The sacrament of confirmation seals the green card of Christian mission. In the image of the apostles, every Christian is called to follow Jesus Christ in bearing fruit. Every Christian is invited to bring about the world to believing the word of God, and incarnate the life of Christ in his/her. Every Christian is called to make salutary gestures to his brothers and sisters (John 1, 41; Jn 4.39; AC 9.20). The Pope François does not cease to recall in its apostolic letters (Evangelii Gaudium).
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.