Resurrection and Hope By Sarah Young Week Four Introduction In the fourth week, our journey of hard work and suffering is finally vindicated. Those who have followed Jesus through the most difficult times now rejoice in their friendship with him. We can enjoy and celebrate the hope that every situation can be transformed. The forces of good in the world are stronger than the forces of evil. With confidence, Ignatius says that we can find God labouring with us in all things if only we take time to look. First, we will hear about how the women of Mbare and others have managed to ‘widen the circle of trust’. We will be then led into prayer, reflection and action. Resurrection and Hope By Sarah Young

WIDEN THE CIRCLE OF TRUST In 2003, the only project run by the Jesuits in Mbare for people affected by HIV was home-based care. Nowadays, individuals with HIV run micro enterprises and work hand in hand with other members of the community. Great Hope is just one among many cooperatives in Mbare. Cooperatives do not only give people a living, but also started a culture of trust and cooperation. WIDEN THE CIRCLE OF TRUST

Prayer “I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves,  and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love,  so that you, together with all God's people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love.  Ephesians 3: 15-19 We have followed Jesus through his journey from death to life. Through this story we have seen just how much God loves us. We close with a prayer from St Paul for each one of us….

Reflection Dream of the life you want to live- The sights you want to see The skills you want to cultivate, The ‘you’ you want to be. Then take your dream to heart, In everything you say and do, Let your dream play a part. Let it be a shining light That guides you on your way- Dream of the life you want to live, Then live your dream each day. Anonymous. This poem was found on the wall of a retreat centre in the Southern Philippines If we can grasp how much God loves us, how might we give a generous response? How might we go beyond ourselves to reach out to those in need?

Action The resurrected Lord made himself visible to each of the people who had journeyed with him. Let us make Jesus visible each day through small acts of kindness in our school, our families and in our world. Let’s become inspirers of good. We can all become role models by refusing to be victims, and taking steps to improve our lives and those of others, like the women of Mbare.

© Copyright Jesuit Missions Text by Sarah Young All photos were taken in Jesuit missions, schools and projects by Ashleigh Callow, Gioia Caminada and Richard Greenwood. Users are welcome to modify the material to fit their needs. www.jesuitmissions.org