Two thousand children participated in the initiative launched by the vicariate. It was an opportunity to play, learn and grow in faith. The exchange of experiences in a migrant reality, the creation of a synodal and outgoing Church, was fundamental. Monsignor Martinelli: “They have experienced the gratuitousness of life.”
Abu Dhabi () – “The Summer Centre was truly a wonderful experience. I enjoyed all the fun games, the outings and especially the faith formation sessions that helped me get closer to Jesus.” These were the words of Christine, a young participant in the camp in Ruwi, a parish in Muscat (Oman). “It is a blessing to have this opportunity for our children to learn and grow in Jesus and in the Church. My children had a great time.” A mother from Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), was also happy, speaking of memorable moments of joy and spiritual formation.
Children, parents and even volunteers themselves have welcomed the initiatives linked to the Summer Camps promoted by the Vicariate of Southern Arabia (UAE, Yemen and Oman), in which thousands of children and young people from the Gulf have participated. The volunteer educator Ansgar, from Ruwi-Muscat, speaks of a “rewarding experience”, while another, from Ras Al Khaimah, even asked for a leave of absence from work to live this experience: “His love, his smile and his joyful heart – he says – taught me a lot”.
The summer camps in the parishes of the Emirates and Oman are an important event in the Gulf region, both because of the climate and the economic situation of the families, the vast majority of whom are migrants. This year, some 2,000 children have joined the initiative, which has also been made possible thanks to the dedication of local priests, some of whom have come to support them, and hundreds of volunteers. Even the vicar himself, Monsignor Paolo Martinelli, wanted to visit and see with his own eyes the activities promoted by the various parishes.
During the summer holidays, when school and catechism are over but parents have to work or cannot afford trips and vacations, and the weather is hot, parishes have promoted camps of between seven and 30 days for children and adolescents. And with various purposes: to keep them active on a spiritual level, with prayers, songs, teachings, games about faith and liturgy; on a physical level, with sports and excursions; on a creative level, with crafts, games and talent contests; and, finally, on a social level, allowing them to meet friends and make new ones.
The positive factors do not only apply to families, educators, children and volunteers, but also benefit the parishes themselves and community life. In this sense, sharing an experience for people who live outside their countries of origin and, as migrants, are faced with new realities takes on a profound meaning. In this case, this experience becomes an opportunity for communion between different linguistic groups and rites. Capuchin Fr. Chito, parish priest in Abu Dhabi, expressed his “joy at seeing children of different nationalities enjoying the friendship they established during the camp.” The realization of the migrant and synodal Church, he adds, “is visible in the lives of children who walk together, learn from each other, appreciate and accept their differences, united in a single faith that builds a culture of harmonious life.”
In recent days, Monsignor Martinelli sent a letter to the volunteers who have participated or are following the summer camps in the various parishes, some of whom he also met in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. “After a year of study or work,” he wrote, “instead of going on holiday, you wanted to dedicate your time to the children who attend the parish,” and “not for one or two days, but for at least three weeks. You are both “normal” and “extraordinary,” he stressed, addressing the young people, for “your commitment and your witness.” “You have experienced the joy of giving your life for others, for the little ones,” added the prelate, and “in this way you have followed Jesus, you have imitated him.” “They have experienced the gratuitousness of life,” he concludes, which is “a precious gift from God” but which “is only fulfilled when we give it in turn,” as well as being a “call to love” and “a vocation to friendship with Jesus and to the gift of oneself to others.”
In response, a group of volunteers from the parish of Saints Peter and Paul in Ruwi, Oman, wrote a letter to Bishop Martinelli praising the experience. “Each of us bringing our own experiences, the motivation that drives us,” they say, “is always to give the children a moment of fun, joy and faith. Although, we must admit, we also do it a little for our own joy and enjoyment.” “However, with your letter,” the young people observe, “we realized that volunteering at a summer camp is much more than just showing up and doing a job. For the first time we saw it as an experience of the Word of God. Now we can see that although the summer camp was a challenge, the joy we experienced and continue to experience is indescribable, and that is exactly – they conclude – what it means to follow the Lord.”
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