In preparation for the New Year 2020, Mrs Nancy Camilleri who is a member of Missio Malta, was invited to hold prayer spaces for 14/15 year old students at St. Margaret College Secondary School, Verdala, Cospicua.
Teacher Martin Azzopardi highlights how, “life and school can be stressful. The outside world is busy and filled with people, things, events and noise. Our minds can be just as busy too and being still isn’t easy.”
One of the prayer activities invited students were invited to write down their daily worries on a coloured piece of paper and then put them in the ‘Worry Jar’. Mrs Nancy said that worrying about something doesn’t usually make things any better and it doesn’t make the problem go away. Worrying just stop us from enjoying the good things in our lives and it makes us feel unsettled and anxious.
This activity encouraged students to think about the things they are worried about and to try and let go of them. The Swedish proverb says to worry is to, “give small things a big shadow.” We encouraged the students to reflecting upon the biblical verse instead of the things they were worrying about. “The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want; He makes me lie in pastures green. He leads me by the still, still waters, His goodness restores my soul.” – Psalm 23.
Some students felt relieved from their daily burdens and worries and some others shed tears whilst dropping written worries into the worry jar.