Ecological Apostolate of CYNESA Youth in the Bukavu Hospitals
This falls well with the word apostolate, apostoloi in greek, that means one who is sent, in reference
to the call that Jesus addresses to his apostles to pursue his mission (to
proclaim the kingdom of God everywhere in the world).The apostolate sends us to
the paths of the earth for us to make them ways. Despite the obstacles,
the Christian ministry lead the souls to the Lord, in taking part, as ordinary
citizens, to all temporal activities as we become the leaven which leaven the
entire bread (Luke 13, 21-22).
We are more grafted on Christ through our Christian
mission as we been id baptism and prepared at the Mission by the confirmation.
The young CYNESA cling on this momentum and want both either little to bring
their stone to the edifice. These young people who commit to the battle field
of the preservation of the Environment, have understood that helping our
fellows does not necessarily imply material fortune but above all the abundance
of the spirit. The apostolate is the message of that abundance of the spirit
and each moment, it allows us to discover more about the overwhelming love of
God as we raise our voices with Pope Francis as we say ‘Laudato Si’.
The Christian practice of visiting the sick people
in Bukavu hospitals and elsewhere is not new. It is not only done by Christian
small communities but also by other groups established with this end (members
of the religious congregations, Christian families Christian youth movements,
among others). These Christian services offers modest means of aid to the sick
people: clothes, Shoes, foods, other aids in nature while others go extra miles
in collecting contributions to pay the costs of the hospital to the poorest.
Still, environmental degradation affects the weakest and the poorest. And our
African hospitals are crowded with the weak and the poor people. A sick person
would find comfort in the beauty of his/her surroundings, his/her compound, and
his /her room. Beyond bringing them food, clothing and other aid, they
need a healthy place, safe and clean.
CYNESA DRC members, while clearing bushes and
planting flowers in the gardens of the Hospital of Reference Dr. Rau of Ciriri
in Bukavu, in DRC.
Empathetic with the sick people, the CYNESA youth
want to embody this call in Bukavu hospitals. They are committed to put their
vigor, their strength and energy in the service of the hygiene and sanitation
of hospitals. The aim is to beautify hospitals, to make them cleaner as they
become safe places for patients. In so doing CYNESA youth will contribute in
raising awareness on sanitation and hygiene in Bukavu hospitals.
In our program we have abusively called “Ecological
apostolate”, it is this apostolate which is to provide assistance in the field
of hygiene, sanitation and the ornament of the hospital. This approach derives
from hospital visits that two of us had carried out in a hospital of the city.
The surroundings of the hospital its interior are well furnished but without
decor of flowers and trees that help us for good breathing. From this
observation is born the idea of starting an ecological apostolate within
hospitals. The apostolate is inclined to sanitation and beautification of
hospital with flowers. The idea was realized by establishing a tree and flower
nursery in Bukavu city. This will provide flowers for beautifying hospitals in
particular.
This ecological apostolate in the hospital is a
function of the motivation made by young people for the action to be taken but
especially of the interest that its officials are experiencing in the idea.
Appointments are then taken for effective realization. The activities of the
ecological apostolate of young CYNESA is synthesized in the following manner:
·
Raising awareness with the officials of the
department of sanitation, of the various services of the hospital and if
possible with few patients. The conversation focuses on the rules of public
hygiene and sanitation.
·
With the department of sanitation, we
identify some places where flowers and trees can be planted.
·
CYNESA Youth commit themselves to work by
cutting the lawn, by planting flowers and herbicide in spaces with the bad
grass.
·
After the work, a focal point is installed
and he is in charge of the continuity of the action but also the daily
monitoring of the watering of flowers planted.
·
Periodically once a semester a visit is
organized in order to acquire the progress of gardens and identify new spaces
that require our intervention. This practice bears fruits and is in continuous
progress.
The definition of the environment dear to us resume
what we bear in our hearts. It is developed in most of our discussions and our
lectures, is that of the primary school. It simply tells us that the
environment is everything that surrounds us. This definition allows to convey a
lot of messages on what surrounds us and our way to take care of.
Our
pride is to see all the hospitals in the city of Bukavu, in the rural and urban
areas of the countrywide making well. This is our dream, and we are fighting to
make it real.
Didier Mugalihya and Daniel Mastaki
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