KNA REPORT:
The opening of this year's Carol action in Mainz.Mainz - golden crowns, richly embroidered robes, long and flowing coats: almost 3,000 Carololers moved in on Wednesday in the Mainz Cathedral. In the Romanesque Basilica, where in the middle ages Kings of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned, were given as Epiphany costumed children and young people's blessing for an Honorable task: to draw around the January 6 from House to House and to collect money for their non-performing peers around the world.
They had come to Mainz from twelve dioceses: from Cologne, Speyer, Munich and Freising, Trier, Bamberg, Würzburg, Freiburg, Paderborn, Hamburg, Münster, Essen and Fulda. For the second time since 1989, the nationwide release of Sternsinger took place in Mainz.
The job of a King is not always easy
"The Carolers enter the name of Jesus for a new humanity", said of the Mainz Cardinal Karl Lehmann at the opening of the 54th action three King singing. He praised the "great solidarity" of the Carolers and encouraged it in reference to this year's motto "knocks on doors, insists on rights!", not kehrtzumachen against closed doors. His listeners know: the job of a King is not always easy. Finally, the Carolers in rain and snow, cold and wind are on the road. Not always with success: "Some pop to simply the door or make up not even", tells the twelve-year Silvana from Merzig in Saarland, Germany.
Nevertheless, the Carolers bring their message to the man. "Children have the right to education and the right to play and leisure", is on the poster of a group of Gorxheimertal in southern Hesse, Germany. The eleven year old Constantine explains "it goes well here in Germany - children in Nicaragua need to fight is everything,". "We employ ourselves for the rights of the child there."
Nicaragua is sample country of this year's Sternsinger action. In the Central American State more than half of minors suffering from violence in the family. Above all, girls are often sexually abused. Child labor is also widespread. More than 600,000 children, about 23 percent of all girls and boys under 15 years, have worked in 2008. About one million children not in school.
Refuge in a boarding
"With the money we collect will help children in Nicaragua", the twelve-year Judith from the District of Mainz knows. Children and young people as the same age Yasmin from Granada. They took refuge in a boarding. The children who live, there have been through bad times in their families. Some have been violated, beaten or sexually abused. Yasmin was brought by the public authorities in the boarding as the age of four. There she found girlfriends and now grows up in a sheltered environment.
It is above all such projects in Nicaragua, who supported the two organizers, the children's mission programme "The Carol" and the Federation of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ), with the collected donations. There are projects for street children and self defence courses for girls. Or a radio show which is broadcast in all over Nicaragua, enlighten the audience on the rights of boys and girls in the children.
In Mainz, the Carolers in workshops have dealt with children's rights. "The boys and girls learn that not all will respect the rights of children", full-time President Simon explains Rapp. "And that we must sometimes fight for their rights." It is clear not only to Cardinal Lehmann: "Children are the future of our world." The world's largest aid initiative by children for children in need this once again leads in mind - for over 50 years.
By Bettina Noeth (KNA)
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