Lent is a favorable time when we can break the chains of our individualism or our isolation and rediscover through encounter and listening, our companions along the journey of each day. 

- Pope Francis, Ash Wednesday, 2023 

My name is Gianluca, I am 16 years old and I am attending College de Montreal high school. This Lent, I went to a meeting about the campaign “Stand for the Land”, that is being promoted in parishes by Development and Peace.  The meeting began with members highlighting their best moments with the Canadian Catholic organization for solidarity in the global south.  Helping in crisis moments, from a tsunami in Philippines to creating over 10 thousand homes with the people after an earthquake in Indonesia were some highlights.  Some shared their experiences gained in teaching children in their local communities about social justice, while others spoke about the solidarity visits they made to countries where D&P partners work. 

First, I learned about solidarity.  Solidarity is a way to describe how we interact with other people, as we assist those in need and help them with their struggles, without disrespecting them. We help them to find the solutions so that they can survive in the long term and be able to solve future problems.  

Secondly, the stewardship of creation is a great way to promote development and peace through the Catholic Church.  Pope Francis is leading that social education through his words and action; “Peace must be built on justice, on integral human development, on respect for human rights, on the protection of creation.” 

These two teachings of the Catholic Church, come together in the mission of Development and Peace, which is to support people in the "Global South" through humanitarian aid and long-term partnerships AND to educate Canadians about the root causes of injustice. There are more than sixty-eight D&P partners on all continents (not just the Global South), and these partners have helped deliver over $10 million in emergency aid, food and medical supplies to people in need during humanitarian or natural disasters, along with the other solidarity work of building justice.   

We learned about two important partners at the meeting; La Asociación Campesina de Antioquia (ACA) in Colombia and the ERIC/Radio Progreso team founded in Honduras. ACA understands how valuable water is and how important it is to conserve it before there is none left.  They defend biodiversity and water by giving young people opportunities to learn how to make documentaries. ERIC defends the land and life of communities who are targets for violence and threats because of their voices that point to injustices that are happening. They train young people and community leaders to offer legal support and in some cases they train journalists in analyzing local issues and reporting about them on community radio. 

For someone like myself who knew nothing about Development and Peace, I gained a better understanding of what the organization stands for and what it does.  For I often hear about donating to organizations like UNICEF that help those in need; but actually travelling to disadvantaged communities in poorly developed countries, as in the case of a solidarity visit to see a partner’s work, and interacting directly with people, gives you a deeper sense of understanding and compassion, which can really change the way people judge and interact in their everyday lives. I learned a lot and realized D&P has some of the same values as myself, such as helping others, equality and compassion.  

Gianluca Di Fruscia