THE STRENGTH OFCHAMPIONS

QUOTE

LIVING LIKE THIS

AT SCHOOL

(EXTRA)ORDINARY STORIES

SPRINGBOARD

LOOKING BEYOND

SCHOOL-MATES

STRONG MINDED TEENAGERS

Michael Jordan

“I have scored wining baskets at the closing bell – 11 times, and another 17 times at least, I scored less than ten seconds from the bell, but I have missed to score on more than 9000 shots, in my career.

I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life,

And that is why, I succeed”.

I have lost almost300 games. For 26 times, I have beentrusted with the game winning shotand missed…

QUOTE

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, MY MOTHER BOUGHT ME A NEW PAIR OF SHOES WHICH I IMMEDIATELY WORE TO SCHOOL.

A pair of… friends

AS IS OUR CUSTOM, BEFORE ENTERING THE CLASS, I TOOK OFF THE SHOES FROM MY FEET. BUT AT THE END OF THE LESSONS: THEY HAD DISSAPPEARED!!!

A FRIEND SUGGESTED TO ME TO LOOK AT A WEBSITE, WHERE ONE RESELLS THINGS.

I WAS TOO SHOCKED FOR WORDS!!!MY OWN FRIEND HAD BETRAYED ME. I COULD NOT SLEEP, I SUFFERED A LOT BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD LOST A FRIEND AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I CHECKED AND I FOUND A PAIR OF SHOES VERY SIMILAR TO MINE. THERE WAS THE CELL PHONE NUMBER OF WHO WANTED TO SELL IT AND IT WAS OF ONE OF MY CLASSMATES.

LIVING LIKE THIS

When my friend came to know of this, he became very angry and started to criticise our teacher. It occurred to me that criticising our teacher would do no good because I knew that even in her there was Jesus, even though she did not treat us well.

AT school the music teacher suggested to a friend of mine and myself to take part in a violin recital. Some days before the date of the recital, the teacher decided to cancel it and she choose another boy without assigning any reason whatsoever.

So I decided to change the subject in order to help my friend to be more calm. I asked him if we could play during the interval and so we started speaking about games and he came to be more at peace. At the break we played together and we had fun.

A LESSON

Vittorio's experience – L.A. USA

I CALMED HIM DOWN SAYING THAT WE COULD REMAIN FRIENDS AS BEFORE. MY TEACHER SPOKE WELL TO HIS PARENTS AND THE MATTER WAS RESOLVED AND EVEN MY SHOES WERE RETURNED TO ME.

THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE I EXPERIENCED HOW BY LOVING JESUS IN OUR BROTHER ONE FEELS ALL THE LOVE OF GOD.

THE NEXT DAY, I SPOKE TO THE TEACHER ABOUT IT; SHE LET ME SPEAK TO THAT FRIEND PRIVATELY, WHO WHILE CRYING, ASKED ME TO EXCUSE HIS BEHAVIOUR AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NEED FOR SOME MONEY.

IN THE END, I DECIDED TO FORGIVE HIM, BELIEVEING THAT THERE IS JESUS IN HIM, THINKING THAT THERE CERTAINLY WOULD BE A SERIOUS REASON FOR HIM TO BE ROBBING MY SHOES.

EVEN MY PARENTS WERE IN AGREEMENT WITH MY DECISION.

AT SCHOOL

CONNER E CAYDEN, TWO BROTHERS, A STORY OF (EXTRA)ORDINARY LOVE

There is something heavenly in the love between siblings. The extraordinary is lived as ordinary, with beautiful stories. Like that of Conner and Cayden Long. Conner is nine years old while Cayden is seven. The younger brother was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was only four months old, because of which he could not walk and talk. Conner loves to play, just like other children his age and plays many sports.

Football, for example, like every teenager in the USA. And Cayden, with mum and dad, was always there, at the edge of the field, to cheer him on. One thing that Conner wanted most of all to do was to have fun with Cayden. But obviously he could not.

by Claudio ArrigoniFROM THE CORRIERE SERA, ITALY

(EXTRA)ORDINARY STORIES

One day he had an idea. It was spring of 2011, and he was seven years old. While his mother Jenny was looking through a magazine, Conner saw an advertisement. A sporting event for kids with swimming, cycling and running, entitled, ‘The Nashville Kids Triathlon’. «Well mom, can I try it out?» «Why not, Conner?» «Uhm, ok. Could Cayden also come?» Well that question surprised Jenny, «You never want to say no to your son, but…» No ‘buts’ for Conner though. Finally he and Cayden could have some fun together,. It was enough to have a little bit of fantasy. The organisers of the race were among the first of many to understand.

