101 Days to Pray-Br. Bill Firman

49. 101 Days to Pray
Yesterday we marched – and marched. The normal ‘Murphy’s Law’ states that ‘Anything that can go wrong will go wrong’. There are two Sudanese variations: ‘Anything that can be delayed will be delayed’ .. and .. ‘Anything that can be changed will be changed.’ Both variations applied today. In Church on Sunday, one announcement said that our walk to launch the 101 Days of Prayer Towards a Peaceful Referendum would start at 8:00am, the other said 8:30am. We opted for 8:30am and prudently did not turn up until 8:50am. Actually we weren’t prudent enough as the walk did not actually begin until 9:30am – but I’m not really complaining as everyone was in good spirits and the cloud cover kept the temperature at a pleasant level.

The marchers walked happily and many onlookers came out to watch. The police band beat out a lively rhythm and after about half an hour the leaders turned at the designated spot to head for the so-called ‘Peace Square’ where there would be speeches. But suddenly we came to a halt and the parade was directed back to the road we had just left. The people marching from the other end of town had not arrived. So the sudden decision was made that we would walk on towards them. Inevitably the two walking groups met head on not far from the main market near the centre of town. Both groups stopped. Small problem there of where to go now! Eventually the other group wheeled around, the police band moved forward, the other group retreated whence they had come and our larger contingent followed.

This more than doubled the distance of the march but it did mean we passed through both end of the centre of the town. All this was achieved with great good humour and tolerance, even by the bemused vehicle and donkey cart drivers who were marooned amid a sea of people as the waves of walkers passed them by. The altered route turned out well as it focused very many people’s attention on the 21st September as the International Day of Peace and on the theme of praying for peace leading up to the referendum.

According to the programme, speeches were to begin at 9:30am and conclude by 11:30am. Yes there were a lot of speakers - sixteen - plus three lots of entertainment and both Christian and Muslim opening and closing prayers. Speeches began at 11:00am and finished at 2:00pm. What was most impressive, however, was the wholehearted support of the initiative by the whole community. One of our SSS members, Sister Cathy Arata, conceived this idea, and with the promised support of Catholic Relief Services, presented it to the Sudanese Bishops’ Conference. All Bishops agreed to implement it throughout Southern Sudan.

In Malakal, the Catholic organizers invited the involvement of the other Churches, including the Muslims, plus the Government - and all joined in enthusiastically. The Governor arrived with his military escort. It was a little ironic at this peace rally that there were many prominently placed armed soldiers in view, but this is Sudan and most people seem to take no notice of armed soldiers.

It may have been a long event but it was good to have been part of this great launch of the 101 Days Of Prayer For A Peaceful Referendum. What was also evident from the tone of the speeches was that the present mood is strongly towards separation from the north. The day was an encouraging expression of unity in the south. - Br Bill

The Priority is Peace-Br. Bill Firman

The photos show some of the poor people of Southern Sudan who are hoping and praying for continuing peace. Be with them in prayer, and in any other ways you can help them. If war comes, we can leave. They have nowhere else to go.

- Br Bill

48. The Priority is Peace

In January 2011, there is to be a referendum with Southern Sudanese voting for either a unified Sudan or secession. The referendum was brokered as a key factor in reaching the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005. In the South, the feeling is running strongly in favour of secession. My sympathy is with the poor people of Southern Sudan who have suffered for centuries from violence, slave trading and oppression. The south itself, however, has no real unity other than fractured opposition to the north. Secession could quite possibly lead to more inter-tribal violence and, maybe, anarchy. The president of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Rudolph Deng has cautioned:

“Many people do not realize that more southern Sudanese were killed by other southern Sudanese than were killed by those from the north.”

I fear that there is an unreal hope in the South that a vote for secession will deliver more prosperity, more opportunity, better education and health care. The agreement for the referendum came as part of the process of ending the long war. The priority then was to find a way to bring about peace. The priority now is to maintain the peace.

