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 | | Sr.
Chantal (standing) with Tunisian students |  | Two
young students read the
newspaper |
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The
Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa work in different
fields and activities
with young people: |
THE LIBRARY AT TUNIS:
A PLACE TO SHARE AND TO FEEL AT HOME
Every
afternoon, Sister Chantal Vankalck (Belgian), and Sister Marguerite Comte (French),
are there in the library at Montfleury, a suburb of Tunis, to welcome, to accompany
and to encourage young girls of secondary school. Most of them live in the neighboring
housing estates: Mellassine, Cité Hello!, El Ouardia and Mourouj. Besides
offering a favorable atmosphere for studying, the library also provides a place
for these young women to meet, to recreate, to converse among themselves and with
us. The
library has always provided students with the materials needed for their studies.
Because of the growing number of secondary school students following computer
courses, and asking for access to new means of information and communication,
the library offers them the opportunity to practice on computer. Marguerite
and Chantal are there, not only as professional librarians, but above all,
to provide a welcoming presence. They accompany and advise the girls in their
choice of courses and assist them in organizing their study schedule. At the end
of each school term, they help the students to evaluate their work methods.
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| | Sr.
Mia (Center) tutoring students in English |
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They
are there also to guide them in their choice of appropriate research books and
to help them in the preparation of their papers for the numerous presentations
they have to make.
This
year, Sr. Mia Dombrecht (Belgian), has done some part-time tutoring
in English and French. Strong
ties are maintained with many former students who are now in University. For
us, the library is a place where we can meet as friends. Our role, though discreet,
is real, with these young girls who, tomorrow, will be the women, the mothers,
the educators in this fast-changing society. Sr.
Chantal Vankalck, (Belgian)
Sr. Marguerite Comte, (French) |
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In Bamako (Mali):
At the service of the "house-girls"
Sr.
Juli Alonso
is a "social worker". At
her arrival at Kalabankura, a suburb of Bamako, the capital of Mali, she observed
that many young girls were brought from the villages to serve "relatives".
They are employed as "house girls", often for a very small salary. Most
of them work more than 12 hours a day, and though they are are very young, most
of them have the responsibility of the children when the housewife goes to work.
They are often "sexually abused" also.... As they don't have schooling,
they do not have many possibilities of getting another job..., so the exploitation
goes on. | | Sr.
Juli with two young girls, helping them to reflect... |
Sr. Juli decided to do something to better their situation: classes at times convenient
for them, participating with other NGOs interested in these girls. The difficulties
are many...., as most "influential families" and people use these girls
as workers....
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In
Kangemi (Nairobi - Kenya):
With the youth Christian communitiesSr.
Elisabeth Villemure
has been at the service of the Youth small Christian communities, of Kangemi parish
for many years. For
years different groups of youth had existed in the parish, mostly for their own
benefit... They were a kind of "clubs", closed in on themselves, without
any concern for those they considered "the bad guys". Though some of
them belonged to diocesan or national movements, their influence was not felt
within the parish. They formed a kind of "parallel church" with their
own activities, liturgies and pastoral animators. Nobody was satisfied with this
situation... and a workshop was organized to reflect on it.
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|  | | Sr.
Elisabeth Villemure and Fr. Rodrigo Mejia (s.j.) with some of the Youth Small
Christian Community at a Formation Seminar. | |
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Seeing
the growing commitment of the "small Christian communities"(scc), they
asked to have their own small Christian community... Their concerns were different
from those of the adults.. but the Gospel was the same... So they organize themselves
by neighborhood, as the scc. Some activities would be in common with the adults,
such as preparation and participation of Sunday liturgies, justice and peace initiatives
and celebration of events in the parish. However they would have their own meetings
and develop their own lay ministries according to their concerns and charisms.
They decided to reach out to students, young workers and jobless youth in their
neighborhood. From a "members only" club, they wanted to become "missionaries
for others" in their own parish.
They
were few, but they sold the idea to others... and they succeeded. Questions arose:
How to deal with the large number of boarding students who came home during
holidays? They decided to welcome them at their meetings. Youth small Christian
communities (YSCC) members had to convince their parents that YSCC meetings, attended
by both boys and girls, were serious. Two animators on the pastoral team of the
parish were assigned to coordinate and provide formation, without interfering
in the responsibility of the leaders. The
results of these YSCC are visible: some of the jobless members have found work
thanks to the concern of their companions. It is encouraging seeing a young truck
driver or assistant mason sitting at the same table with a university student.
Together they are building the Church. The
YSCC members attend evaluation meetings with the adults. The parents say the change
and let their daughters participate fully. Now they are very much part of the
life of the parish and are involved in a variety of activities. Some
of them have formed a drama group to present plays on Sunday afternoons dealing
with topics of interest to young people and their problems, such as the danger
of AIDS... they also entertain the children to keep them off the streets. Others
services that the young ones realize are: to give religious instruction to young
catechumens, social services for the poor, such as housecleaning, visiting the
sick and helping the elderly. All this is not easy... To prepare them for responsibility,
they require sound formation through seminars and workshops. It is that the part
we adults play in being with them... Sr.
Elisabeth Villemure (Canada)
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