The day of the opening of the centre to help the poor children of the parish of St Anthony of Padua arrived quickly. After many preparations and last adjustments to the classrooms, to the refectory and the kitchen, the 17th of February arrived. The parish Church became full of people arriving for mass, and the blessing of the new centre for children, and of the new square. You could feel it was a day full of festivity, because the new joy of living Centre for the children of Santo Domingo was being opened. For a long time we had wanted, along with Father Zibi Braun and local friends to make this social project a reality for the poor children in need of help and a school. The programme will also help with the mal-nutrition problems of this country, with a refectory and an educational programme including after-school and recreation activities. My heart was glad to see the children coming with their parents to participate in this celebration, and beginning to live the joy.
The Mass was celebrated by the general assistant for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Father Joao Benedito, at 10am sharp. He spoke about the role and ways of evangelising today, that it is not only done in traditional ways, but also by way of social action. We know of Christ’s love for children: “ Let the little children come to me.” With this project Christ is in the midst of these children, poor children, teaching them and bringing them to a knowledge of the good news of his love through the work of missionaries, lay and religious. We cannot live with these people without aiding them socially, helping them to grow, both in the spiritual and ordinary sense.
After the mass there was the grand opening of the square, and the ribbon that was cut showed the colours of Santo Domingo. The chairman of “Joy of living” association Donato Todisco did the cutting. After this two plaques were unveiled: one was put on the refectory you wall, dedicated to a young Italian Raoul di Vita and was unveiled by his mother, Fortunata Giarrizzo, who is also secretary of the association. Lucia Salvetti unveiled the other plaque from the association, which is for the centre’s classrooms. All the people present at this celebration, in the square and the centre, showed their natural and authentic happiness, applauding throughout the proceedings. After this, the assistant said a prayer, asking that the centre could help children to grow and make them adult and responsible. Then holy water was sprinkled in the classrooms where the children will come to learn, giving them hope for a future full of joy.
Then a programme of entertainment, which the children and adults had prepared began. The first part featured “Mariachi”, with music and songs that are traditional in that part of Latin America. The people took part gladly, singing songs and dancing in the square. Then the children, prepared by Benedictine nuns (Polish nuns who have been working with us), danced in Ecuadorian traditional dress. Even the children of the “Infant’s mission” prepared two dances: one modern, and one a traditional “Santo Domingo de los Colorados” dance. The parish council also put on an adults dance in traditional costume. The whole show was presented as a ‘gift from happiness’ and there was much gladness and good humour.
In the meantime the town's traditional dishes had been prepared: chicken with rice and vegetables, (Secco de pollo) and roast pork (hornado) with potatoes and yak. In this Ecuadorian – Italian union, there had to be something specifically Italian. Some members of the “Joy of Living” association prepared 200 plates worth of Penne with tomato sauce. They were delicious, and the most popular dish among the people present, so much so that it was the first thing to run out at the celebration.
The party is over, but our work goes on in this area of the Franciscan mission, thanks to the support of our local friends and all our benefactors that continue to work with us to give the youngest members of Santo Domingo’s population hope.
From April 1 we began our after-school project sin the centre. We hope that its name “Joy of Living” becomes a reality not just for the children but for all of us.
Fr Marco Szymanski OFMConv.
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