If today we invite you to think of an elderly person who is living alone, you will probably not find it difficult to think of someone. All over the world there are elderly people who are isolated and often without a neighbor’s care. This coincides with the core of Pope Francis’ message for this World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly: “Do not cast me off in my old age” (Ps 71:9), which is celebrated this Sunday, July 28, 2024.
Under the Covenant of Love, we are challenged to reach out to the elderly and offer them affection, care and solidarity.
But how to do it? when? where? From ideas to practice, let us learn a little from our Schoenstatt brothers and sisters in Burundi, Africa. They tell us about their concrete experiences and how we can help grandparents and the elderly.
Donations and visits to nursing homes
The group “Humble Messengers of the MTA”, formed by university students of the Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth, decided to save money to help a nursing home. The girls from the Girls’ Youth took clothes, sugar, soap and ointments for each of the 15 elderly women in the nursing home.
“It was a great joy for these women who no longer have people to help them, but who found Christians who brought them together and offered them lodging. They thanked us with music and dances,” says the advisor, Sister M. Françoise Nimubona.
Attentive to the needy
It was a Saturday when the pupils of Mutumba Commercial Secondary School saw an 85-year-old woman collecting firewood for cooking. She could barely walk. The students took pity and asked permission to visit her and bring her more firewood. They collected the wood themselves and bought soap to give to the woman.
“The students often come to the Shrine and also organize nice activities to help people in the area,” says Sister M. Evelyne Mukeramana, who is responsible for the boarding school at the Commercial School.
Visits to the homes of the needy
In Mutumba, there is always an elderly person asking for help. It was then that he met the group of Schoenstatt youth and children.
The group accompanied him and he showed them the place where he lived: a small place with only one room. In one corner, this man had laid bricks and covered them with old and torn sheets: this was his bed. The tin roof was full of holes. He explained that, during the rains, he would get up and lean against the wall because the water leaked in from all sides. The man had only one pot, which he would place on three stones to cook with charcoal.
“This showed us that there are people living in great poverty. When we returned to the community, we talked about what we had seen and experienced. We thought about what we could do. Since it was the rainy season, we urgently needed to do something to keep the rain from leaking into his house, so that he could at least sleep. We got a plastic tarp to cover the house and keep it dry. He also received food, for which he was very grateful,” says Sister M. Aline Kwizera.
Praying with the elderly
Cultivating a spiritual life can also bring joy to the elderly. The Sisters of Mary were traveling through Muyinga when they met an elderly woman. The conversation was joyful and they had a time of prayer together.
Sister M. Lisette Seitzer recalls, “She was very happy to meet us. She told us that she had been baptized as a child by African missionaries. This woman was very happy to be able to have a conversation and share her stories. Sister M. Yvonne Niragira took her to our wayside shrine in Muyinga and prayed with her. She left spreading peace and joy. Often the simple act of listening can make others very happy”.
Our turn has come
On this World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, these examples inspire us to reach out to the elderly, whether they are members of our family or people in need of special attention. This sharing of experiences can be very valuable for everyone, so let’s take advantage of this opportunity!
Translation: Maribel Acaron
