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 published: 2007-03-06

That beautiful story about "How I learned about Schoenstatt"

Testimony of Joaquín Zuazo, Spain, after his two month stay in Burundi

 

Joaquín Zuazo en Burundi

Joaquín Zuazo in Burundi

Joaquín Zuazo in Burundi

Fotos: Jeria © 2007

 

BURUNDI, Father Claudio Jeria/aa. Joaquín Zuazo, a youth from Spain, was in Burundi as a volunteer from November 1st to December 31, 2006. In an interview with "Covenant Letter" from Burundi he told about his experiences and about his own road to Schoenstatt. He is a witness of the three graces of the Shrine: spiritual sheltering, interior transformation and apostolic zeal.

This is the interview that was published in Burundi's Covenant Letter.

Joaquín, how did you find out about Schoenstatt?

Joaquí: Well, it is beautiful story about "How I learned about Schoenstatt". One night I was in a discotheque in Madrid and a friend came with his girl friend and she began to speak about her apostolic experience and I told her about my experience in social work. I told her that there is a group that does social work. This young lady belongs to the Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth in Madrid. We began to talk quite a lot and at the end we sealed a commitment. If she would come to participate in a day of social action of my group, I would also go to participate in a Schoenstatt missionary activity that would take place in León located in the northern part of Spain. But I had a problem because I did not know Schoenstatt or anything about Schoenstatt, I am not even a Christian and religion does not interest me. Yes, it is true, my parents are Christians, I was baptized, I received my First Communion, etc., but the faith does not interest me. So now that I know nothing about Schoenstatt, I am not a Christian, what am I going to do at this Schoenstatt apostolic mission? The Schoenstatter was not going on the excursion with my group. I was somewhat disappointed. But I went anyway. We left for León, in the northern part of Spain, for an apostolic mission. Yes, the trip was beautiful with a very committed Schoenstatt group, but I knew nothing about Schoenstatt and I do not practice my Christian faith. Before boarding the bus (we were in Pozuela, where the MTA Shrine is located, it is not far from Madrid) I began to ask questions: Where am I going with this group of strangers? Am I going to build an airplane in space? Am I going with a sect? What am I going to do in northern Spain? Wouldn’t it better if I gave up and returned home? We finally departed for Leon. Before I continue I would like to explain what an apostolic mission is. It is about going on a mission to give witness to the Christian faith and to evangelize. We stay in a city for a few days. In the morning we go out by twos like the disciples that Jesus sent forth. We depart with a picture of the MTA to knock on the doors of the neighbors and to share the Christian faith with them and we prayed together. In the afternoon and at night there is a workshop to share what we have experienced during the day and to prepare the closing celebration of the last day. While some are on mission, others pray before the Blessed Sacrament as a support for the mission. In the morning I went with my companion with a picture of the MTA. But I had problems. What was I going to tell the people? I am not a Christian or a Schoenstatter. What am I supposed to do" We knocked on all the doors, but no one answered our call. The doors remained closed. I was glad that no one opened the door! Otherwise what was I going to say to them? I remember that the mission and all the people who are a part of it are sustained by an hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament by each group. It is my group’s turn. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed in a small and very cold room and we were supposed to stay there for one hour. This was very hard for me. I asked myself how I was going to stay here for one hour; I did not understand what I was doing in this room. It was very cold. I began to play with the books. Until finally, when there were 10 minutes left, I felt at peace as if I were at home, I did not understand why. I felt sheltered. However, it was very cold, but I felt comfortable. I began to think, but why do I feel as if I were in my own home? Time passes and then, OK…we leave. We shared the night activities, the next day I had a different companion for the mission and we went out again to knock on doors, but no one opened them. That afternoon we went to adoration. This time I stayed an hour and a half, as if I were in my home in spite of the cold. And since I am not a Christian, I do know about Catholicism, my parents are Christians, I was baptized and I received First Communion, etc, and when we finished with Adoration I looked for the chaplain of the Schoenstatt Boys’ Youth in Madrid, and I told him: "Father, please, may I go to confession? He answered, yes, yes, yes, but not now, I cannot hear your confession now. Later he heard my confession and little by little, when we arrived in Madrid I began to go to Mass every Sunday. I also began to go to Mass in the Shrine during the week days and in a short while I began to stay with the MTA after work. A year passed and then I made my Covenant of Love. It is a beautiful story. And that is how I learned about Schoenstatt. It was not I who looked for the MTA, She is the one who looked for me. That is my experience.