A little less than 45 minutes later, between strokes, cycling and running to reach the finishing line: the arms raised to the sky of Conner and the smile of Cayden to show that how, both have fun.

And so was born Team Long. Conner e Cayden together. The triathlon unites those three sports and they are even more united while doing the triathlon. Conner swims pulling an inflatable boat or raft on which lies Cayden, then he goes on the bicycle towing a kind of wheelchair and pushes the same in the running part of the race. A fantastic team.

They have beome a big source of inspiration (their Facebook page, ‘Team Long Brothers’ has almost 25,000 ‘likes’ and is full of messages of encouragement, especially from mothers & fathers of a child with disability) so as to achieve the honour, «Sportkids of the Year» that every year is given by one of the world’s most prestigious sports magazine, «Sports Illustrated» to youngsters. They were gathered on a stage together with basketball legend LeBron James, who invited them to Miami. Music stars such as Jay Z and Beyoncè wanted to speak with them.

Since they began, they have toured the west coast of the USA to participate in about twenty contests, so far.

“Even the greatest athletes have known failures and mishaps, but since they preserved they have had success.”

“The cup that awaits us is much more valuable; it is called Paradise, where we would like to reach with an infinite array of teen won over by us.”

“Make of every obstacle a springboard”

All phrases are from the writings of Chiara Lubich(springboard – ‘Teens for unity’ centre)

What is true VICTORY?My reflections…

SPRINGBOARD

“Why don’t we make a challenge of who makes the most number of acts of love in a day?”

The “historic" release of child soldiers in Myanmar. On 18th January, 2014 in Rangoon, the Burmese army freed 96 children drafted into the army at a younger age. This was announced by the United Nations, recognising in this action a «historic step» towards the end of using child soldiers all over the world. Until now 272 child soldiers have been returned to civil life in Myanmar.

Syrian children: arrested, tortured and used as human shields. In the extremely violent Syrian Civil War, armed groups of the opposition forces have recruited and used children for combat and other military roles. While no information is available on recruitment of children by the government forces, the national army is found to be guilty of arrests, arbitrary detentions and torture of minors and many children have been used as human shields.

In Southern Sudan the highest number of children recruited. Neither is there any precise information nor the clear use of minors in the War in Southern Sudan, but the United Nations has verified the recruitment and use of 252 teenagers between the ages of 14 to 17 years.

6.000 children exploited in Congo. There are nearly 6.000 children exploited in Congo, of those, around 30 are girls, all drafted into the armed forces or armed groups. About 80% of these cases are concentrated in the areas of North and South Kivu.

Afghanistan, Soldiers at 8 years of age. In Afghanistan there are over 70 cases of recruitment and use of children in war, many of whom are just 8 years old. They are mainly intended for the construction of weapons and explosive devices (because children have small hands). In at least 10 cases they were drafted by armed groups to carry out suicide attacks.

LOOKING BEYOND

ITALIAN COALITION “STOP THE USE OF CHILDREN AS SOLDIERS!”In some countries of the world, there is still a lot to be done so that children can live their childhood. Raise your hand and say “STOP” to the use of boys and girls in armed conflicts. Visit the website www.bambinisoldato.it

WITH OUR ACTIVITIES WE GIVE A LOT OF CHILDREN, THE POSSIBILITY OF ATTENDING SCHOOL

www.school-mates.org

What is the culture of giving?

Culture: is a way of living and thinking.Today’s culture: the more you possess, the more you buy, consume and the more you are happy.But given that ‘having’ does not give true happiness, one thinks that one should have even more to be happy. It is like a sickness. In fact, Jesus said, “There is more joy in giving than in receiving.”This medicinal antidote, is the culture of giving. We would like to carry this medicine to everyone: the culture of giving.We live it personally.

FIND OUT ABOUT THE «TO GIVE» PROJECTS ON OUR WEBSITE:

STRONG MINDED TEENAGERS

teamplayforunity@gmail.com