Whatever the result of the referendum, be it unity or division, it is what happens after the referendum that will be critical. The south depends heavily on Muslim traders for the supply of goods. That infrastructure is very important. If the vote is for secession, the south will still need the north as a good neighbour. Is the north prepared to be a good neighbour? Will the Arab traders in the south be able to continue to deliver their services with safety and security? We simply don’t know.

There is the abundant oil in the south but the refineries are in the north, Good cooperation between north and south will be essential, at least in the short term or both north and south will suffer. The danger is that the referendum be seen as a battle between north and south over assets such as oil. At present there is real progress and improvement in many areas. Every effort must be made to preserve the peace and for a time of healing, not hurting, to ensue.

The waters of the Nile are another key issue. Egypt favours unity as it does not want there to be yet another nation to negotiate with over water rights. The waters of the Nile are a precious asset. Disputed borders, and determining who should be eligible to vote, are further problems to be dealt with. A process of peaceful conciliation and arbitration, not violent intervention, is the only positive way forward in solving such issues.

A return to the horrors of war should be unthinkable but is, unfortunately, possible. Both sides have spent the years since the CPA was implemented in re-arming and being prepared for renewed hostilities. If war breaks out it will be far worse than before. Maintaining peace is the priority. Steve Hilbert, Africa specialist on the staff of the U.S. Catholic Bishops asserted:

“There are a million ways this can go wrong, and only one it can go right. Will we witness a new peace or a return to an old war?”

Many organizations, especially the Churches, are pleading for respect for different ethnicities and religious convictions, whether or not there be one Sudan, or two. Peace, reconciliation, respect for the rights of others and freedom of choice are the kind of values that this country needs in both north and south. September 21^st is the International Day of Peace. It marks the beginning of a campaign for peace, the ‘101 Days of Prayer Towards a Peaceful Referendum in Sudan’, ending with the World Day of Peace, (January 1, 2011). Peace is the priority for the Sudan. Enduring peace is the only way there will be winners! Join us in praying for peace in all Sudan. - Br Bill

