Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Madrid (Agenzia Fides) – On the occasion of the recent Day of Missionary Childhood 2012, celebrated in Spain on Sunday 22 January, the Spanish missionaries working in America and Africa have raised the alarm on the mistreatment, abuse and poverty that millions of children suffer in the two continents. Among these Sister María Jesús Hernando, General Superior of the Sisters of the Holy Guardian Angels, who works with her congregation in several Latin American countries, and father Manu Osa, a religious engaged in Congo, talked about their reality. Sister Hernando takes care of children and young people without a family or in difficulty and stressed the sad state of poverty of the favelas in Brazil only 6 square meters large. Father Manu Osa instead reported his experience in Africa, where the most vulnerable are children, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country, isolated from the wars, this year alone has recorded more than 5 million deaths. The missionary added that in the capital, Kinshasa, about 50 thousand children live on the streets and are victims of violence, drugs and crime, and do not receive social assistance. To these are added more than 120 000 child soldiers enlisted in the Sub Saharan Africa militia. To cope with these realities, about 15 000 Spanish missionaries around the world receive aid from the Spanish Church, even if they encounter serious difficulties for the support of local governments. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 24/01/2012)
