Submitted by Sr Meita fcJ, from the Yogyakarta community, whose ministry is with people with disabilities
We organized an outing for people with disabilities and their families to Gembira Loka Zoo on 22 August. There were 101 people: 25 people with disabilities, 28 volunteers including FCJ sisters, and the rest were their families. The participants were very happy to meet other families. Some of them knew each other but had not been able to meet during the pandemic. Others had never met before.
I thank God for the work of all volunteers who were involved from different Parishes and organizations. They were young and old people, some FCJ Companions in Mission, Caritas of the Archdiocese of Semarang, Nusantara Emergency Response (NER), which is a youth organization of Nahdatul Ulama (NU) for humanity. We worked together and helped each other wholeheartedly with the support of Gembira Loka Zoo’s team. They served the people very well, especially those with disabilities. They prepared two special train carriages for wheelchairs, and showed us mammalian animal and bird attractions. It was very special. People really enjoyed it.
I experienced how beautiful togetherness is without paying attention to differences in religion, skin color, race, social status, rich or poor. It brought peace and joy. May the peace and joy which were felt be radiated and be felt by others. Peace in our hearts and peace on our earth.
