Fondacio and the Cotonou diocesan youth chaplaincy are creating a new digital platform to respond to the many concerns of young people in this period of great deprivation.
For several months, the crisis of the pandemic linked to the Coronavirus has maintained respect for humanity in its mode of transmission. Some countries in Africa, like many others around the world, have had to choose to define health containment zones in order to contain the virus in its spread. However, innovations are proliferating in all sectors. In the midst of new initiatives and possibilities for adaptation, a digital exchange platform called " Allô Padre " is emerging between young people and priests in Benin.
The result of a partnership between the Fondacio movement and several youth groups from the youth chaplaincy, " AllôPadre " remains a beautiful initiative proposed to young people by young people, as part of their quest to find answers to concerns affecting their faith and mainly, approaches to solutions to properly manage the crisis linked to the pandemic. In a virtual video dialogue on Whatsapp and Facebook, this new way of being together appears as a spiritual cordon that goes beyond the sanitary cordons physically erected between cities. Rather than being struck down by the gusts of death in the face of the danger of this virus, these young people have sought the best way to contain the virus through videos and listening, to take care of each other with proposals for adapting personal and professional life.
In addition, there are other initiatives such as the mobilization, awareness and expression capsules, "Young people talk about their experiences". Sometimes recorded with whatever means are available, cell phones, these capsules are distributed like hotcakes on social networks, to rally Christians to the cause of barrier gestures, by spiritual means and especially to support vulnerable people. The one in May, for example, was named " Month of Hope with Mary" around a chain of prayer to end the pandemic. These initiatives thus create spiritual support in order to fill for a short period the void created by the closure of churches and community gathering places. Better still, handshakes are certainly eliminated, but virtual smiles of shared peace now replace the usual gestures to warm hearts. Nothing stops young people who are forced to change their habits in order to manage the response to Covid-19 and promote collaboration on practical solutions across Africa. “Take your rosary and join this prayer chain.” This is an invitation to anyone who wishes to join the prayer movement by bringing a message, a prayer or a testimony posted on these new digital communication channels.
It's time for all the adaptations. They're going faster than expected.
"We will conquer with the resurrected! With Mary, it is possible! This is the watchword that we find on almost everyone's lips at this time.
Let's not be afraid!
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