Our country is very rich in culture and at the same time it brings us a huge problem that we have been dealing with until now, “Corruption”. It costs us about 41 million dollars every year and this badly impacts the welfare of our people, such as health insurances, quality education, public amenities and infrastructures, etc. Materialism and abuse of freedom blinds us, and gives us desperate hopes to live in a country that is fair, free from social inequality and extreme poverty.

I come from a poor family. I learned how to share what I have with my brothers. Even though my parents were not that religious, they were able to instill to us good values such as “Sharing”, and the awareness of those in need around me. When I met the Youth for a United World, I have found these concrete values that I already had when I was a child.

One time I arrived 2 o’clock in the morning from a youth congress in my city because there was no public transportation at that time. I had to walk about 2 hours to get home. On my way I saw a poor man begging for some money. He was obviously drunk and I got scared a bit at first. “He might beat me up”, I thought. I tried not to think too much and love this brother in front of me. I told him I had no money, then he told me his story. He said he was a construction worker. Later he invited me to listen to the radio with his headphones and to my surpirse he was listening to an Evangelical radio station.

We talked for about 30 minutes and at the end he asked me, “Who are you?”. I didn’t know what to say. I asked him the reason he was asking. Then he responded, “Because no one ever treated me like this”. “They should though”, I replied. Then I realized that I still had to walk more than an hour to get home and I would have had to get up early that following morning at 6 to go to work. But believing that I can build a more just country and contribute for a united world has made me forget my worrries and recognize in that man a brother in need. Talking to him without giving anything to suffice his hunger did not seem to be enough to end his poverty, however, I believe I have made him realized that he was being valued as an individual, that even though he is poor, he deserves attention, and I think it was a good start.

Before we parted ways, he asked for my home address to visit me and make barbecue together. I laughed. I gave him my address and told him that I’m looking forward to it. From that moment, my prejudice against this man disappeared, and only fraternal love remained, which I believe is essential to begin a visible change.