Child 1

Our World

Mother & Child

Keep life good

Give me a chance

Children

Children

Children

Children

Children

Potholes and Patience-Br. Bill Firman

We were pleased to welcome Sr Luchita back to Malakal from Colombia. It is much cooler than when she left and the gardens have come alive with flowers. It is almost a year since I arrived and I have included two photos that show our gardens then and now after careful cultivating by some of our community members. The climate seem to me to be much more temperate than this time last year when I arrived – or maybe I have adapted. I’m not yet sure. Best wishes to all. Br Bill 47. Potholes and Patience As if the roads are not bad enough already, someone seems determined to turn them into an obstacle course. Roadside, drainage ditches have been deepened recently by an excavator. The soil was not removed but simply dumped on the edge of the roads making them narrower and muddier. Sometimes, major roads are randomly closed off for the excavator to work. There are no detour signs but one is just expected to find another way. With the roadside so muddy, every person, dog, cow, pig, goat & duck chooses to join the donkey carts, horse carts, bikes, wheelbarrows (carrying water), cars and trucks in the centre of the road which tends to be firmer. No need to look first! If you get there first you have the right of way – so the reality seems. You may be coming from the opposite direction and overtaking on what I would call the ‘wrong side’ of the road, but why worry about that? Even if I were younger, I wouldn’t be looking for a ride on the dodgem cars in a fun park. Here I can have it all for free - weaving and sliding in between pedestrians, carts, vehicles, animals and abundant children, not to mention pushbikes, motor bikes (no helmets required) and wheelbarrows. I have noticed it is easy for a pushbike rider to become unbalanced if the bike begins to wobble when there are five, 20 litre, plastic gerry cans of water tied on to it. Watch out for the sudden lurch, one learns! When roads dry out they are rock hard and bumpy from all the furrows ploughed by vehicles during wet periods. When it rains, the roads first become very slippery and then begin to dissolve into deep slushy mud. Yesterday our vehicle had a flat tyre – fortunately it deflated while parked within our property. No obvious reason, except that we know there are all kinds of hazards hidden in the mud. With some difficulty, we removed the wheel as the car jack was pushing itself into the ground at the same time as elevating the vehicle. Action/reaction: Isaac Newton illustrated! It cost 10 Sudanese pounds (less than 4 dollars) to have the tyre repaired at a low tech, hand tools only, road-side stop. There is no high tech tyre change here as far as I know. Fortunately repairs were finished before some heavy rain fell and we are mobile again. So far I have been lucky. Although I have driven down some very muddy roads and have come close to being stuck, I have each time managed to move on. Neither have I slipped into a ditch nor collided with anything or anyone. Fortunately, we never have far to travel and at times our speed is that of the walking donkey cart in front of us. It is also kind to pedestrians to drive slowly and not spatter them with mud! At one UN security briefing, attended by Sr Betty, the issue was raised that some drivers have been seen speeding at 40kph. 20kph is recommended. There do not seem to be many accidents in Malakal – although I heard recently of one old man who suffered a broken leg when knocked down by a taxi. The people were angry, I was told. The simple expectation here is that vehicles do not collide with people or animals and you are in the wrong if you do. Most drivers are very careful – unlike in Juba where some drivers hurtle around in crazy fashion with the consequence that there are far more accidents. I prefer to edge my way around the potholes of Malakal and keep moving, albeit slowly! One big positive is that we don’t get flooded as they have recently in Pakistan, China and my home state of Victoria, in Australia. Sometimes, especially when strong winds blow during a storm, water gets into our house. The floor, however, dries quickly. Malakal is flat and excess surface water flows into the Nile in deep drains while the many swampy puddles gradually evaporate or are absorbed into the soil. When the sun shines for half a day, the roads become much easier. We do hope for firmer footing and fewer potholes but the pace of life is slow here. There is no need to hurry. Patiently coping with the potholes in our lives, both literally and metaphorically, is something we all must learn to do. Eventually, sun always follows the rain. - Br Bill

The Market

The main road

Sr. Luchita

Slippery

Outside the market

Now

Muddy road

Layer

Hazardous

12 months ago

Más de Uno-Sor Luz Enith Galarza Melo

Más de uno…

Han pasado dos meses de trabajo intensivo formando profesores de básica primaria, de acuerdo con el propósito y el programa de este hermoso proyecto llamado Solidaridad con el Sur de Sudan.

Hemos sumado más de ciento cincuenta horas en las aulas, bajo el intenso calor de la época más calurosa del año y lo mejor de todo. La posibilidad de conocer gente buena que esta interesada en prepararse para contribuir a la reconstrucción de este país luego de más de 20 años de cruentos conflictos. Ellos sienten y asumen esta responsabilidad como propia dado que perdieron mucho con la guerra, más aun, incluso sus vidas quedaron por reconstruirse, desde que en 2005 fue firmado un acuerdo de paz.

En nuestro balance, vamos acumulando historias, vivencias, aprendizajes y experiencias que las palabras no alcanzan a describir totalmente, dada su profunda y compleja relación con la esencia y el sentido de la vida misma.

Por estos días, aprovechando el descanso a la espera de iniciar una nueva etapa del proyecto. Me encuentro absorta en la lectura de un muy interesante libro cuyo titulo se traduce como: Jesús hoy. La espiritualidad de la libertad radical. Escrito en el 2006, por Albert Nolan, un sacerdote de la orden de los dominicos, procedente de Sur África.

Leerlo ha sido algo apasionante. Me refiero a que este libro es de aquellos que ofrece un amplia gama de ideas que inmediatamente logramos entrelazar con otras. Así como surgen los encuentros entre amigos que tienen una cita para departir una grata tertulia.

