The “Hearts on Fire, Feet on the Move” Zoom meeting, organized by the Middle East (ME) Mission Animation Team, brought together participants from diverse regions to explore the 2023 Pope’s Mission Sunday message through a Comboni perspective. The organizers included Comboni sisters ministering in places such as Israel/Palestine, Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Dubai.
The gathering consisted of three main parts. It kicked off with an introduction providing background on the rich geographical and cultural diversity of the Arab Oriental (AO) Province. Next, participants were divided into language groups led by Annamaria, Wegdan, and Anita, where they examined the Pope’s message for Mission Sunday deeply from a Comboni viewpoint. The third segment involved reflections on key questions within the language groups.
One notable feature of this event was that it was bilingual, with conversations in both Arabic and English. In breakout groups, participants examined the transformative journey of two disciples from the Gospels. This journey highlighted their profound experience as they listened to Jesus explaining the Scriptures, their moment of recognition, and their decision to embark on a new path. The discussion also emphasized Comboni, whose love for God and the African people set him in motion. It motivated him to break boundaries, promote mission collaboration throughout Europe, and dedicate his life entirely to the regeneration of Africa.
At the end of the meeting, short videos were shown highlighting the three main aspects of the Pope’s message: burning hearts, eyes wide open, and feet on the move.
The meeting united participants from different regions, including Sri Lanka, Jordan, Ethiopia, and the Philippines, although some from Israel, Palestine, and Dubai could not attend due to challenges. This underscored the importance of teamwork and left everyone motivated to consider future collaborative initiatives.
The October Zoom meeting was a fantastic team effort. It marked a significant step in establishing a mission animation youth group. It ignited a collective desire to set higher goals and continue collaborating on cross-cultural mission initiatives, recognizing the potential of providing a platform for culturally diverse young people to engage in discussions about the Comboni mission.
Overall, “Hearts on Fire, Feet on the Move” concluded the mission month while envisioning new mission ventures in the Middle East region or even at a provincial level. Participants departed the virtual gathering with hearts aflame, inspired and committed to preparing their feet for the road ahead in their ongoing mission journey.
ME Mission Animation Team
