GENERATION 2023. “THANK YOU FOR EDUCATING US FOR 12 YEARS”
The message was left to us by the students upon graduating from high school in 2023. There were 36 students who bid goodbye to Madre del Rosario School with a message that has filled us with joy for the mission accomplished over twelve years where day by day we have been kneading together the path to a better future. While they were carrying out their festival activities, I was reminded of how wonderful it is to educate even in these difficult times when it seems that everything is it becomes an uphill struggle, with a lot of misunderstanding from society and little support from families.
It is a sublime mission that leaves a mark deep within the human being, a mission where the only interest is that the students reach their full potential, become well-rounded women, happy, professional women who give their gifts and talents to society, which is in such need of credible models that return joy and hope to this life that seems to languish for having no direction or direction. We want them that they encourage people on the way, promoters of a change in this inhospitable and hostile land, to have a home for everyone.
We embrace the periphery. Oscar Bonilla population. Very poor population, from one and a thousand needs and difficulties, but dreaming together of a better future. This farewell has made us reflect once again that the vocation of being teachers is a vocation to celebrate. That it implies a great commitment and a serious responsibility. We become aware that we are co-teammates of our students and that we walk with them as students too, in the same search, with the only difference that we undertook the search first. We emphasize joy, as a characteristic that should distinguish every teacher, not only in their teaching performance but throughout their life, permanently.
It is essential that we feel happy and satisfied living our vocation, above all performing a job, and also shows the joy of opening paths, pointing out possibilities, opening doors in environments full of affection and good purposes. Our joy as teachers is also supported by the satisfaction of seeing students enjoying learning, understanding, assimilating and progressing. Just as the farmer is happy to see his plants grow until they bear fruit, so the teacher is happy when he sees his students grow in every way, until he sees them strengthened to get ahead on their own merits.
What has to be in terms of a human person, is learned by example, in an environment of affection, good treatment, peaceful coexistence, healthy tolerance and a lot of love and above all being accepted as they are.
REMEMBERING MOTHER ASCENSIÓN’S LOVE FOR EDUCATION, A WOMAN ALWAYS PRESENT, she shared her gifts and vast experience in favor of educating and training women and young girls in the jungle. A woman who believes in women and educates them. Ascensión, an educator by vocation, wants the girls of the jungle to receive a good education, that is why she manages to acquire a boarding school. Mother deploys all her knowledge and talents to properly train her students because she is certain that education is the path to transformation. She is a witness to the marginalization of women and the lack of awareness of their training.
WE READ FROM OUR FATHER FOUNDER: “I was deeply moved by the situation of women in the forest. The idea is to look for remedy such vileness stuck in my mind and heart and I saw no other way than to introduce the collaboration of religious women into the apostolate of the mountains.” “What you do, wherever you are, is worth more than the work of a community of religious, more than all the sermons, simply because you educate women, the foundation of the family and society.” Campo Restrepo tells us: “that the professor who is a true teacher exposes himself, becomes a living testimony of what he wants to show.” Gabriel Castillo insists: “a man is educating himself when from the many forces he takes those that lead to love, to truth, to human communion…when he rises with hope.
A person is being educated when he is learning to love life, to care for it, to protect it, to generate it, to wait for it, to anticipate its fullness. Jesus, Master of Masters, in his time began methodological practices that are being recovered today. Jesus was recognized by his very detractors, “He spoke with authority, and this authority was given to him by his exemplary life. I hope that today’s students will be able to say very soon that their teachers speak with authority.” Some thoughts. “A teacher leaves a mark for all eternity. “You can never tell when your influence will end” (Henri Hadaos) “Create hope, ignite the imagination, and inspire a love of learning” (unknown author) “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” (Japanese proverb) “Your students may forget what you said, but they will never forget the person you were to them.” (unknown author) “To write in the hearts of students, you must love the teaching vocation.” (unknown author). We thank God for giving us the opportunity and the vocation of teachers in this impoverished population, but with a great desire to improve.
Hna. Angelina Llamazares.
School for girls Madre del Rosario.
Antofagasta. Mayo 2024