Una de estas ideas “amigo” es su planteamiento que el origen de los problemas del hombre actual se debe al individualismo, producto de la Revolución Industrial, desde cuando éste se centró en sus derechos, dejando en un segundo plano el bien común, de tal modo que la sociedad occidental industrializada comenzó a promover la autonomía individual en la cual no se requiere del otro sino para el sexo.

Autosuficiencia, que por supuesto necesita autofinanciarse, persiguiendo como objetivo adquirir un espacio propio. La independencia total, que redundará en la conquista de la libertad.

El autor propone un interesante análisis de este contexto desde diferentes perspectivas y compara esta propuesta con otras que se contraponen a ella. Como por ejemplo, la base cultural de muchas sociedades, como la africana para las cuales el ser humano sólo entiende desde su vinculación a la comunidad. Parafraseando una popular expresión local: “Una persona se convierte en persona a través de los otros”.

Aquí cobra un lugar importante el legado de los ancestros. Los cuales también parecen estar demás en la propuesta del ser individual. No se necesita una identidad definida cuando todos podemos diluirnos en aquella que esté a la orden del día, del momento y reemplazarla al poco tiempo por la nueva que vendrá.

No necesitamos minuciosos estudios para analizar los resultados, de la separación del ser humano de los demás y de sus raíces. Basta con mirar dos de los más grandes problemas que enfrenta el hombre de hoy: La soledad y el suicidio a causa de la ruptura de los vínculos afectivos, del desarraigo. El no pertenecer, el carecer de un “que” nos pertenezca.

Existe una fundación en mi país llamada Liga Colombiana contra el suicidio, que cuenta con profesionales que estudian para comprender y prevenir esta problemática que tristemente, aumenta en cifras vertiginosamente. Uno de sus estudios indica que quienes cuentan con redes afectivas grandes, cuyos vínculos son fuertes, están más lejos de sufrir depresión y de llegar a suicidarse. Claro esta, cuando el origen de esta dado por causas clínicas.

De la anterior tesis se deriva una consecuencia que corroboran los resultados de sus hallazgos. La felicidad esta directamente relacionada con la cantidad y la calidad de los vínculos afectivos que se posee. Una teoría bien interesante.

En la práctica, a lo largo de estos años, hemos sido testigo de diferentes fenómenos que no se pueden aislar de este contexto; dado que no nos ilustran propiamente el cómo el ser humano construye o fortalece sus redes afectivas. Me remitiré sólo a algunos hechos.

El centrarse en los “nuevos intereses” de las parejas en Europa redujo a un nivel preocupante y problemático el índice de natalidad. Una decisión de dos que convirtió en un fenómeno social con amplia e inusitada repercusión.

Sin mencionar los serios problemas ambientales, de los cuales también, ya sufrimos su impacto.

Los intereses individualistas en el nombre del desarrollo de unos pocos hace mucho tiempo que decidieron que el bien colectivo está por demás. Lo peor es que esos pocos son poderosos y no les conviene comprometerse con los acuerdos para preservar el planeta. A pesar de las cumbres internacionales. Copenhague, como triste ejemplo.

Sin embargo, en el lado completamente opuesto a esta realidad individualista, que no pretendo abarcar en todas sus consecuencias. Se presenta ante nosotros la experiencia comunitaria, de la cual somos testigos en nuestro día a día en Sudán y ésta es la segunda idea “amigo” que tiene una voz preponderante en esta reflexión.

A este lugar la corriente del individualismo está llegando pero no se ha instalado y reconforta la existencia, la posibilidad de mirar la otra cara del prisma.

En la vida sencilla de los sudaneses es posible palpar el sentido que le confieren a la comunidad en detalles simples y cotidianos, que como todo tienen un gran efecto. Contar con el otro es importante.

