Dear Friends,

Are we aware of God’s presence in our lives?

The disciples refused to believe the group of women who had announced that Jesus had risen from the dead. Two of them encounter the Risen Christ on the way to Emmaus, but they do not recognize him. It was only after Jesus reveals himself to them later, did they realize that all along, their hearts were burning when He was talking to them.

How is God being revealed to us today? Jesus walked with the disciples as an ordinary person, a fellow traveller along the path. Perhaps today God is walking with us as one of the thousands of people who are victims of the war in Gaza, in Ukraine, in South Sudan and in Myanmar. Or perhaps God is being revealed in millions of people who don’t have the bare necessities to survive, or perhaps in the migrants and refugees who are forced to flee and are looking for a safe refuge.

Are our own hearts burning? Or do we, like the disciples, not recognize Jesus who walks with us as an ordinary person, as a refugee, as the poor, as the victim of war? In the Gospels, we find calls to be alert, to keep vigil, to open our eyes. Yet when doubt, confusion and hopelessness strike us, we find ourselves in a similar journey as these disciples. When the weight of the world’s troubles and our own personal challenges overwhelm us, we wonder where God is.

My own experience has shown me that God is present, among the most excluded, among those who suffer. Our brothers and sisters inspire us with their strength, determination, and the desire to live and to give life to others. We draw inspiration from people who fight for a better future for their children and their communities and who believe that light overcomes darkness, hope overcomes fear, and love conquers death. It is there, among them, that God, and the hope of the resurrection, are revealed.

Our own hearts burn when we encounter Christ in and through others. God’s presence has never been more palpable than when I see how the people involved in the projects of our Jesuit partners in the Global South work against all odds to improve the livelihoods of the poor, support the education of vulnerable children so they can have a better future, defend the human rights of the marginalized, and protect the environment.

Two Canadian Jesuits International-supported projects that we feature here embody Easter’s message of love and hope and reveal God’s presence among us.

Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre, run by the Jesuits in Zambia, supports small-scale rural farmers, community workers and leaders through courses and hands-on training in sustainable organic agriculture, production, research, and advocacy. This alternative farming system improves rural livelihoods, productivity, and food security. It is also better for the environment.

A culture of hospitality and accompaniment greets thousands of migrants and asylum seekers served by the Jesuit Migration Network in Central America and Mexico. Economic and political crises, human rights violations, the devastating impacts of natural disasters, climate change, and mining are some factors that force people to seek refuge elsewhere, despite risks. They not only face harsh migration policies but are prey to criminal gangs.

This Easter, we invite you to join us in recognizing God in the poor and marginalized and following Jesus’ footsteps by walking in solidarity with them.

Thank you for your generosity. May you have a blessed Easter.

Jenny Cafiso
Executive Director

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