God bless our troops. I prayed in my own way.

I was enjoying my first day in the USA. It was the third day of January. After the transfer from JFK Airport to La Guardia in New York there was one thing that had attracted my attention in the departure hall. On many displays I read the text: God bless our troops. Oh yeah, I’m in the States. The patriotism is presented in the current normal days. First I was thinking that it is simply for reminding the passengers that “our troops” are spread out all over the world. But having noted the presence of many of young soldiers, maybe some of them were recruits, I understood. It was for them. The young guys and girls, wearing their fatigues and passing the time with Smartphone in hand, were waiting for their flights. For the one to St. Louis which I was to take, the troop didn’t miss. Some of those young people sat alone, others in small groups.

I was noticing them for a good while. And I have to admit I started, quite spontaneously, to pray in my own way: God bless our troops. I’m not a US citizen, but looking at those young people and being aware of the God’s project with each of them I considered them “our”. They are going to face lots of various situations, decisions, relationships, tasks, temptations, desires… How many of them are believers in one and personally interested God? How much of a capacity to love and how many wishes, desires to be loved are presented in their depths? God bless our troops. These girls and guys, these young people… I hope I do remember to pray for them. Especially …

It was my first day and I had been holding my purpose to be courageous and to try speak with people, even to make the first step into dialogue. So I tried to speak with one of these young soldiers. Making my first step. My curiosity pushed me ahead. So I got the reason for my special intention to pray. Whenever I can, I want to pray for these “troops”. For these faces, for this guy I talked to. I want to ask our God, “God full of kindness, to grant his grace of protection, of wisdom, of courage and of peace of heart for these girls and guys. May they carry out their military service in ways of justice, for common good and with respect to every human person. May it be for them the time of maturation and may they experience the personal God’s paternal guidance in every situation and moment. God bless our troops.”

I saw them; they crossed my way for quite a while. They became a part of my first contact with the US reality. So, whenever I can, I will pray – and it is only a few words: God bless our troops.

London´s teenagers fighting in Syria

During my stay in London while improving my English, I like to keep up to date with current affairs and to reflect on them in context. Going to school everyday by bus and tube I have the opportunity to read free newspapers. At Vauxhall bus station I pick up the world´s most popular free newspaper “Metro”. It takes about 10-12 minutes to reach Euston station (depending on the crowds of people getting on and off trains) and I skim the headlines on the 88 pages of the “Metro”. When travelling home at 4 p.m. I collected another free newspaper “London Evening Standard” at Euston Station. It´s always interesting to go through it. You often come across the main news events of the day and local news.

This week in Thursday´s London Evening Standard I came across an article written by Kiran Randhawa talking about two young men from London who had joined the Syrian rebels. (http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/two-teenagers-from-london-join-rebel-unit-fighting-in-syria-8076098.html) The teenagers, both 19, born in London, of Syrian descent, told their families that they were going on holiday. Since the conflict started, its causes had been a topic for discussion at home. These teenagers decided it was time to take part in these historical events in their homeland. They planned to return to London for the start of their University courses. They were strongly committed in their personal support for the rebels. So they are spending the holiday with guns in their hands. Fluent Arabic, sufficient money to pay their way and a firm belief in the cause – these three conditions must be fulfilled by any other guy who would like to go with them, they said!

On Friday night when I read (Salesian News Agency – ANS) two articles about the situation in Syria (http://www.infoans.org/1.asp?sez=1&doc=8232&Lingua=2), I remembered these two London guys. I would suggest that we need to think about the impact on everyday life of so many people – in this long suffering country and also in the Syrian Diaspora. No armed conflict can make life better for people. These whose suffer most are always ordinary people, elderly and children. It is not only their material welfare which is destroyed but also their experience of growing up. Values have been undermined and life perspective darkened by civil war.

Finally we need to remember that all these young guys fighting in Syria were created by God – to love and to be loved, filled with joy and to contribute to establishment of a peaceful human society. Education based on reason and responsibility has never been more necessary than now.