Cora Antonio from Bellarmine College Prep in California, United States and Maria Oliva Garcia de Cassasola from Colegio San José de Villafranca in the South of Spain both approached us with a creative and heartwarming idea as a way to “journey with the youth” during these troubled times.

The proposal is to invite students from all Jesuit schools around the world to share their stories with each other as they experience and live through these uncertain times.

Below is the invitation from Cora, with ideas from Oliva. We look forward to receiving your students’ stories to info@educatemagis.org with the Subject line ‘Student Stories’. We will then post them on Educate Magis.

Here is the link where you and your students can read their peers’ stories from other schools and countries.

A Day in My Life:
Living Under the COVID-19 Pandemic

We are living in an unprecedented time as globally, we are all dealing with the interruptions, disruptions, and changes to our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No matter how frustrating, confusing, or scary this crisis gets, fear doesn’t have the final say. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Our hope is built on the perfect love of Jesus Christ, so we’ve been called to share that love with the world.

Fear will not have the last word, but love and hope will! Let us use these troubled times as a way to “journey with the youth,” a way to empower our youth in such a way that will connect them like never before. A simple but compelling way to do this is through the power of story. Specifically, let us allow our youth to share their stories with each other as they experience and live through these uncertain times. Let us invite them into conversation with each other through the windows of their worlds in their own voices.

 ESSAY PROMPT (You can adjust this section for the students you teach):

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
1 Corinthians 3:6-7.

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
A Day in My Life: Living Under the COVID-19 Pandemic

During these troubled times, the Lord tells us not to fear, for His perfect love casts out fear! (1 John 4:18) YOU have an opportunity to plant a seed that has the power to spread God’s love and flourish in connection with other students in Jesuit schools and institutions around the world. Every need in the world is an OPEN DOOR to share God’s love, so join in this opportunity to do just that.

DIRECTIONS:

In ~200 words (3-4 paragraphs), describe what your typical day has been like since the outbreak of COVID-19. Here are some questions to consider:

• What is happening with the coronavirus crisis in your country?
• How have these changes impacted your daily routines?
• What have been the challenges from this situation (desolations)?
• What have been the gifts and graces from this situation (consolations)?
• How has that made you feel about the world we live in and the future that lies ahead?
• What should our society should learn from this crisis that has affected us globally?
• What are your concerns and hopes?

At the end of your essay, please write your first name only, your age, your school, and what country you live in. Submit your story to your teacher and it will be shared with our global community of teachers and youth all over the world. Sow your seed of God’s love through your story.

Teachers: please send your students’ stories to info@educatemagis.org with the Subject line ‘Student Stories’. We will then post them on Educate Magis and send you a link so students can read their peers’ stories from other schools and countries.

What has impressed us most about the current situation we are living through is the incredible solidarity, kindness, generosity and creativity we have witnessed from teachers throughout our global network. We are amazed by how you have all adapted to this situation, how you are accompanying your students through it and how you are reaching out to support each other!

Fear will not have the last word, but love and hope will!

Click here to read the students’ reflections which have been submitted so far