On the feast day of St. Magdalene the delegates from LEP and Spain had dinner at the Alza community in the north of Spain, where we met 3 of our CJ members. The time we spent together was priceless and the sharing we had around a slice of tortilla brought deeper within us the richness of internationality as well as the flavour of interculturality.
This was a chance to meet their reality which is very much a testimony of commitment to our brothers and sisters on the margins. We heard about the work with the prisoners and how our sisters’ faithful engagement doesn’t end once people are out of the prison but their spiritual and human accompaniment continues for many years.
We were also deeply moved by the serenity with which another sister is engaged in serving children from families in distress and how this service, 40 years since its foundation is a pillar for child services in the region.
Nevertheless, accompanying the migrants and refugees in their daily life, especially during the Pandemic, is at the heart of the sisters here and in San Sebastian, who offer their time and skills to make our brothers and sisters process of integration more welcoming and friendly, despite language and cultural barriers, not to mention the trauma and fear of being sent back to their countries.
Being in touch with the reality here, with a very alive community, and seeing it beyond the written fact sheet I read last week from the Province made a difference in my heart and in my understanding and confirmed in me once again both the invitation of Pope Francis to be people of encounter and the example of Mary Ward who stayed among people, heard them, walked with them and accompanied them in their daily life.
Adina Balan CJ on behalf of LEP and Spain delegates
