(Kamëz, Albania) – Arian Maka is a young Albanian, whom friendship and the proximity of the Redemptorist Missionaries has changed his life. Now he feels useful for the Church and with other young people he now proclaims the Gospel to the children in the Redemptorist parish of St. Alphonsus, in Kamëz, in Albania.
“My name is Arian Maka, I am 19 years old and I am a student at the University of Tirana. I work with my father in a metallurgical company. I live in Kamëz with my family, our house is big enough but my neighbourhood is quite modest, the roads are not paved, but the people in the neighbourhood are very sweet and respectable. Many of my neighbours live on what they receive from their relatives abroad, in fact, my older brothers also work abroad in order to build up a future. This is one of the dramas of the country, all young people dream of leaving Albania to make a future.
My family has always been Catholic. When I was growing up I only came to mass, I had no more contact with the ecclesial community. I did not participate in the parish groups because no one invited me or welcomed me.
When the community of Redemptorist Missionaries arrived here they realized that I was always at Mass, so I was approached and they invited me to participate in the activities because they saw that I was interested in church activities. At that time I began to participate in various activities and the missionaries made me feel that it was precious for the groups of young people in our Church. I began to have more and more interest and participation in all pastoral activities. I began to live spirituality, I went to church because it helped me to live better and this changed my life.
Last summer the missionaries offered me to go to Granada, to participate in an international mission of young Redemptorists from all over the world; There I had a very special meeting with Christ in the cathedral of Granada that changed my life. Since then I have been very actively involved in the “Chiro” group of the parish of San Alfonso de Kamëz, where together with other young people we transmit the faith to children through games and dynamics.
My personal relationship of friendship and closeness to a missionary made me better understand the closeness of Jesus Christ to his disciples and made me feel freer to approach the sacrament of reconciliation. “
Arian Maka, Albania
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