Por ejemplo si se va a tener una celebración o cualquier tipo de actividad se debe enterar a los vecinos. No necesariamente invitarlos, pero si tenerlos en cuenta. Comunicarles es una manera de hacerlos participes y en caso que durante el evento surja cualquier tipo de inconveniente, esto garantizará su ayuda. No en el caso contrario. Sino se les avisa no se tiene el derecho de reclamar su colaboración si esta es requerida.

Un ejemplo de otro aspecto relacionado con las celebraciones.

La pasada vigilia pascual duró cinco horas. Resaltando, que durante todo el tiempo la comunidad manifestó el gozo de celebrar unida a través de sus cantos, oraciones y danzas. Nadie se quejó ni se mostró incomodo. Los únicos que estamos pensando en el tiempo éramos nosotros, los foráneos. Quizá porque nos centramos en nuestro propio cansancio y cualquiera podría alegar diciendo que “no hay derecho”… derecho al bienestar individual por supuesto.

Todas las celebraciones a las cuales he tenido la oportunidad de asistir durante estos casi dos años se han caracterizado por estos dos aspectos, la cantidad de gente participando rebozante de entusiasmo durante largos periodos de tiempo.

El padre Notan refiere algo al respecto en su libro cuando hace alusión a las iglesias vacías en Europa y otros continentes, pero repletas en África.

Aquí converge toda mi reflexión. La comunidad resignifica, los acontecimientos, los paradigmas, la vida misma.

Bill Firman, un hermano de la Salle que comparte con nosotros esta misión; quien se caracteriza entre otras cosas, por su basta experiencia en el ámbito educativo. Coordina el proyecto en esta área, y el don de contemplar el día a día, extrayendo enseñanzas de vida, que luego escribe en un estilo muy propio. Trajo esta idea a mi tertulia, que sin dudarlo tiene mucho que aportar. Se trata del papel que juega la comunidad en la educación de los niños. Un echo muy palpable en todos los lugares de Sudan, que hasta el momento he tenido la oportunidad de conocer.

Los niños respetan y acatan a los mayores, porque estos a su vez, se responsabilizan de ellos en cualquier contexto. Especialmente las mujeres, desde niñas las más grandecitas atienden a los pequeños y luego cuando se convierten en madres, es como si ejercieran una maternidad colectiva. El rol que les concede la maternidad, ampliamente valorada en esta cultura, les otorga la potestad de ser acatadas por los niños; bueno y también por los adultos. Todos aquí obedecemos a las “mamas”, nombre con el cual se reconoce a quienes también se identifican por vestir una colorida manta que anudan en el hombro derecho, localmente llamada “Lao” .

Nos llama mucho la atención, la naturalidad con la cual este echo es asumido. En mi cultura. Cualquier madre protestaría si otras le prohíben a sus niños hablar en el templo o entrar y salir de el durante la Eucaristía, o instarles a ceder su asiento a los mayores, madres con bebes o minusvalidos; por citar solo dos ejemplos.

Quienes conocemos la vida de un colegio, sabemos que este es uno de los principales problemas.

Padres de familia que no consienten que se les diga nada a sus hijos, aún reconociendo el fondo que su comportamiento o su falta de responsabilidad les está afectando.

El educar, como otras tantas cosas dejó de ser una responsabilidad del colectivo. Se delega para que otros lo asuman: Uno de los padres, unidos o separados. Los maestros, pero casi que con un manual de instrucciones; en el caso que los padres se aparezcan por el colegio; los abuelos, en fin. No se aúnan esfuerzos. Siquiera en un consenso dentro de las propias instituciones. Lo que origina muchos problemas entre los que ejercen su misión de formadores y quienes no.

Considero que la comunidad es la clave olvidada o rezagada que permitiría afrontar muchos de los problemas que agobian a nuestra sociedad. Que puede sacar al hombre de la falsa idea que es posible alcanzar la felicidad y la libertad a base de egoísmo.

