The President of the Focolare Movement Maria Voce and the co-President Jesús Morán made an historic visit to Syria in the beginning of May 2019, a country that has been hit by civil war for over eight years.( Focolare Movement is one of the main partners of Together for a New Africa program)
Homs was the 1st city that Maria Voce and Jesús Morán visited during their journey to Syria, where the scars of war can still be noted.
Emmaus and Jesús arrived in Syria on Thursday May 2nd and were received by Father Nabil Nader, the parish priest of Saint. Elias of Kfarbou (40 km from Homs). At Homs, the first city they visited on arrival in Syria, the duo had an opportunity to have a meeting with the local Focolare community members who chose not to abandon their city during the civil war.
Many of those who remained behind have lost all their belongings but have kept alive their faith in God who is Love. They have well understood that all is vanity of vanities and the only thing that even war can’t destroy is the Gospel. Together they have tried to give each other warmth that has kept them strong during the trying and challenging times of war that has taken years in Syria.
During an open meeting they had with Maria Voce, one of the members said, “Through our way of life, we try to be a living Gospel, because the Focolare Spirituality has implanted in us a different seed. Those who accompany us have taken good care of this seed which seems to be bearing fruits because people around us realize that there is something different.”
Majority of the Focolare members living in Homs are now taking part in activities that have been started to help their people like giving support to cancer patients.
When sharing about the challenges they are facing, one shared that “People around us think we are weak when we respond to hatred with love; this is neither easy to bear nor to pass on to our children. But they do not know that love is the most powerful weapon.”
Inspired by the life of this great community, Maria Voce said to the community, “You have kept the flame of the Gospel alive, you have understood one of the most fundamental points of our spirituality; You have realized that the secret of true love lies on the love of Jesus crucified and forsaken. This meeting with you has really been a grace for us.
The war in Syria began with a peaceful uprising against the leadership of Syria almost eight years ago and has left over 300,000 people dead, devastated cities and many Syrians forced to seek refuge in other nations.
Before the conflict began in Syria, many citizens were complaining about the high rate of unemployment, corruption and lack of political freedom.
The Focolare Movement began in 1943 in Italy as “a current of spiritual and social renewal” within the Catholic Church. Focolare (Italian for “hearth”) was started by a woman named Chiara Lubich with a focus on the universal brotherhood.
Focolare movement aims at contributing towards building a more united World in which people value and respect diversity. In addition, Focolare is about seeking peace not on the basis of shared faith in Christ but on the basis of common humanity.
Focolare movement is one on the main partners of the Together for a New Africa program.
