LaValla200> Tabatinga

In Tabatinga, on the triple border -Brazil, Colombia and Peru-, a mixed community of Brothers and lay people carry out challenging work with the indigenous and riverine communities of the region, as well as with the immigrants arriving in Brazilian territory.

The community members are: Mayra Gutiérrez Márquez (México), the married couple, Marcio Guerreiro and Patricia Borja (Brazil), and Br. Luke Fong, from the District of the Pacific. They live the mission where the Marist charism is most needed: among the least favored, who live in adverse realities and difficult access.

Here down, Br. Luke share some news from their live in that of the Lavalla200> project.

Living in a mix community of Brothers and Lay here in Tabatinga is something very important to the local Church and to the local people. It gave us the opportunity to serve the neediest by giving ourselves in their service. The new mixed way of life involving Brothers and Lay Marists forming a community and working together, contributing to the continuation of the Marist charism, is something very important in our community living.

Lavalla200>, in Tabatinga, has been a space of very rich experience for us, Brothers and Lay. We have open hearts to build fraternal community, founded on a spiritual life well nourished by prayer, the Eucharist and participation in the local Church. It is to build together a mission project that combines the Marist charism with local needs. We always keep in mind that the work belongs to God, it is for Him and through Him that

we are here. This is certainly what will differentiate us from being members of an NGO.

Without a spirituality based on the Word of God, it would be very difficult to have a fruitful experience. It would be difficult to be happy, to forma a happy community, let alone to give an authentic witness.

Feast of St. Marcellin Champagnat

On June 18, we organized the feast of St Marcellin Champagnat. This was a fantastic moment with the participation of so many children and young people. We had the opening mass, a football tournament with prizes, an afternoon presentation of Drama and Music by our English students, theater by the reinforcement students, and some choreographed ballet. At the end, issued certificates of participation to our students.

It was a great joy for us to organize our first festival which was a great success, and we had many congratulations and thanks from the parents. It was very gratifying to see so many happy children. We are motivated to organize more events like these. It was well worth all the work.

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Br. Luke Fong