Estoy convencida que cualquier labor que realice tiene sentido si contribuye a la construcción de comunidades. Descubro que su esencia me sabe a Evangelio. Le apuesto a la construcción de modelos pedagógicos, basados en el componente comunitario, que propendan el bien común; que eduquen para el convivir en comunidad.

Finalmente, confió que sino llegamos a esta concienciación movidos por la lectura de los resultados del pasado. Nos mueva el instinto. Ya que de acuerdo a los estudios de los neurólogos. Le debemos el área mas desarrollada de nuestro cerebro, del hipotálamo, particularmente la “amígdala,” a las múltiples y complejas conexiones que surgieron en nuestra época primitiva, tras la imperiosa necesidad de asociarnos para cazar, para defender a las crías, para mostrarnos menos indefensos ante los depredadores, para sobrevivir.

Luz Enith Galarza Melo

Religiosa Filipense

MORE THAN ONE-Sr. Luz Enith Galarza

More than one…

It has been two months of intensive work training teachers of elementary school, according to the purpose and agenda of this beautiful project called Solidarity with Southern Sudan.

We have added more than a hundred and fifty hours in the classroom, under the intense heat of the hottest time of the year, and the best of all, have had the possibility of knowing good people who are interested in preparing themselves to help rebuilding this country after more than 20 years of violent conflict. They feel and they assume this responsibility as their own, since they lost much during the war. In 2005 a peace agreement was signed and so everything - even their lives needs to be rebuilt

As a result of our life events we accumulate stories, apprenticeships and experiences that words are not enough to fully describe, given their deep and complex relationship with the essence and meaning of life itself.

These days, taking advantage of rest while waiting to start a new phase of the project, I find myself absorbed in reading a very interesting book called JESUS TODAY. A Spirituality of Radical Freedom, written in 2006 by Albert Nolan, a priest of the Dominican order, from South Africa.

Reading it has been something fascinating. I mean that this book is one of those offering a wide range of ideas that at once intertwine with others just as, emerging encounters between friends who have an appointment to socialize for a pleasant chat.

One of these “friend” ideas is his approach to the origin of the problems of modern men and women as due to individualism, a product of the Industrial Revolution. Since then he and she focused on their rights, leaving the common good in the background, so that the industrialized western society began to promote individual autonomy in which the other is not required except for sex.

The pursuit of personal autonomy, which of course, needs to be self-financing, becomes an end in itself and promises total independence, which will result in the acquisition of liberty.

The author proposes an interesting analysis of this context from different perspectives and compares this proposal with others which are opposed to it. As an example, the cultural base of several societies, like African, the human being is only understood within his/her place and link to the community. To paraphrase a popular local expression: “A person becomes a person through the others”.

Here the legacy of ancestors takes an important place, as identity is forged within the group context. In this new era you do not need a distinct identity when everyone can accommodate to the prevailing fashion, which is short-lived and soon to be replaced by the next new one to come.

No detailed studies are needed to analyse the consequence of the separation of men and women from the other and from their roots. Just look at two of the biggest problems facing humankind today: loneliness and suicide, because of the breaking of bonding, of being uprooted, not belonging, not having a “which” that belong to us.

There is a foundation in my country called Colombian League Against Suicide, with professionals who study to understand and prevent this problem, which sadly, is increasing at an alarming rate. One of their studies suggests that those with major affective networks, whose links are strong, are less likely to suffer from depression and commit suicide unless of course the source is clinical.

From the previous argument stems a consequence that reinforces the results of their findings. Happiness is directly related to the amount and quality of emotional ties that you have. This is a very interesting theory.

In practice, over the years we have been witnessing phenomena that do not properly illustrate how humans build or strengthen their affective networks. I will refer only to a few facts because I do not intend to cover all its consequences.

On the one hand the ’new interests” of couples in Europe, has reduced the birth rate to a worrying and problematic level. A decision of each individual couple can become a social phenomenon with broad and unprecedented impact.

