(ANS – Damascus) – In Syria, after three years’ armed conflict people in general and the young are becoming resigned, and have lost much of their hope and confidence, but they have not lost faith although it has been sorely tried. It is very difficult to keep going because it is almost impossible to see when the war will finish, and above all to know what will happen afterwards, and how long it will take to rebuild everything. And if that were no enough, there is great fear of the Islamic extremists and of what might happen.

Fr Munir El Rai, SDB, Provincial of the Middle East

On this account many people irrespective of their religion are emigrating. The percentage of the Christians who have left is very high and this has put pressure on those who have decided to remain. (…)

Then we should not forget all that has been happening around Syria. One could think of the situation of the Christians in Iraq, ot what is happening in Lebanon. The  problem of emigration is a tragic situation that needs to be known and responded to by everyone, starting with the International Community and the United Nations, who have to contrbute to finding the solution to this great catastrophy.

It is difficult to keep hope alive, but there are positive signs that lead us to recognise that the people who are staying in Syria are putting their trust in their extraordinary courage. Life continues, people are getting married, and are holding celebrations. Young people continue to go to school and to university and those who can find a new job, even carrying out the most humble of activities.     There is a great spirit of adapting to circumstances, and every occasion is good for a celebration. Those who are staying have no fear  of taking risks, but how long will this strength of will persist?

Salesians in Kafroun

On Wednesday 2 July 2014 I entered Syra from Lebanon and immediately went to see the Kafroun community. (…) The community is hosting displaced people especially members of the Salesian Family comimg from Aleppo; they are mainly family members of Cooperators, Salesians or of some co-workers.

The house is operating in a marvellous way under the direction of a single Italian missionary, Fr Luciano Buratti, who can count on the valuable help of the Salesian Cooperator, all lay people who keep the activities going at the Oratory and Youth Centre. For the first time in the Middle East Province (MOR), the administration of the house has been entrusted to a lay economer Mr. Johnny Ghazi.

During my visit I had the pleasure of taking part in some Oratory activities and in particular in the start of the Childrens’ Summer Programme in which about 350 youngsters, many of them refugees, were taking part. The area of Kafroun is one of the more peaceful parts of Syria. For this reason many families from Homs, Damascus and  Aleppo have come to live in this valley.

They asked me to start the activities and to give an opening address. I decided to speak to the youngsters about real joy - that which comes from the heart, thanks to our meeting with Christ. I told them that in situations of great suffering we need to put our trust in Christ who will certainly give us comfort.

Also in the Oratory, courses of preparation were beginning for entry into middle school and also for the final examinations. The Salesians have managed to involve a good number of teachers who are now giving lessons to the youngsters.

We have to thank Providence that through a  few benefactors, who in the last two years have come to our help, we have been able to welcome and host without charge about fifty families. In addition we need to thank the many co-workers who have helped and supported us in carrying on the activities of the  Oratory.

Salesians in Aleppo

On Saturday 5 July 2014, accompanied by a family we left by car for Aleppo. We drove along a road that was relatively safe but it enabled me to see the great destruction caused by this long war. I was thinking about the many people who had fought, had suffered and died. I saw the signs of a fierce war almost everywhere. I saw villages almost completely deserted, houses in riuns or completely destroyed The destruction makes you weep and the brutality of the war has deeply affected peoples’ daily lives. (…)

It was clear to see that chaos reigned in the city, as one can well imagine, since Aleppo was one of the cities that suffered most in the conflict.

It is always very moving to arrive at the Salesian Centre where I was born, grew up and lived as a Salesian. I was overjoyed at seeing the Salesians and the youngsters. I was given a very warm welcome by everyone. We  sang, cheered and hugged each other. The Salesian centre is a real oasis of peace and hope! Before I went to bed I was struck by a note that was fastened to the door of my room. On it was written: “Wecome to Aleppo which is still surviving even though it is considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world.”