Could you tell us about your experience with the Shrine?

Joaquín: Yes, when I would stay in the Shrine every day after work, it was incredible: I felt at home. And each time I received a warm welcome from our Mother who covered me with her mantle and she would sweetly tell me: come, come to me my child. What are you going to tell me today? I felt as if I were at home. And in this way, little by little, our Mother has changed my heart. Before I did not believe in God, and afterwards I began to see all my life with God. Now I understand why God has looked for me and why the MTA has changed my heart. It is to announce the Covenant of Love with the MTA. The activity of social work that I did before without faith in God has now become a Christian and Catholic activity. Now we do this social work with the MTA and we finish our activities with daily Mass which is very beautiful. I also feel in my heart that I have the responsibility to tell everyone about my experience with Schoenstatt. It is a gift that I have to share with everyone.

Joaquín, what took you to Burundi?

Joaquín: In the first place I had the desire to go to India to have an experience with Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I was not able to do it. Each time that I wanted to go it was not possible and I changed projects. Then I wanted to go to Africa. I spoke with a priest, who encouraged me and he proposed that I accompany him to Kenya. When I told the chaplain of the Schoenstatt Boys’ Youth in Madrid about this project, he advised me to go to Burundi instead because Schoenstatt was there and there were Schoenstatt Fathers who spoke Spanish, like Father Maurice Cox, a friend of his, etc. I agreed, above because Schoenstatt is very important for me. Since I had two months of vacations, I wanted to offer them to the MTA and to Schoenstatt in Burundi. I wanted to meet the Schoenstatt Family here. But I did not know why the MTA placed this desire to go to Africa in my heart. I did not clearly see why I was going to Africa. Why was I going to Africa? I just wanted to go and desired to go. I entrusted the project to the MTA. Then I had many problems with my mother who said: "Yes, you can go to any part of Europe, wherever you want, but not to Africa. Why go to Africa?" I also had problems at work, although I had two months of vacation, my boss told me that I could not take the two months at one time...that it was not possible…that it was not right to take the two months together…I argued with him, we spoke about this subject all week, he was not in agreement. One day, I stayed in the office to tell him about my decision that if I could not take the two months of vacation at the same time in order to go to Africa I was willing to resign from my work" because I should make this trip. Before I could open my mouth, my boss asked me: "Have you packed your bags?" I asked him why. He answered: "next month you will depart for Africa for two months!" That is how I got here. Thanks to God.

What was your impression about Schoenstatt in Burundi?

Joaquín: I am very pleased to have learned about the Schoenstatt Movement in Burundi. It is very different than in Madrid. For example, Schoenstatt in Madrid has just built its first school. It was not easy with the government, with the media, etc. There is a kind of persecution against this school. The windows are broken, they get the building dirty, they write terrible things on the walls, etc. But this persecution is not only against Schoenstatt, it against all the Catholic Church. On the other hand, here in Burundi it is very beautiful. Here there are many Schoenstatters. In Madrid, Schoenstatt is very important, but it is very small. Here Schoenstatt constitutes a great support for the Church. The large celebrations of Bujumbura take place at Mount Sion Gikungu. I was surprised to see the youth pray. Here, when the youth pray they do it with a faith and an energy that is admirable. And when we travel through the interior of the country, I observed the Schoenstatters. They know very little about Africa, they do not have media, it is difficult for them to reach Mount Sion Gikungu or Mutumba to visit our Mother in the Shrine or to enroll in it, but they truly live the little they know about Schoenstatt.

What was your impression about the country?

Joaquín: The first thing that I observed was that we live in two different realities. In Bujumbura we are OK. I cannot find the comfort of Spain in Bujumbura. But we have autos, water, electricity, telephones, Internet…but when we go into the interior of the country everything changes. The great richness that exists in the interior of the country is the faith and the energy. The country is very beautiful and the people are very friendly. If it were possible, I would come to stay longer.

Translation : Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA

 

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