On the other hand individual interests in the name of development of a few countries result in serious environmental problems, which impact on all to the detriment of the collective good.

It is unfortunate that those few powerful countries, despite international summits such as Copenhagen as a recent and sad experience, do not want to commit to the agreements to preserve the planet.

However the main focus in this reflection is the complete opposite side of this individualistic reality - namely the communitarian experience which we witness in our daily life in Sudan. This is the second “friend” idea.

The stream of individualism is coming to Sudan, but has not yet taken root. It is good to witness this and see the other side of the prism.

In the simple life of the Sudanese you can feel the priority that they give to the community in simple everyday details.

For example, if you are going to have a celebration or any type of activity consideration is due to the neighbors. It is not necessary to invite them, but to take them into account. Communication is a way to involve them, and during the event, if any problem arises, this will ensure their support. Not otherwise. If they were not warned, you do not have the right to seek their help in case this is required.

Another example related to celebrations.

The past Easter Vigil lasted five hours. I want to stress that all the time the community expressed the joy of celebrating together, through their songs, prayers and dances. Nobody complained or expressed discomfort. The only people who were thinking about time were us the outsiders perhaps because we focused on our own fatigue. We could complain saying that “this is not right”… as it is against my right to individual welfare, of course.

All celebrations which I have had the opportunity to attend during these almost two years have been characterized by these two aspects, the number of people participating overflowing with enthusiasm and the duration for long periods of time.

Father Nolan refers to something about it in his book, when he refers to the empty churches in Europe and other continents, but full in Africa.

All my reflection converges here. The community redefines events, circumstances, paradigms and life itself.

Bill Firman, La Salle Brother who shares with us this mission, is also renowned for his vast experience in the field of education. He coordinates the project in this area, and has the gift of seeing the day to day, learning lessons of life, which he then writes in a very unique style. He brought one “friend” idea to my pleasant chat that, without doubt, has much to contribute. It is about the role of the community in the education of children which is a very noticeable fact in all parts of Sudan, that so far, I have had the opportunity to visit.

Children respect and obey the elderly, because these in turn are responsible for them in any context. Women, learn from childhood the care for younger kids and when they become mothers, it is like the exercise of a collective motherhood. The role of motherhood, widely valued in this culture, gives them power to become respected by children and also by the adults. Everyone here obeys the “mamas”, who are identified by wearing a colorful piece of clothing tied on the right shoulder, locally called “Lao”

The ease with which this fact is assumed draws our attention. In my culture, just to name two examples, any mother would protest if others forbade her children to speak in the temple, or prevented them from entering and exiting during the Eucharist, or urging them to give up their seat to the elderly, to mothers with babies or the disabled.

Secondly those who know the life of a school know that this is one of the main problems: Parents who forbid us to say anything to their children, while recognizing that their behavior or lack of accountability is affecting them.

Education, like many other things, has ceased to be a collective responsibility and is delegated to others: one of the parents, together or separately; the grandparents; the teachers. In the case of parents appearing in the school one is almost given an instruction manual for each child! Even within the institutions themselves there is no consensus, no sense of joint forces which causes many problems between teachers exercising their vocational mission and those who do not.

I think community is the forgotten key which would address many of the problems which are affecting our society. Community can supply the key to men and women to draw them away from the false idea that they can achieve happiness and freedom based on selfishness.

I am convinced that any work you do makes sense if it contributes to community building. I find this is the essence of the Gospel. This community component, this tending to the common good, must become the basis for the construction of pedagogical models to educate for living in community and society.

Finally, I hope that if we do not come to this awareness moved by the reading of the results of the past, that natural instinct will move us. According to studies by neuroscientists, we owe the most developed area of our brain, the hypothalamus, particularly the “amygdala” to the multiple and complex connections that emerged in our primitive period, where the imperative need to hunt, to partner, to defend their young, to avoid predators, to survive – all required partnerships and associations – in another sense community!

Luz Enith Galarza M.R.F.