GREETINGS FROM CYPRUS!

We Y4UW from Cyprus have adhered to the initiative to have a Christmas that is characterized by mutual welcome and peace. We have organized a rummage sale called "Boutique Chiara Luce" in order to help the people in need, offering them clothes at low prices.

Christmas in Bethlehem! “It’s a unique opportunity to crown this year through our meeting with the Holy Land Youth for a United World”, shared Maria Guaita, Andrew Camilleri and Claudia Barrero, from the Y4UW international secretariat.

What significance does it have for you to spend Christmas in the Holy Land? We have welcomed this invitation as a proposal to all the Youth for a United World spread all over the planet – narrates Maria Guaita -. The Gospel narrates that Mary and Joseph found no inn to lodge: “the Word came to his own and his own people did not accept him.” We wish to welcome him especially in the lonely ones, the marginalized, the poor and the homeless. Therefore, we commit ourselves to transform each of our cities into a small Bethlehem that hosts the nativity crib that offers a cradle to baby Jesus.”

How have you organized this activity? “We propose to all the Youth for a United World a Christmas that is characterized by mutual welcome and peace. On daily basis, the mass media offer us images of violence and suffering, exclusion, and we want to respond to this with an even greater love: taking advantage of this Christmas Season to carry out concrete acts of love in favour of our brothers and sisters.”

We wish to get as many people as possible involved in this initiative – concludes Maria – also parishes, institutions, other associations and movements, according to each one’s creativity and possibilities – as Chiara Lubich used to say – “nothing is small that is done out of love”.”

One may post photos or short films of these initiatives on the “Youth for a United World - Holy Land” Facebook Page: (https://www.facebook.com/Y4UW.HOLYLAND?fref=ts).

Source: United Nations Website

On 4 December 2000, the UN General Assembly, taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day. On 18 December 1990, the General Assembly had adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

UN Member States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations are invited to observe International Migrants Day through the dissemination of information on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, and through the sharing of experiences and the design of actions to ensure their protection.

At the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in October 2013, Member States unanimously adopted a Declaration in which they recognized the important contribution of migration to development and called for greater cooperation to address the challenges of irregular migration and to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration. The Declaration also emphasized the need to respect the human rights of migrants and to promote international labour standards. The Declaration strongly condemns manifestations of racism and intolerance and stresses the need to improve public perceptions of migrants and migration

“I felt helpless because the images were horrific, homes were destroyed and towns were abandoned. I couldn’t imagine what I would do in their situation,” said Donata Ling

The Y4UW of New York, in collaboration with the youth of “Muslims Giving Back”, an organization that reaches out to those in need in the city of New York, organized a movie night to watch “The Pursuit of Happiness”.

The admission ticket? A coat to warm a homeless in this big city during the winter. The high moment of the evening was when one of our Muslim friends told his experience of being a homeless himself while in school.

A letter by Robert Samson to the Filipinos

Many people have often asked when tragedy happens or innocent people die and suffer: "Where is God in this moment?"

Then I remember that once there was a Lutheran pastor and theologian. His name was Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was an anti-Nazi dissident who was eventually caught by the Gestapo. He wrote many beautiful writings on the role of Christianity in our secular world which have become greatly important in our secular world - but in one instance, a co-prisoner was incontrollable as they both witnessed a 6-year old child about to be hanged. This prisoner questioned, "But that boy is innocent - where is God in all of this???"

Bonhoeffer turned to him and said, "God is right here - and right there in that image of the boy being put to death."

I wanted to tell you about this little story - that our All Loving, Almighty God is certainly One who has the power to put an end to many of our problems, but mostly, this is the same God Who watches and continues to love us from where He is, even through the experience of Suffering and Pain. There is always a plan of His Love behind all of these.

Now, that we've received the news about the devastation that the typhoon had done passing the Philippines recently leaving thousands and thousands of dead doesn't mean that God is not anymore with the Filipinos. In fact it is in these moments that GOD is there with us, with you. We just have to find Him again in our hearts...

Humanity has often times asked God, why do we all have to suffer while we're on earth... answers that some so called experts gave came more of a mystery rather than something concrete that could have helped each one of us ease the pain.

Then I remember something that consoled me when I lost both my mom and dad in a period of 21 days when they died in 2001. I remembered a modern mystic by the name of Chiara Lubich who once said: “There are two secrets in life: Love and Suffering.

Suffering is the way we love God and Love is the way that God loves us."

Why is it that notwithstanding the great difference of Love and Suffering, they both seemed to be the same? My mind can only murmur that they could be the same because in heaven, Love and Suffering would be both in their perfect state and therefore only Pure Love remains. Suffering is simply gone!!!

So I translated these words this way: “God could have saved the world in a million ways, with a breath, a gaze, a smile, a gesture, a word, no, He had to send us His Son to save us, saving us meant He had to suffer and die for us.

If God used Suffering and Death as a means for our Salvation, meant that Suffering is really an important part of life: human and divine, perhaps because suffering here on earth would mean the highest peak of Love that God can love us."

When Jesus was on the cross and shouted gasping for breath: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", He gave us His maximum Love. It is in the peak of suffering that Jesus loved us most. Together with Jesus, we can try to transform this suffering into love for neighbour.

Filipino brothers, sisters and friends, let's always remember, we are never alone. In these impossible, difficult moments are where God is more present. Our family and friends are present. Hope is present. I'm there with you, most especially in the most difficult moments you'll encounter.

My love and prayers goes to each one of you and your families.