London: Jesuit volunteers welcomed into other faith communities

Mr Virdi welcomes volunteers at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha

The 2013 Interfaith Day for Jesuit Missions Volunteers (JMV) has taken place in Southall, west London. The day formed part of the seven-day training programme for volunteers prior to their departure to assignments overseas.

The day began with a welcome from Fr Gerard Mitchell SJ, parish priest of St Anselm's parish in Southall and Jan Janoszka, the parish's pastoral assistant. They were joined by Fr Michael Barnes SJ who gave an introductory talk about different faiths. The group was then welcomed into several faith communities including the Muslim Community at the Central Jamia Masjid, the Gurdwara at Havelock Road and the Shree Ram Hindu Mandir Community.

"The day is always fascinating and thought provoking and it helps to raise our consciousness about the need for tolerance and understanding between different cultures and religions," says JMV Volunteer Co-ordinator, Hania Lubienska. "It makes us more aware of the common spirituality that we share and give us a feeling of connection to each other. It also provides an opportunity for volunteers to find out more about the religions of the countries they'll be living in. What always strikes us is the generosity of the different communities."

JMV sends out people to volunteer at the Missions in Africa, Asia and South America. Together with partner organisations, it runs a wide variety of programmes including teaching at schools, working at health centres, orphanages and even a radio station which is used both for educational and agricultural purposes.

"The Jesuits have been based in a number of communities around the world for decades," comments Hania. "They've lived with the people side by side, through thick and thin, through all the political turmoil, wars and economic difficulties. They have a knowledge and love of their communities which is reciprocated. So, volunteering with the Jesuits means living at the heart of the community you're sent to. It's a real experience, away from tourism and hotels. In fact part of our ethos is that volunteers live their lives simply and engage with the local people and culture. The volunteering experience challenges people and often, when they return, they decide to live their lives differently, maybe change their careers or dedicate their free time to charity. However, it is not an experience for the faint-hearted! People have to live in very basic conditions and need to be quite flexible and open to other cultures and faiths. And we are particularly looking for people who are willing to reflect on their experience."

If you are interested in joining the JMV programme for a minimum of six months, visit: www.jesuitmissions.org/ or contact Hania Lubienska - JMV Volunteer Co-Ordinator, Jesuit Missions, 11 Edge Hill, London SW19 4LR. Tel 020 8946 0466. Email: Hania@gbjm.org