Argentina : Volunteers of the Sacred Heart "Hand in hand at the service of life"

Barrio Libertad Proyecto Moreno

It's hard to explain in words my experience in this region, and still harder to explain how the people have transformed my life., When I first came to Fortín Olmos, I was hoping to change things for the better north of Santa Fe. I was keen to start work, but I landed in the bush, in a culture unknown to me, and without the least suspicion of what it would mean to my heart. The poor about whom Jesus spoke and defended began to have names, stories, faces, and soon made their way into my life, helping me to grow. And because I now have the chance to lend a hand until the end of the year in some of the projects directed by the Sisters of Fortín Olmos, I keep making discoveries about Jesus, that poor man who invites me to find him sitting in a mud hut, silently brewing maté. I still feel the same hope that moved me years ago, but not in the same way. Today I need that all our lives, the people's and my own, come together and be shared, starting from what I am and from what they can give me. Everything that is simple and rich in their lives comes to me as a gift, adding meaning to my experience. Through the life of the poor, Jesus continues to show himself as the Master, teaching me in the simplest way. Although most of the time I resist following him, the poor and Jesus keep thinking up subtle ways of changing my life. Inés Cánepa

This project was the result of a hard look at reality, and of our desire to expand our charism and spirituality.

As we look at reality, it speaks to us of emptiness, and the meaninglessness in the lives of so many young people. It also speaks of life that is threatened and lacking in opportunities, with an ever-increasing number of excluded and impoverished. We believe that love expressed in service is one way to feed, foster and defend life in the actual situations where it is threatened. We believe in and defend love and solidarity, as a transforming force to build a society that will be more just, caring and supportive. The aim of the project is to respond to the anxieties of some young people who want to devote their energies to others through co-operative service.

That is why we are opening up the projects of popular education which we Sisters of the Sacred Heart are running in the interior of Argentina, as well as in Buenos Aires and Uruguay, so that young people can join and take part, lending a hand according to their talents, the time at their disposal, and what they can do as volunteers.

The commitment they take on can be on a weekly, fortnightly or yearly basis; there can also be a prolonged service of 6 months or a year, sharing the life of one of our communities.

In this Project we co-ordinate popular education, work with young people, and also formal education, since the young people in our colleges of Almagro and Villa Jardín are involved, and so to a considerable extent are the Teaching Staff of Almagro.

We feel it is important to stress the aspect of identity, as today there are innumerable volunteer services, each one with its own objectives. We feel it is important to give young people a sense of belonging to the spirituality of the Sacred Heart, whose mystique is an integral part of this voluntary work.
And so we propose to provide personal and group accompaniment for the volunteers, stressing integration of faith and life.

That is why we are convinced that voluntary work is not just one item more in the wide range of choices that the young sometimes have today, but a space in which they become integrated persons, with Jesus and his Plan as the focus of their lives.

We also offeri moments of prayer, reflection and formation to help them assimilate the experience of being a volunteer.

The project began in May 1999 in Buenos Aires; it is now also being run in the Interior of Argentina and in Uruguay, where we Sisters have communities.

Valery Jacques rscj

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Sharing my experience in Campanas :

How can I sum up all I experienced during the 5 months of my voluntary service in Campanas? Impossible to describe how my life changed as a result of that experience; it's a case of before and after.

I came to Rioja full of expectation and curiosity about what I was going to find, what the people would be like, the boys at the centre, the community of Sisters where I was going to live, etc. I had some preparation; Valery had already introduced me to two of the Campanas Sisters, had shown me photos and given me material to get to know some of the people's customs, but I was inevitably a little nervous. I set out for my new home, after sharing a week-long meeting on popular education in Santa Fe with two of the sisters, but there were still two more Sisters I had to meet. I'll never forget my welcome. It was about 3 o'clock in the morning, and they were waiting for us with the nice soup they have every single night! I couldn't believe I was there at last, after so many preparations. When I got up next day I couldn?t believe my eyes. What the night before had seemed like a dark curtain round the house turned out to be impressive hills, very colourful and covered with thistles; it was incredible. I felt very small in comparison with such a landscape. Another thing that caught my attention was the beautiful silence.

From the first moment I felt "at home", very well looked after and shown what to do. In Campanas there is a Centre called "My New Dream", for children and young people with different abilities. It functions three days a week, and children flock to it from all the villages round about. It?s one big family, and there is a lovely relationship among professionals, parents and children. I began working there, both morning and afternoon. In the morning the centre was, and still is, a meeting-place for the youth group, doing their apprenticeship, receiving help with their school work, doing crafts, P.E., and of course folklore. You should see how they dance! The first time I saw them at a festival I couldn't believe it; they were beautiful in their costumes and danced wonderfully.

In the afternoon the younger ones come, and the centre is full of noise, laughter and sometimes a few tears. They have the same activities, interspersed with games, puppet shows and songs.

I have so many faces etched on my heart; the affection they showed me from the first moment was so impressive, not only the children, but also the whole staff. I love seeing team-work, all working in their own way so that each child can develop their potential to the full. I have millions of stories to tell about the centre, and many beautiful memories of all the children. There was the time we went through the village to collect leaves for their work, singing softly through the streets at siesta-time, or Handicapped Week, when we started a campaign: the centre was full of people making posters, which we then put up where they would be most likely to be seen. Many moments come to mind, barbecues, activities, tea-parties we shared until the end of the year.

It was very beautiful to see their progress and achievements, and although it was sometimes hard, it was worth all the effort.

Another thing that made a deep impression on me was the relationship with the village people and their way of life, so different from ours. How lovely to walk along the street and greet everyone! Once I went to buy something at the corner shop and was there for an hour because as I passed my neighbours' doors, they invited me in for a maté or two. They are all very likeable and open, and during those months they made me feel part of the village.

It was hard to leave, but I returned full of all I had experienced and so grateful for it. I'll never regret the decision I took, and I?d go there again without thinking twice. I keep in contact, and every now and then I go there in my imagination, to relive those unforgettable moments with my people that I love so much. I think this voluntary service was a magnificent opportunity, and here's my advice: if anything of the sort comes your way, jump at it!