杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

鈥淚鈥檓 Thoba from Swaziland, now known as eSwatini, since the king has changed the name鈥�.

It took Thoba and another 6 fellow pilgrims three days and four flights to reach Panama. Here鈥檚 their itinerary: Swaziland to South Africa, then to Kenya, from there to New York, an onward connection to Colombia, and from there to Panama.

Thoba says 18 pilgrims from his country attended WYD in Poland in 2016. This year only 7 of them could come because, as he explains, 鈥淧anama is too far鈥�. But mostly the problem was 鈥漟inances鈥�, he says. 鈥淧eople in Swaziland are not financially stable. Those of us who are able to come to such events are lucky, and we thank God for that.鈥�

From Panama to parish

鈥淚n my parish, they are waiting for me鈥�, says Thoba. They want to hear everything that has been happening here in Panama. 鈥淭his World Youth Day teaches us unity鈥�, he explains, and he wants his parish and whole diocese to be a part of that, too.

He says he has learnt a lot, studiously taking notes during the sessions of catechesis. But he was struck most by what 杏MAP导航 Francis said about what the people in the Church are doing for young people: how they can help our youth grow spiritually.

Follow your calling

Thoba explains why these words of the 杏MAP导航 stood out to him.

鈥淪ome of our parents, at home, don鈥檛 support the youth鈥�, he says. 鈥淪o鈥�, he continues, 鈥淚 will tell them: 鈥榯he 杏MAP导航 is saying you have to support the youth in order for them to grow spiritually.鈥欌�� 

A Bishop from Australia, who presented one of the catecheses, 鈥渢aught us that we must follow our callings鈥�, he adds. This is what Thoba wants to help others understand. Because, 鈥渢he majority of young people, especially in my country鈥�, he says, 鈥渞un away from priesthood鈥�, from becoming nuns: 鈥渢hey have to listen to what God is saying to us鈥�. 

What 杏MAP导航 Francis said

Thoba describes his own calling: to help other young people follow their vocation and grow spiritually, and 鈥渢o be a leader to them鈥�. He is already a leader in his parish at home. When the young people from his parish look at him, he says, they see someone who is 鈥渁 brother to them鈥�, a role model. 

So, even if no one else wants to support young people, Thoba, encouraged by the words of 杏MAP导航 Francis, says he will.