. Then, somehow, a priest convinced my father that it would be good for me to travel to Schoenstatt and to Cologne. I couldn’t believe it when he told me I could make the trip. I am sure that the Blessed Mother had a hand in it.
It was not easy for many to arrive in Germany, above all because the trip was so expensive. "I am the only one from my city. The rest, unfortunately, could not come, everything here is very expensive", said Ljubiça.
At this time it is not vacation time in Chile. "All of us were very nervous when we had to decide to travel to Germany. Classes started yesterday – after the short winter break – and when we return, of course we will have to make-up all the exams., said 16-years-old Paulina Negroń, from Temuco.
Maria Jesús (19 years old) who studies business, says: "There are great difficulties at the University when you miss so many classes. My brother asked me if I was crazy, how do you expect to finish this year. The Blessed Mother is going to help me". Paulina Negroni (16 years old), from Temuco, tells why she had to come to Schoenstatt at all cost: "Schoenstatt is a very special place. Everything started here, here you can feel the history. To come here is like finding your real parents when you are an adopted child. I am already glad to see the Original Shrine.".
"We know the condition of the world", Pilar Saenz, 18, from Rancagua, said. "We are not blind to it. But we want to unite here with other youth who also have the desire to create a different world."
This special atmosphere in the Original Shrine
After unpacking and having some refreshments, the girls from Chile and the Sisters went to the Original Shrine. The tiredness miraculously disappeared with the joy of anticipation. You hear vivid chattering everywhere. Many are taking photos. When the roof of the Shrine appeared at the top of the rim, suddenly there was complete silence.
After a brief prayer, the girls from Chile sat on the ground full of emotion to be close to the Shrine. Some had their eyes closed others wrote in their travel dairies "It is an incredible experience to have something you have always imagined in front of you., said Pilar Saenz. Her sister, 16-year-old Andrea Saenz, added: "In the Shrine there is a very special atmosphere. You have to inhale it very deeply."
The girls from Chile participated in the Holy Mass that is now celebrated at 8:00 p.m. in the Original Shrine and they symbolically placed all their efforts of preparation on the altar. During the following days they will explore and study the place and they will work on different subject in small groups Asked about her expectations, Andrea explains: "Now we want to enjoy the Original Shrine, then the youth festival in Schoenstatt and then the Pope."
The 200 girls from Chile are the first part of a great delegation of at least 600 youth. Chile, along with Germany, is the country that has the most numerous representation in the Schoenstatt International Youth Festival. Simona Gillio, 16 years old, from Rancagua, comments: "We wanted to have a large delegation to show the world that in Chile there are many youth who really love Jesus."
More photos
Translation: Celina M. Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA