Chiara Day was celebrated on 19/3/2023 in Burundi.

“The auspicious day saw the participation of members of the movement from different parts of Burundi, under the theme “Be a Family”. It was an occasion to come together with various realities of the movement, including Gen 2, 3, 4, and 5 boys and girls, male and female volunteers, priests, focolarinos and focolarines, as well as guests who came to celebrate with us. Each branch shared an experience and the Gens shared two experiences: one about choosing the Focolare movement and the resulting daily radicality, and the other about how the love of Jesus abandoned does not leave one indifferent and brings joy and hope.

Lin, a Gen boy… I was still very young when I started high school and at that time there was still hazing. I was barely there when they started hazing me, and hitting me, and suddenly I saw someone pull me out of this misery to hide me. For the rest of the hazing period, I was protected. Then, at the boarding school, the time came to choose which movements to participate in. Without hesitation, I told the person who had protected me that I had to follow his movement. He insisted that I choose a movement of my choice so that it wouldn’t seem like an influence from him, but I was thirsty to know where he got this kind heart from and I kept the choice of his movement. I didn’t know his movement, it was the Focolare. So I started at the Focolare and continued until now, and when I got a job, my boss trusted me and gave me the responsibility of negotiating deals. Every time, the suppliers wanted to increase the prices and insisted until they insulted me to get a commission at the expense of the company’s accounts, but thanks to the movement, I was able to hold on and stay on the right path without stealing from the one who trusted me.

Emmanuella, a Gen girl… Recently, a Gen fell ill and needed surgery. As soon as the news was announced, the other Gens felt that it was the moment to love her more. Each time they took turns as caretakers and brought meals until her sister and friends were amazed by this compassion, this love that was shown to their daughter who, despite the operation, felt reassured, loved with full of hope. One of her neighbours, touched by this love, told her that after her recovery, she would have to take her children to the Focolare because she would like her children to grow up in this spirituality. Another day, her sister, grateful, told us that the love that the Gens had shown had erased a bad image she had of people.” Lewis, Gen from Burundi