“You have a purposeful role as custodians of wisdom and experience," Fr. Charles told the Month Seniors Gathering last week. "Make a difference in the lives of the young.”
St. Matia Mulumba put that idea into action by connecting the young and elderly through their faith formation program. Fr. Charles explained:
"Having realized that some old people in the villages, most especially the homebound, were suffering from loneliness and abandonment and that our children were not interacting purposefully with the old people, we developed a program whereby children in faith formation classes are required to devote at least three hours every month interacting with the old people.
"This year, for instance, the 625 candidates due for Confirmation in November 2024 have been divided into groups of 5-10 to visit a particular home of an old person. The first two hours children help with daily tasks, for instance, cleaning the house and compound, doing laundry, fetching water or firewood, cooking, gardening, etc. In the last hour they sit around for a "conversation" with the old person.
"The elderly have been invited to think: old age is not a disease. It’s a stage of life. You are a candle still burning. Count your blessings, and let your blessings count. You have a purposeful role as custodians of wisdom and experience. Make a difference in the lives of the young.
"In their meeting with the children, the elderly have concentrated on:
"1. Character formation of the young. Human values include respect for oneself, respect for others, personal hygiene, good manners, responsibility, care for the environment, etc.
"2. Traditional skills including cooking, gardening, weaving mats and baskets, pottery, herbal medicine, etc.
"3. Storytelling, words of wisdom, local history, language, traditional songs and dances, and religious practices.
"The parish community is trying to engage the elderly in advisory roles to assist with dispute resolution and mentoring young leaders."