(ANS – Niterói) – One of the guidelines that Pope Francis gave to the Bishops of Brazil concerned Amazonia which he called “the real proof, the litmus test, for the Church and society in Brazil.” The Salesians have been present in Amazonia for more than a hundred years, evangelizing and promoting culture and life. They arrived in Cuiabá in East-Central Brazil, in the State of Mato Grosso, in 1894. This year, for the first time, the Salesians of the Mato Grosso Province brought a delegation of 40 young people, 20 Bororo and 20 Xavantes, to World Youth Day.

In Brazil there are 200 different tribes of indigenes. Many of these are in the States of Mato Grosso and Southern Mato Grosso. This is the area where the province of Campo Grande works, in collaboration with the local Church. Salesians are present among the Bororo and Xavantes. In Southern Mato Grosso, they work in collaboration with the Don Bosco Catholic University of Brazil (UCDB). The work of the Salesians is coordinated with that of the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI) which promotes ministry to the indigenous people with particular attention to life, land, education, health and public policies.

Bergamim, Flaviana, Vera Lina, and Milton are four young indigenous people who took part in World Youth Day and the activities of the SYM at Niterói. They shared their experience with the ANS correspondent at WYD. Their work as SYM leaders in their local communities is guided by two attitudes: The first is a concern to preserve the thousand-year old culture which is endangered by the invasion of foreigners. For this they are grateful to the Salesians who, from the time of their arrival, helped them to protect their human rights and their indigenous values. The second fundamental attitude is a great love for Don Bosco. They each have a story and together they want to bring back the richness of WYD to their own communities.

Bergamim is a young man of 22 from the Xavante indigenous community of St Mark. He is a first year student in the Faculty of Social Work in UCDB. When he was a boy, his grandfather used to bring him to the Salesian Mission which opened in 1950. Here he was fascinated by the young Salesians in formation who introduced them to various activities during the summer period. “For me,” he says, “the figure of Don Bosco is linked to them. The things they said about him, I could see in them. Today, when people talk about Don Bosco, I think of them. They were always cheerful. For me, Don Bosco is an opportunity, a model. As a leader, I try to act like him. It is because I am so impressed by all he did that I decided to do my studies at the Salesian University.”

Flaviana is a young woman of 28 of the Xavante tribe, from the Sangradouro community where the Salesians have been present since 1906. She is a teacher in the indigenous school of the village and has now enrolled in First Year Physiotherapy in UCDB.  She grew up in a Salesian environment from the time she was a child. Her parents are both Salesian past pupils. When she heard Don Bosco being spoken about during religion class, it came naturally to her to want to get involved for others. “What strikes me about Don Bosco,” she says, “is the dream he had at nine, and the way it came true, they way he used to go to the prisons  and go out to meet young people, and the way he believed in the young. Don Bosco faced many difficulties before he was recognized, and he had to fight to succeed. This teaches me to dream and to work for my people,” Flaviana is very active as a leader and teacher, and she says that, on more than one occasion, she has felt Mary’s motherly assistance with her in what she is doing. “One mother thanked me for helping her son to overcome his drug addiction which is one of the evils affecting our tribe.” Despite the demands of her studies, she wanted to be present at WYD and she considers it a real experience of faith.

Vera Lina is the youngest of the four, aged just 21. She is from the Meruri Community, Bororo, where the Salesians have been present since 1902. When she finished secondary school, she decided to take a break to give her time to get over some personal difficulties. She got to know Don Bosco from going around with her father as he taught catechism. She was baptized at the age of five and confirmed at fifteen. Vera says with great emotion, “Don Bosco was unique in the way he gave his life for young people. I also want to do something for others. In my community there are very few old people and lots of young people. The family is under threat. Meeting this group of young people has been a powerful experience for me. It has helped me to grow. I did not want to go to WYD but my father encouraged me. Now I am glad I went, and happy for all I received. I want to go back to my community with renewed energy and new ideas.”

Milton, aged 26, is also from the Meruri Community, Bororo. He is doing First year Law at UCDB. In his community, the Salesian charism is deep-rooted.  He is a convinced leader, and even now when he is in university, he is still involved with his own community through social networks. He says: “I like two things that Don Bosco used to say: ‘Mary did everything’, and ‘I will give of myself to my last breath for my boys.’  I like the first one because it expresses the importance of the mother. My culture is matriarchal, and in Don Bosco’s devotion to Our Lady I can see this profound motherly dimension. And I like the second phrase because Don Bosco did give himself totally for others. I feel I have more to learn, and I have to give what I am receiving. It is important to love the young and bring everything to them.”

Published 29/07/2013