Ecuador - Being a volunteer: a new way of living after their service

21 July 2016

(ANS - Baños) - Volunteering demands a steadfast hope. Someone wrote that "you can live without faith and even without the experience of love, but you can not survive without hope." "Volunteering opens you towards a new way of life, and therefore to love," wrote a volunteer. The Salesians of Ecuador have developed over the years a strong Salesian presence in the peripheries, encouraging young people to donate not only things, but above all their time and life. For this, from the 18th to 20nd of July, at the Salesian house "San Juan Bautista" in Baños, there was the third Meeting of Volunteers, which brought together 40 young people who have had an experience of the Missionary Youth Volunteers in the Salesian Family of the Young (VJMFS, in Spanish).

In times when people are talking about solidarity and volunteerism, it should be recognized that there are many people and especially young people who choose to volunteer. This meeting realized in Ecuador had two objectives: to assess the experience gained by the volunteers during a year of service in the various Salesian houses to know what they have learned for personal life; and propose ways of commitment for the Church and Society.

The reflection helped the young people to commit themselves to a Church reaching outwards, looking for the needy and the poor. The participants belong to various works of the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. The team responsible for this meeting was composed of: Fr Robert García, SDB; Fr Wladimir Acosta, SDB; Sr Silvia Segovia, FMA; Katherine Guaman and members of the "Volontari Per Sempre” from Cuenca and Quito.

The activities started with a prayer of thanks and then continued with the deepening of three themes: "Discover my being a Christian in my volunteer experience" was delivered by Fr Acosta; "My being a volunteer in society. What do I do now, after the volunteer service?" was facilitated by some volunteers; and finally, "Vocation and Mission" was given by Sr. Segovia.

Being a volunteer has nothing to do with donating time, but rather with living a time of growth that has value for a lifetime. 

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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