The competition is addressed to children and youth, associated in groups of missionary carolers in various children's and youth clubs at the parish or school. The competition work should include an account of the missionary caroling in the spirit of Pontifical Missionary Childhood in a literary and artistic form with the use of photos taken during the preparation and caroling.
The technique of performing the works is free (photos with comments and drawings made with crayons, pencils, paints, collage, cut-out, tear-off or other techniques that enable presentation on paper). For the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, there will be diplomas and material prizes, as well as diplomas for participation in the Competition for each group that submitted a work in accordance with the regulations.
THE CATHOLIC SUPPORTS MASSAI CHILDREN AND MISSIONARY CHILDREN
We are starting this year's Missionary Carolers campaign! This year is quite special and it is not easy for everyone. It is especially difficult for the poorest and most needy, including children in mission countries. So we look for various ways to help, because this time it will not be possible to sing traditional Christmas carols at home. With the help of the portal www.katolikwspiera.pl, we announced an online fundraiser!
All this so as not to leave the Maasai children without help despite the difficult situation in the world. These children, from a very colorful and "exotic" people living in northern Kenya and Tanzania, do not have an easy life. From an early age, they can handle animals and collect honey, but most of them cannot read or write. The Maasai speak Maa, while in Tanzania the official languages are Swahili and English. The Maasai children, who are fortunate enough to go to school, experience great obstacles because the lessons are not taught in their native tongue but in the official languages of Tanzania. Therefore, learning is a great challenge for them and, in addition, the classrooms are crowded. They are also very far from the school. To learn, they have to go to the city, which is very expensive. It is the elders of the tribe who decide which child will be educated, go to school, and which one will not.
Children are also not covered for medical care. Many of them need surgery. When a child is born with a cleft lip or other deformity, life in her village is not easy. He or she is treated as "different" or "enwoki". And they often pay the highest price for this otherness ... the price of their own lives. Everything that is "enwoki" is, according to the Maasai, "cursed" and can bring disaster to a village. What can be cured in Poland with a simple procedure or rehabilitation usually results in a death sentence in Tanzania. Another big problem is the lack of access to drinking water. Drinking pollution water causes many serious illnesses. Therefore, there is an urgent need to build a well.
Sister Monika Juszka, RMI,
National Secretary of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood in Poland
