Our Mother is visiting the Communities of Ecuador from May 25 to July 4. Sister Maria-Theresia who accompanies her regularly sends news, here are some extracts :
The welcoming Combe-aux-Loups
“The big car that picked us up took us to the Combe-aux-Loups where we are until Saturday night. What a little paradise of beauty, greenery and peace. […] In this peaceful place, our Sisters […] welcome many diverse and often numerous groups. For example, today, Friday, a lady celebrating her 65th birthday is bringing her whole family together. The Holy Mass gathers them first in the large and beautiful chapel recently built in the property; we are happy to be able to participate. An excellent festive meal, prepared by Sister Margarita-Maria and her team, is then served to them: 130 guests! […] And that same evening is expected another group of 21 people who will have the evening meal as soon as they arrive. They will spend two nights at the Combe-aux-Loups, enjoying the nice well-equipped and well-kept rooms, as well as delicious home-cooked meals. Tomorrow, Saturday, a wedding will take place in the beautiful and vast chapel.”
The day before our departure arrived a bus with the 18 candidates for the final selection of «Miss-Ecuador», including a former student of Sister Mirian-Bernadette. So you needed a picture to commemorate that chance meeting, and you can imagine what happened next— In front of the beautiful chapel of the Combe-aux-Loups, all the «Miss» wanted to be photographed with the Sisters present! We had not planned this unusual event, but all the «Miss» were delighted. They had come to the Combe-aux-Loups – with their suite, in all 37 people – just to take pictures!
Visit in the mountains
“On Friday evening, Sister Hilda-Francisca, a missionary at heart, invited me to pray the rosary in a family living some distance from here, higher up in the mountain. […] Everywhere around us, there is this beautiful, abundant vegetation, with small houses nestled here and there, in this greenery. […] The small family in which we go lives in a modest little house. […]. Four teenagers join us. Whether they are relatives or simply neighbours, I do not know; in any case, they fervently pray the rosary – let the father begin – with us. On a small table, there is the «prayer corner»; the mother, who seems very young, took care to light a candle in front of the statue of the Virgin. After the rosary, Sister Hilda-Francisca sprinkled the whole room of the house with holy water, the people present and even the outside, already immersed in the night. Mom wants to offer everyone a drink she had prepared and doughnuts that Dad was making when we arrived. For my part, I had the impression that the whole evening meal of this family disappeared in the blink of an eye in our stomachs…”
Quito arrival
“On Monday morning, all the students of our school in Quito, the teachers, the employees, a delegation of parents of students, a delegation of Associates of St-François de Sales were eager to welcome the visitors from Europe. Everything is done in style here! Dances, words of welcome from the various authorities, poetry, singing, still various dances… the Pope himself could not have been better received! All this in a very warm and joyful atmosphere. The more than 600 students impressed us with their discipline, attention and silence, without the need for teachers to intervene! At the end of all the presentations, our Mother addressed this great assembly, very attentive, first in Spanish and then in French, and her warm words won and excited everyone!”
Alausi bruised after landslide
march
So far, 58 people have been found dead, but we’re still looking for 30 missing. Every day, the work of clearing continues, returning to the families in pain, the deceased they recognize by their clothes. There is a lot of pain in the city of Alausi and yet people remain courageous. One of our students lost 11 members of her family! A four-year-old girl, a student at our school in Alausi, also died in this disaster. She was found dead, with her mother, under meters of earth. The mother held her little one in her arms… From a certain point of the city, we can observe the work that is being done at the site of the disaster.
A few people from one (or two ?) families were sitting on the railway tracks. The two boys, teenagers, looked very sad. We had already found two people from their family, but there were still five more missing… Let us pray for all these families !
Street children of Guayaquil
In Guayaquil, “every Sunday, Sister Olga-Maria goes with young people to a centre run by the Salesians of Don Bosco where they welcome street children (boys). These children and youth are divided into small groups, depending on their age. Sr Olga-Maria goes with the youngest: 6 to 10 years; everyone has already experienced so much violence.
My sister told us the following fact of that day. Having played a game with these children, a 6-year-old boy won and now tears are coming from his eyes. An educator (volunteer) asks, “But why are you crying? … You won!” “Yes,” replied the little boy, “I won, but I have no mother!”
Une autre fois, un garçon de 10 ans a supplié Sr Olga-Maria de lui donner une médaille de la Vierge Marie, disant : « Avec cette médaille, je pourrai peut-être devenir meilleur ! » – Un autre de ces petits lui a dit : « Moi, j’ai été vendu… je ne connais pas ma maman. » – Et combien d’autres enfants à qui on a volé ou « vendu » leur enfance… qui grandissent sans amour et sans protection. Faisons large notre prière, pour rejoindre, à travers le monde, tous ces enfants des rues.”
Before leaving Guayaquil, I must tell you about the great meeting with the Associates of St-François de Sales. They had made an appointment on the ground floor of the house, forming a hedge of honor, each one a flower in hand. Upon our arrival, each one recalled a virtue taught and lived by Saint Francis de Sales, then placed the flower in a large vase placed on the table. They had already set up a big table with everything they needed to have a good snack all together. And, as is the custom here, they have also filled us with gifts typical of the country. What kindness! This true Salesian friendship is felt so strongly in all these groups.
The partners of Guayaquil
The welcome to Manta
The day after our arrival, the 840 students aged 4 to 17, their teachers, principals, employees, parents of students and a group of Associates of St-François de Sales welcomed us with such heart, poetry, kindness, as we know how to do in Ecuador! Here, in all schools, private or public, students wear the uniform proper to their school or college. Among our Sisters, even teachers and employees wear a uniform – and even very distinguished! In addition, we feel that they enjoy working in the establishment of our Sisters and they are deeply invested in their work. […] Everywhere the students seem happy to be present, they are so smiling and spontaneous that it touches us. Our Mother is happy to see many people she has already met on her first trip to Ecuador and the reciprocal is also true.
