On March 10, the Edelweiss community in Messina marked its twenty-five years with a performance called Orchestra of Hearts in Color. The evening told the story of transformation that comes to each of us when we join Fede e Luce.
Parents took the stage first. They spoke of the darkness they knew before finding Fede e Luce, using a poem called Darkness born from their own conversations about transformation: "The road of fear leads to night. / When things slip beyond our grasp we feel defeated, / Defeated by my own 'strength.' / Fear stops me at difficulty and keeps me from moving beyond it. / Fear blinds me to what lies past the obstacle. / I am afraid of being alone! / I am afraid of tomorrow! / If this fear goes unspoken it breeds mistrust and leads to death. / Not naming the fear, lacking trust in others, refusing help, / being crushed by anxiety / brings defeat. / The world tumbles into a chasm!"
The young people then danced to "I Believe in Us" by Gen Verde: at the center, parents with their doubts and fears, offering themselves without pretense of heroism, simply giving true friendship. Members of the community moved among the audience like Jesus passing through our midst. On stage, they became an orchestra, playing and singing "The Boy of Fede e Luce"—written by the community itself, set to the melody of "The Boy on Via Gluk"—a moment of music and self-discovery within the community.
Twenty-five years of walking together through ups and downs have become a springboard for spreading the great joy and wonder we live each day in community
Twenty-five years of walking together through ups and downs have become a springboard for spreading the great joy and wonder we live each day in community
In the third part, a parent, a friend, and a young person performed a mime called The Puddle, adapted from a story by Bruno Ferrero. It told of the joy of transforming and letting oneself be transformed—of stepping out of the shell we build in dark moments, letting ourselves be helped by those around us who share the same path.
The performance ended with another poem, Light, also written by parents of the community, bearing witness to their own transformation. "At the bottom of the chasm night begins to rise, / plunging into night brings sight of light. / Light helps me illuminate my fears and name my fragility / and gives me courage to face them. / I must trust in God, / life tests me, but God offers the path to reach my goal. / I gather a handful of light / and set off on my way… / I feel trust and love for others, / hope for tomorrow. / Having discovered light makes me feel the urgency to bring it to others / Because trust gives me my reward, / it lets me see the beauty of trusting, of a hand extended. / The secret is to live life moment by moment / and infect the world with joy".
As they watched, the audience found themselves inside the performance. Many shed tears of emotion. There was great joy and a deep sharing of what was unfolding.
For all of us, Fede e Luce is a miracle of transformed hearts. Twenty-five years of walking together—through ups and downs—become a springboard. We carry forward, beginning with those near us, the profound joy and wonder we live each day in community. We show that suffering exists, yes—but from it can come a happiness rooted in the fragility of the human heart. This is the secret of Fede e Luce.