Palasari (AsiaNews/Ucan) - From July 4-6, about 1,000 children from eight different dioceses in Indonesia, from the region of Nusa Tenggara, in the eastern part of the country, met for three days of missionary outreach. In the village of Palasari - which has a majority Catholic population - about 100 kilometers northeast of Denpasar, capital of the province of Bali, they participated in moments of encounter, prayer, and volunteer activities, involving the families of the area as well.
The group, composed of thousands of students from ages 5-14, belongs to the Pontifical Society of Children and Youth Missioners (SEKAMI), which includes the parishes and missionary centers of the archdioceses of Ende and Kupang, in addition to the dioceses of Atambua, Denpasar, Larantuka, Maumere, Ruteng, and Weetebula. The children stayed in 65 tents set up on a football field, next to the church of the Sacred Heart in Palasari. During the three days, the young people explored themes concerning the missionary vocation, beginning with the theme proposed by the organizers: "Becoming Jesus' Missioners: Who is Afraid?".
During the opening Mass, the 50 organizers present invited the children to pray for each other, in the spirit of solidarity and mutual cooperation. At the end of the celebration, there were songs and dances from the local Catholic tradition, imitated by the children, and the day ended with a prayer. The following day, the organizers and the young people cleaned the streets of the village and visited the families in the area, helping them with their household chores. Before saying goodbye and going back to the tents, they prayed with them. On July 6, during the closing Mass, the religious invited the children to "go throughout the world, meet other cultures and become authentic witnesses of Christ".