Brazil – Indigenous Young people participate in the "First Salesian day of Meruri"

26 November 2021

(ANS - Meruri) - It was a special weekend last November 19-21 for the indigenous youth of Meruri, in the state of Mato Grosso (MT). This was because, the first "Indigenous Day" was celebrated at that time. About 40 young people from the Boe-Bororo ethnic group, who live in the village of Sagrado Coração de Jesus, participated in this experience of Salesian spirituality.

The activity was organized by the Salesians active in Meruri, particularly assisted by Vinícius Martins (a cleric in practical training), animated by Fr Andelson Dias, the Rector of the Meruri house, and Fr João Bosco Maciel. Other members of the Saleisan Family such as Sr. Maria Imelda FMA, Sr. Eblin Àngel FMA, Sr. Maristela Muñoz FMA, Sr. Elza Maria FMA, as well as the Salesian Cooperator Bernadethe Campos de Paula along with the indigenous lay animators Lauro Pariko and Agostinho Eibajiwu participated in the event.

The day was coordinated by Fr Wagner Galvão, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry and Missionary Action, with the Provincial Youth Ministry team, represented by the lay animators Jaqueline Mendonça and Enzo Camargo.

The festive meeting was centred around the motto “Mato itae, imode taro rakado” (Come to me, I will make you strong). The invitation was addressed to the indigenous young people was to provide a personal encounter of the young people of Boe-Bororo with God, in the style of Salesian spirituality, while paying attention to safeguard the group’s cultural traits. They were days of great spirituality, prayer and interaction, and there were also moments of festive oratory on Saturday afternoon during which the young people with the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians had a moment of relaxation and fraternity.

According to Fr Galvão, the experience of the Indigenous Day was extremely precious as it brought a seed of hope and joy to the young Boe-Bororo. “They were moments of great spiritual and cultural richness, in which we deepened our knowledge of Jesus Christ in the joyful and vibrant way that Don Bosco taught us, a style that the Boe-Bororo embrace with great faith.”

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