One of the central pillars that governs the existence of Light-Communities is the philanthropic and fraternal spirit. Because of this, even in the initial phase of its activities, the Flor do Sagrado Tepui Light-Community of Roraima is structuring its Service Network with the assistance of Grace Mercy Order monasteries and collaborators.
The first step in the building the Service Network occurred through a partnership with the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity, who are active in Boa Vista. And so, beginning almost two months ago, every Monday morning, a group of four or five monks and collaborators of the Light-Community go to an area close to the city bus station to help the Missionaries of Charity serve morning coffee to hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants that are outside of the shelters. There are two distribution points: at one of them, women with children are served, and at another location, adults are served. Besides helping to serve the food, the Light-Community workers also help in cleaning of the space after the activities are finished.
According to Ângela Kuniko, a collaborator of the Roraima Light-Community, selfless service for those most in need draws the being closer to the experience Christ had on Earth:
“I feel that we radiate the instruction we receive about love with our attitude during the service. I see the people coming to receive the food, even when in this situation of need, who still manage to transmit peace to us. The innermost energy of the heart flows in the presence of the refugees, as if we were a large family. And the Missionaries of Charity express with great integrity what Christ asks of us: love, service, detachment.”
Another field of service of the Network is connected to another partnership. It’s about a joint work with the Indigenous Cultural and Training Center (ICTC), which is active in the development of long-term solutions and livelihoods within the Roraima Humanitarian Mission, one of the branches of the Fraternity – International Humanitarian Missions (FIHM) activities. Together with the ICTC, workers of the Service Network of the Roraima Light-Community organize items such as food and clothing to donate to the indigenous Venezuelan and Brazilian institutions and groups that are outside of the shelters. Entities such as the Association of Indigenous Migrants of Roraima (AIMR) and the Organization of Indigenous Teachers of Roraima (OITR) have already become partners of that network of fraternity, receiving donations of food and clothing.
Mother Emmerik, a member of the Grace Mercy Order Monastery in service in Roraima, emphasizes that the Service Network represents the opportunity to practice charity and generosity with the goal of alleviating suffering where it is present.
“This action of service, whether it’s with those that suffer, or even supporting those who are already in the field serving, presents the possibility of expanding that ‘living’ in fraternity. The acts of service are broad; they may be through material donations, a simple smile, a conversation, a referral, a follow-up, among others. Through this Network, we have had the opportunity to experience and access a love which life gives us, and which beats in each of our hearts. Each action, word, gaze, with the focus on another, causes that service to encompass more and more spaces.”
