Regina Biasibetti: 4 years of service in the Lavalla200> project in Syracuse

Regina Biasibetti, known as Nina, lived for almost 4 years in the international LaValla200> community in Syracuse. She comes from the Brazil South-Amazon Province and arrived in Italy in November 2018. She returned to Brazil last July. In what follows, she shares with us some aspects of her experience that stood out for her.

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Having had a couple of prior short experiences of local and international volunteering, I felt a call to go on a longer mission experience with very vulnerable people. I wanted to dedicate 100% of my time to this while living in a Marist community and sharing in ministry with other members of the community. I felt restless, a flame burning very strongly within. As a lay person, I saw that the Lavalla200> project offered me the possibility I was after.

Life in community, and that in an intercultural and international context, was one of the central points of my time on mission. We lived together as brothers and lay people under the same roof. It was very enriching; you learn a lot from each other’s personality, their life experience and points of view. Another central point was our ministry, of doing and being. Being present to people in need – mostly migrants, but others as well. Being a reference point, one that was safe and reliable. People trusted us and our work a lot; we managed to build many bridges, to be a beacon for so many people, always retaining our simplicity, our Marian way of being.

The key words that best capture my experience in Italy are: care, ministry, culture, presence, communion, dignity and welcome. The lessons that I would highlight are respect for differences and not judging the choices and options of others. Each heart brings a universe, a sea of experiences, feelings and reasons.

The most important occasions for me were when we shared our life stories, what led so many people to leave their homes, families and countries of origin to migrate, to start from scratch in other lands. Each person’s story is valuable, rich, and sacred. It was so beautiful and precious for me to play a small part in those journeys.

Those years meant meeting different faces of Jesus. He spoke other languages, had a different skin tone, came from poor and dangerous places, from wars, from large families… He struggled a lot to be in a safer and more prosperous land; he had a lot of hope. My time as a missionary in Syracuse enabled me to be more deeply and personally present in people’s lives, to BE with them. It was transforming for me.

Among the challenges I experienced during this period, I would highlight:

• Language: to succeed in listening, understanding, speaking, writing, communicating. Words carry layers of meaning and knowing how to express yourself is very important, especially as we had to help other foreigners. Mastering Italian was essential.
• Living in community: respecting differences of culture, opinion and personality. Managing to make decisions about community or ministry with so many points of view expressed was at times very difficult and complicated; it required patience, reflection, discernment and calm.
• Finding your place: you arrive in your new home; you study and learn the language; you get to know how to communicate; and the next step is to act, to get to know the reality, to see possibilities to offer your talents or what you might learn/improve for the sake of your ministry.
• Loneliness: you miss friends and family, expressions of affection and tenderness. It is not a constant feeling because you meet so many people who are there for you, a shoulder to lean on, ears to listen … but homesickness certainly remains a companion along the way.

After the journey I have made, I have come to realise that paying attention to what the heart is saying is fundamental. If you are feeling restless, if you feel a pulsating desire inside to depart, to be of help somewhere, to give of yourself, don’t be indifferent! Listen to yourself! There are so many people in need of help, so many projects, so many opportunities… The harvest is really plentiful, and we are capable of doing so many things!

If you are interested in dedicating a significant amount of time in a Lavalla200> community, please contact your provincial or write to [email protected]. Read more here.