Jean Peeters, cicm
Missionary in Belgium
Some people believe that being a missionary is only possible in a "mission" context and wonder how, even at an advanced age, one can maintain a missionary commitment in a so-called developed country like Europe. In the latest issue of Scheut, JPIC drew our attention to Article 7 of our Constitutions: "Wherever we work and whatever our concrete tasks may be, we strive to respond to situations of misery, injustice, and oppression and to understand their causes."
In one recent JPIC meeting, a few suggestions were made, knowing that they are not the only ones:
Signing petitions
Subscribing to https://secure.avaaz.org/ (ask Leonard Heyse for information) or subscribing to the VIVAT (www.vivatinternational.org/), whose Belgian headquarters are in Scheut, Brussels, and perhaps participating in actions (ask Christian Roberti, Spiritain, for information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Participate in certain activities in the community: 30-50 club, angry old people, bike rides, various activities (walking, theater, cinema, gymnastics, etc.). This is a wonderful opportunity to meet up in the real world, in deep waters, as Jesus of Nazareth suggests.
Conversation tables
In large cities, many people of foreign origin struggle to speak our language fluently because they are more accustomed to speaking their native language at home. A conversation table is a place to meet over a cup of coffee once or twice a week, to chat about anything and everything.
However, having someone who speaks the language very well can correct and improve. Jacques Brisbois created one in Liège, I participated in Brussels with Latinos, and others have indeed done so as well. No preparation and no report to write: a real 'babbelkot' that is very pleasant, very easy, and... very useful.
Homework clubs
A little more complicated, but they exist mainly in working-class neighborhoods in large cities. After school, some students of foreign origin find it very difficult to get help with their homework from their parents.
That is why in several municipalities or parishes there are homework schools, often run by a retired teacher. But it's much better when another adult comes to give them a hand. When we were kids, we were helped with our homework.
Why not lend a hand once or twice a week? Experience has shown that it's not very complicated.
Becoming a host family
Take in someone who has applied for regularization and needs to be housed by the Belgian state, which is unable to do so. A priest friend of mine who lived alone owes his life to them, because while he was temporarily housing two foreigners, he had a stroke, and it was they who called for help.
During the terrible winter at Maximilian Park, I occasionally took in people for the night, but they had to sleep on a mattress on the floor. Each time, they cleaned up and installed the voice translator on my smartphone! Several nuns' convents take in isolated people.
CICM rue d'Aarschot did so for a month. Other CICM communities or isolated confreres have probably already done so or are offering to take people in for a limited time, but the rules need to be clearly established. For advice and to be sure that you can take people in safely: www.bxlrefugees.be/nl/#service
A few years ago, Cor Unum gave the reasons and objectives for the renovation of Scheut-Anderlecht. It was said in particular that the goal was to ensure the Provincial House could be missionary in the neighborhood. We assume that, like all of us, it had heard Jesus' invitation in Luke 5:4 to put out into the deep and cast the nets into the deep waters, since there are opportunities to organize activities and/or for members to get involved in the neighborhood.
As CICM, we are committed to proclaiming and living the Good News of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth. For many of us today, those ends are often just a few miles away!
