Catholic Relief Services in Action

Today was a great day as we observed the humanitarian work of Catholic Relief Services. We attended a presentation from two of the coordinators who discussed the wide spectrum on the work done by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Besides providing food and shelter to the vulnerable of the community in some of the refugee camps, they have done much to empower women and the youth. We visited one of the women centers that makes and sells crafts. Catholic Relief Services brought them together, having chosen those who are mothers and who were experiencing the greatest financial difficulty. After making their crafts, CRS helps them find a market; we are told that they are soon establishing for them a website to widen their market.

            Later we visited a culture and arts center which has a special wing working with the youth. Their primary goal is to work with the youth to enhance community building. Due to the fact that there is a lot of conflict in the region, this group educates the youth on other, nonviolent means of problem solving. They educated some of the youth who now act as ambassadors to their villages. During our interaction with them, one of them told us that, two years prior to getting involved in the program, she had never considered any non-violent method of solving problems. This was because they are brought up in a society that practiced eye-for-an-eye justice. This struck many of us as a non-violent approach is one which is necessary in our world today. I pray that we all might learn to resolve conflicts as Christ would, by giving of ourselves and being strong enough to resist the temptation towards violence.