We joyfully finished our local genfest, which took place in Hawassa, in the southern part of Ethiopia, from 19th-23rd of July 2024. They were 130 participants from different parts of Ethiopia : Hawassa, Dilla, Galcha, Boje, Shashamane, Addis Ababa, Debrezeit, Bodite, Mendida, Mojo and Adama.
We started with a blessing from the parish priest, and we covered four important topics with professional people who led us into our program:
Together to Care for Peace, which was led by Mr. Zerihun from the Ethiopian Catholic Bishops Conference. Through the workshop, he showed the importance of the diversity in the world and a positive impact of it in the life of each one of us. The young people participated very actively and appreciated it.
Together to care for life led by Elsa and Sr. Kamila from Prolife movement. On the same day, Mr. Engida, a Cathechist and focolare movement member of Hawasa, took us through the ten commandments. The goal of this workshop was to show the sacrality of human life and a personal responsibility of each one of us for this gift of life. We can show this responsibility starting from our responsibility in our relationship, but later on through the prayer. As a Christian and Catholic, we have a lot of support on this difficult journey in the Eucharist. At the end of this day, we had the Eucharistic adoration and confession.
We concluded with Together to Care for the Earth, which was led by Tesfa from the Laudato Si movement. Through the workshop, the youth got the possibility to discover actively our own place in the creation and our responsibility for it.
After the theoretical part came time for the practical one. We went out for charitable works where we planted trees, cleaned the beach, visited prisoners, orphanage, street kids, and Mother Teresa of Calcuta centre. It was incredibly amazing that even youth from different Christian denominations felt at home. One of them, a Protestant, said, “The explanation of the Eucharist was very important for me, and I felt being in the family loved by all.” The one from Orthodox Church expressed her happiness for having taken part in this event and asked if she could stay behind and discover more about the spirituality of Focolare.
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