INTERNATIONAL JRS FAMILY
I feel immensely grateful to you, Jesuits, collaborators and volunteers, as the Afghan mission completes 15 years of fruitful service to the broken humanity. You live a witnessing life among lovely people, unguarded.
Ken Gavin SJ
Throughout my 13 years of ministry with JRS (2003-2016)—both in Washington, DC and in Rome—the work of JRS Afghanistan has always struck me as a quintessential example of the Society’s outreach to people on the margins. JRS Afghanistan has worked in difficult and often dangerous settings, offering much-needed services to countless displaced people.
Andy Brown
My first interaction with JRS was in responding to the tragic abduction of Father Prem. I was immediately impressed by the warmth, kindness and dedication of the staff in working towards a resolution and the love demonstrated by the children towards Father Prem. This was key to the success in navigating this difficult journey and sustaining the excellent work of JRS during times of adversity. It is testament to the wonderful people of Afghanistan and to the mission of JRS to bring peace and hope to so many; I feel blessed to have played a small part in this journey.
Michael S. Gallagher SJ
What a joy to celebrate the 15th anniversary of JRS Afghanistan! The wonderful work that has been accomplished, the lives of so many students that have been enriched through your efforts exemplifies our values. Moreover, the fact that Christians and Muslims are working together in a common project and with mutual respect for the traditions of each models the way we at JRS want the world to be. Of course, we have had our difficult moments—the abduction of Fr Prem comes to mind—but JRS Afghanistan and JRS as a whole has become much stronger because of them. I join with you in gladly marking this milestone and wish the entire JRS team in Afghanistan continued good work and even greater success.
Amaya Valcarcel
I thank the Lord for the 15 years of presence of JRS in Afghanistan. You have put in practice the mission of JRS, to serve, accompany and advocate, in extremely difficult circumstances, and with great courage. Throughout these years, we have shared a beautiful journey, some times with tears and sorrow.
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Cecilia Bock
It is with immense pleasure that I celebrate with you all this anniversary of 15 years of hard work, passion, courage, and so much love for forcibly displaced people. Yours is for me an example of love for life, since the great project that you started 15 years ago has grown and taken shape, despite all the difficulties, and now walks proudly like any of the young adults that you have supported.
Louie Bacomo
Afghanistan is still fraught with conflict after decades of war and turbulent social changes. As an accompanying presence, JRS shares and also overcomes these challenges through creative education projects and partnerships, fostering friendships and reaching out in peace. I am grateful to have met and learned from the JRS team. This 15th anniversary is a testament to God’s grace and generosity of Jesuits and partners. This is what is worth celebrating in gratitude!
David Holdcraft SJ
Arriving in Kabul is a confronting experience – the military presence and having to walk far from the terminal to meet people. In contrast, one then experiences the Afghan hospitality and the quiet but determined focus on mission that Orville, then project director, and Silvia, my host in Kabul, conveyed.
Ashish Antony
For me “Afghanistan“ was a country exhausted by war and internal conflict where nothing was possible – until I joined JRS and got to work on educational projects in different parts of Afghanistan. My idea changed when I read the reports and met a few JRS students personally. I now see it as a country with lots of hope and dreams, as I have seen the progress that the children made and the hunger we find in their eyes for peace. Working for these jewels was a truly fulfilling experience – I wish JRS all success in journey forward.
Danielle Vella
For the past six years or so, I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet many Afghans who have worked or partnered with JRS. I delivered peace and reconciliation workshops they attended and my only way of describing that experience is by resorting to a cliché:
I received so much more than I gave and learned so much. I learned from the enthusiasm of the Afghan participants, from their searing honesty and their humbling capacity to try to understand and to forgive, even in the face of atrocities that they and their loved ones have suffered.