Encounters that transform: from Centro Astalli to the project “All in the same boat”
“All in the same boat”: summer sailing courses for 50 young people in distress, organized for the Matteo Ricci Center’s children, by the Europe Scout Group Roma 12 and the Ostia Naval League.
There are encounters that change your vision and touch your heart. Like the one that took place in January between a group of girl scouts and the girls of the Matteo Ricci Centre, managed by Centro Astalli. A simple day, one of the few allowed in the orange zone. The meeting is held in Via degli Astalli. A quick presentation. Then on foot to the Colle Oppio park. Outdoor games, singing, dancing, involving other children and their parents.
A few hours spent in joy, telling each other stories. Stories, faces, sounds, glances. Then the return to the Centre, the strong invitation to stay. As a gift, a cake to thank for this visit made by perfect strangers. “As we left, something changed in us,” says 17-year-old Sofia. “We sensed that it could not end there. This encounter had opened up much more for us. So we began to strongly desire to give them something more”. Word of mouth led one of the girls’ squads to organize a service initiative: to offer a day of horseback riding to the Center’s girls, with a promise to meet again soon.
This and other meetings have led to the idea of the ” All in the same boat” project, inspired by the words of Pope Francis. A social inclusion initiative that will bring, from June 14 until the end of the summer, 50 young people in distress, to take advantage of free weekly sailing courses at the Ostia Naval League, through the collaboration with the Europe scout group Rome 12.
The invitation was addressed to the many children met in the different service experiences, those of the Matteo Ricci Center and those of the School of Peace promoted in Ostia by the Community of Sant’Egidio.
“Many things that we take for granted, like going to the park and playing together, are a great gift to these children, compared to just staying at the Shelter,” emphasizes Fr. Giuseppe Trotta, in charge of Matteo Ricci Center.
“Seeing this enthusiasm in their eyes is regenerating for ours. So we change our eyes and hearts. By donating, we rediscover a greater enthusiasm for our daily lives.”
“Meetings that have helped the young people to scale down their fears, to dare to go ” out “, to develop a new sensitivity towards others, to dream together of something beautiful in gratuity, activating a different and supportive economy” underline the group leaders. The idea was supported and encouraged by the Ostia Naval League. The De La Salle International Solidarity Foundation, the Lasallian non-profit organization that in 2020 carried out 83 projects in 13 countries for the promotion of education, also supported the project.
The scout group members have been involved in several self-financing initiatives for arranging the boats to be used for the project. Three of them have attended specific courses as assistant sailing instructors. Another 15 are involved in rotation for shore support and other nautical disciplines.
