PIME missionary helping street kids and interfaith dialogue in Dhaka
At the beginning, things were a bit hard, but over time, a virtual movement was born based on volunteers. No member of the group is a trained social worker. In fact, volunteers must pay a small monthly fee to join. Usually, volunteers work in the evening, six days a week, covering each day a different part of the city. At present, the association has about 80 regular members, plus a close-knit network of contacts.
During the weekly meetings, the volunteers play with children, check their health conditions (wounds, infections, etc) and try to teach them something. The first thing is basic hygiene, including critical information about the need to drink water. Many of the kids beg for a living, or do odd jobs, so they often do not drink enough, something important in a hot country like Bangladesh. Failure to drink a minimum amount of water can cause the children to faint or feel sick just because they are unaware of the need to dehydrate themselves on a regular basis.
When possible, the group tries to reunite the children with their families. Sometimes, the kids want to go back to their family. When they say they want to find their relatives, the association places them in a shelter where they can wait for their families to be contacted. When that is done, the children can be taken back or wait for parents to come and pick them up on condition that they promise to welcome them back with open arms.
Because the work is done by volunteers, there is a high rotation rate. This entails a certain fatigue since new members must be trained and earn children’s trust. However, the turnover also spread the news about the association to more people, from every religious background. Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists can find common ground on which to organise their work whilst respecting each other’s religion. It is a form of interfaith dialogue built on practical work that provides volunteers and kids with an opportunity for intense daily action that allows them to mature and develop an interfaith attitude.
Funding for the project is 100 per cent Bangladeshi because Brother Lucio does not accept foreign donations. This is highly motivating to members and gives the association greater independence, whilst raising awareness in the population.
A medical doctor, for example, found out about the group and its work after treating one of its children. Since then, he has accepted to treat patients sent by the association for free.
In cooperation with the Shalom ecumenical group, Brother Lucio’s association has organised a street kid festival in the past few years, a whole day dedicated to joyful celebration in which adults from every religious background welcome the children, providing them with food and play.
The first festival was held at Dhaka’s Buddhist centre, but its venue changes every year to raise awareness among the largest number of people possible.
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04/06/2020 14:26
