A little more than 200m from the border line between Costa Rica and Panama, surrounded by green mountains in the background, is the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rio Sereno Panama, where five Costa Rican seminarians arrived from the 6th to the 17th of July last, in order to live a mission experience in the border area in the Panamanian sector. This experience is part of the initiatives of rapprochement and collaboration that the Region of Panama and the Vice-Province of Costa Rica have started, taking advantage of the proximity of both countries.
The mission was organised in such a way that the young seminarians had the opportunity to get to know a little of the reality, the work and the accompaniment that is carried out with the people served from Rio Sereno, as well as with the Ngöbe indigenous population. In addition, a tour to visit some projects related to migration policy for the Ngöbe population carried out by the Municipality of San Vito in Costa Rica, other projects arising from the civil initiative aimed at the care of Ngöbe children, and a visit to the restoration centre of the Encuentro Community for young people with addiction problems.
Let one of the seminarians, Daniel Torres Salazar, tell us what this mission experience meant to him, which in his own words: “…allowed us to get to know very diverse social and pastoral realities, and also to adopt very interesting perceptions of how a Vincentian missionary can make Jesus Christ present while being immersed in the daily life of the community”.
– Daniel, what did you find in this mission?
This place is right on the border with Costa Rica and the fact that it is a border territory gives the mission a series of characteristics that are different from what we were used to seeing in our country. It allowed us to get to know very different social and pastoral realities, and also to gain very interesting insights into how a Vincentian missionary can make Jesus Christ present while being immersed in the daily life of the community.
– What experiences did you have during those days? Can you tell us about one in particular?
One of the interesting experiences was when we accompanied a group of men from the community who work on the water intake that supplies water to thousands of people from different villages. This water intake is located in a rather difficult place to access, with roads in poor condition and about forty minutes of walking in the mountains. However, the most remarkable thing is that these men dedicate their time to maintaining the pipes and repairing any breakdowns that may occur as quickly as possible. Regardless of whether it is night or rain (it is worth noting that this is an extremely high place, so temperatures are considerably low), the collaborators come to the site to solve the community’s problems.
Talking to these men, they told us that they see their work not only as a contribution to the communities, but also as a service and a gift to God. They are aware that water, like all of creation, is a gift from the Lord, and they have felt called to administer this precious gift entrusted to them. And it is precisely here that the all-important work of the missionary comes into play, to accompany spiritually and pastorally these Spirit-inspired works. The task of channelling the desire to serve towards a greater purpose. To give them a meaning that transcends and allows them to offer their work and their daily fatigue to the Lord, while at the same time offering a vital service to the families of the community.
In addition, we had the opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist there with the collaborators, which was very meaningful for them and motivates them to continue with this admirable work.
– What does this experience tell you about your vocation or what richness do you draw from it?
It was really a very enriching experience because it shows us how much a missionary priest, who makes Christ present in these realities, can do for social groups like this one, who aspire to holiness; and it also shows us the grace that the Lord gives us in converting ordinary situations into opportunities for evangelisation and accompaniment. Opportunities to build the Kingdom of God in the midst of the simplicity and willingness of the people.
We feel very grateful to God for having allowed us to see his action in the enthusiastic faces of our brothers and sisters who are ready to tire themselves out so that others may rest, ready to give their work to the Lord.
Erick Obaldía CM, missionary of the Region of Panama in charge of the Sector of the Municipality of Renacimiento, whose missionary centre is the community of Río Sereno and which belongs to the Parish of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad in Volcán, under the care of the confreres of the Region of Panama.
This type of experience not only enriches the bonds of fraternity between the “Tico” and Panamanian confreres, but has also allowed us to take concrete steps towards strengthening a vision or congregational awareness beyond our borders, as St. Vincent de Paul would say: “Our vocation is to go, not to a parish, not only to a diocese, but throughout the whole world; for what? To embrace the hearts of all men, to do what the Son of God did…” (XI, 553).
Luis R Suárez C. CM
Communication Office Vice-Province of Costa Rica
Interviewee: Daniel Torres Salazar
