“Solidarity is shown by being in solidarity” letting the heart speak and forgetting of so many who speak and say, expose and chat, but do not commit themselves towards a just cause or in defense of someone who needs you.
Some thirty young students of 4th year ESO, belonging to the Volunteer-JAR, spent alot of time motivating people, preparing the event and striving to accommodate, serve and cheer the more than two hundred people on the night of February 15 who came to dining rooms of Colegio San Agustin in Valladolid, to participate in the XXXI charity dinner in favor of the mission of Labrea, Amazons, Brazil.
For a long time there has been a very special relationship between this Colegio and the Amazon mission, attended by the Augustinian Recollects for more than ninety years. This special relationship dates back to the 70’s when four Recollect professorsfrom this school were sent as missionaries to Labrea. Relationship that became intensified when two more professors went to the mission: Fray Miguel Ángel Peraltain 1988 and a few years later Fray Luis Antonio Fernández Aguado, who still remain in Brasil; one in the state of Ceará, and the other continues in Tapauá, city of the mission of Lábrea.
The dinner has a specific purpose: help maintain the three Centers of Hope of the mission, located in the cities of Pauiní, Tapauá and Lábrea. In these centers more than 700 boys and girls eat and study and receive a preparation to be able to insert themselves in society and in the workforce. It is true that many, as many as possible, will leave their city in search of a better way of life, which always forces these centers to start almost from scratch and fail to feel the results of the educational action,which the missionaries carry out.
Missionaries know that their work is not measurable in numbers, nor by high prestige or levels of power. Its work is, apart from the strictly academic aspects, to create an environment of peace, fraternity, joy and hope in which boys and girls manage to assimilate human and religious values. From this perspective you have to understand these Esperanza Centers .
This is why Colegio San Agustín has already held thirty-one celebrations such as thesewhose primary and unique goal is to achieve the maximum help for these centers.That is why the youth group of 4th year ESO College, along with other high school students are able to sacrifice their time, giving of their service and making theattendees feel at ease; thus their generosity shines in a special way.
The dinner and its surroundings are more than just a night where people come together for dinner and participate in a raffle; they are that magical charm where the heart is transformed and the soul is made to grow, where the other is felt as a brother and seeks to help him reach the goal. The children, volunteers, despite the proximity of their academic exams, have more than approved the “generosity” exam.
The collection was generous. They collected 8.200 Euros, what is left is to give thanksand ask God for his blessing for all those who attended the dinner and those whosupported it in a thousand ways: with row 0, with the gift giving, serving dinner on thenight of the 15th of February, a great night of solidarity and “love”, which speaks of dedication and commitment, generosity and openness, selfless giving and faithful service.