On Sunday morning I said a Mass in memory of Jacques, an 11 year boy who died when he was coming to us for catechism class in January 2014.

During my stay in Aleppo I tried to visit different areas of the city, and I saw only destruction and sorrow. Daily life is marked by the fighting, and by the lack of electricity and water. Attempts have been made to overcome the shortage of water by digging wells, but some of the population became ill because the water was contaminated. In some cases it is possible to buy water of very poor quality, at a very high price, and this has caused much suffering for the people.

Every family has a relative who has been wounded, killed or kidnapped. The youngsters are at their wits end and want to leave, ready to go anywhere. The young have lost hope, In the last two years they have never left the city, and every day they are living with death, leaving the house without knowing whether they will be able to return on account of the constant explosions.

The people  are tired, stressed out and depressed. This is why many of them  have left Aleppo to go to other areas or to emigrate abroad.

The Salesians, together with the local Church and all non-Christian men of goodwill are working real miracles to support the population in every possible way. In the Childrens’ Summer Programme more than  600 youngsters have been enrolled. (…) The director Fr Georges Fattal, with Fr Simon Zakarian and the Deacon Pierre, who has been helping them during the summer are giving a great witness of generosity, love and dedication to the young.

I had a great meeting with the leaders who in spite of the many varied difficulties freely give their time to be with the youngsters and share with them their joy and a bit of serenity  I also met the  Salesian Cooperators who are indispensible, and finally I had the chance to meet individually some families and some youngsters. It is very important to listen to them in their suffering as they need to be able to share spiritually and personally what they are experiencing.

Then the Lord has blessed us giving us a new vocation, the only one in the whole MOR Province coming from a place of great suffering.

Salesians in Damascus

(…)

Having arrived at the House in Damascus I had the joy of meeting the confreres: the Rector  Fr Alejandro Leon, his Vice Rector  Fr Munir Hanasci and Fr Felice Cantele. The  three were being helped by the Syrian prenovice Mehràn, from the area of Mesopotamia, who this year is leaving for his novitiate at Genzano in Rome.

I had the pleasure of taking part in the activities of the Childrens’ Summer Programme with more than 350 youngsters from districts quite far from the centre. It was good to see how the youngsters wanted to take part in the activities, in spite of the danger on account of the many road blocks. To help them the Salesians collect them and take them home by coach and also provide them with a meal at the Centre. (…)

We celebrated Mass in the courtyard, since the church could not hold everybody there, and we finished with a procession and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament to Whom we entrusted peace in Syria. I spoke with the youngsters about what was happening in their country. and how Syria had been attacked by the Devil. None of them could understand how it was possible to commit such atrocities.

I then met both communities of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians who run an infant  school and the Italian hospital in Damascus.

Here too, as in Kafroun and Aleppo, the Salesians are providing socio-economic support activities for several families. (…) They have managed to organise a fine camp and taken youngsters to our reception centre at Maarra and spent several days together in an atmosphere of friendship and peace.

From Damascus I returned once again to Lebanon in order to visit and meet our  Salesian confreres at Al Houssoun where we have an Oratory/Youth Centre and  at Al Fidàr where there is a technical school. In this community too the Salesians, with the Cooperators, are bringing comfort and assistence to Syrian refugees who are living in difficult situations but can count on their spiritual and socio-economic support.

Conclusion

The situation in Syria is very complex because various components and forces, internal and external, are at work, and it it difficult to see what the solution to it all will be. Up to now there is no indication to show the will to come to a lasting peace. There are many interests in play, and the ones paying the price are the ordinary people and the youngsters, and in a special way the Christian minority. (…)

For this reason we ask the Lord to grant us true peace, and to purify the hearts of men so that they can come to understand the way ahead and work towards a way of living together as peacefully as possible. May the Lord grant stength, courage, perseverance to our Christian brothers and sisters in these tragic moments in our history, and to all the people “of beloved Syria”.

Published 22/09/2014