1900-05-15
"Our brothers and sisters in Africa, including our conFrères, have a lesson for us as we come up against obstacles and an awareness of how weak we are. We sometimes hear people who are handicapped in some way being referred to as "challenged" by their condition. Such people often make huge efforts to overcome the limits imposed on them by such difficulties. They draw upon hidden resources that they have never used before. Many people in Africa are faced with incredible difficulties. It is a constant struggle to keep themselves and their families alive. In seeing this courageous suffering before their eyes, Spiritans from Africa and elsewhere find unsuspected re-serves of strength within themselves, just as it was for the first Spiri-tans who arrived on the continent with a very short expectancy of life. Many conFrères, both young and old, willingly put their own lives at risk" (Pierre Schouver, Pentecost Letter, 1997).
Nos frères et sœurs d’Afrique et nos confrères là-bas, nous apprennent peut-être quelque chose d’essentiel au moment où chacun de nous rencontre des obstacles et fait l’expérience de sa faiblesse. Beaucoup d’Africains sont affrontés à des difficultés incroyables. ils luttent pour leur vie et celle de leur famille. Parce que les Spiritains africains et ceux d’ailleurs sont témoins de leurs souffrances et de leur courage, ils trouvent en eux-mêmes des forces insoupçonnées, celles sans doute qui animaient les premiers Spiritains arrivés sur le continent avec une espérance de vie très limitée. Des confrères, jeunes et âgés, ont accepté de mettre leur vie en jeu. (P. Schouver, Supérieur général, Lettre Pentecôte 97).
Os nossos irmãos e irmãs da África e os nossos confrades que lá se encontram, ensinam-nos talvez algo de essencial no momento em que cada um de nós encontra obstáculos e experimenta a sua fraqueza. Muitos Africanos enfrentam dificuldades incríveis. Lutam pela sua vida e pela da sua família. Porque os espiritanos africanos e outros são testemunhas do seu sofrimento e da sua coragem, encontram neles mesmos forças insuspeitas, sem dúvida aquelas que animavam os primeiros espiritanos chegados ao continente com uma esperança de vida muito limitada. Confrades, jovens e idosos, aceitaram pôr a sua vida em jogo. (P. Schouver, Superior Geral, Carta de Pentecostes 97).