Brotherly Love: Helping Children Of All Abilities
By Ukee Washington
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The World Meeting Of Families is meant for the whole family. That means helping children of all abilities be a part of this big week.
It was hard to tell who was more excited when the Youth Congress opened, the kids or the adults. The Youth Congress is a place for children ages 6 to 17 to meet each other, play together, and learn about their catholic faith.
The area of the Pennsylvania Convention Center came alive with hundreds of children Tuesday afternoon. It was full of activity stations for children to learn about faith or just blow off steam.
We met 9-year-old Gabriel Eberhard of Ohio. "I thought that a pilgrimage would be really nice for my life and my soul," Gabriel said.
He has a joint and muscle disorder called arthrogryposis and uses a wheelchair.
Gabriel was writing messages of faith for a time capsule to take home, "and then I open it in 25 years and it reminds me of what I did 25 years ago."
Volunteer Stephanie Quigley of Lansdale was on hand to help the kids.
"They're really the future of the church, so if we can have the children love and grow in the faith, then that is just promising for the Catholic church," Stephanie said.
Children who need a break, especially special needs children, have the Sensory Serenity Space with things like big pillows to relax or sand to sculpt.
"Every child, every child, is a gift from God," said volunteer Marietta Ginieczki of Hatboro.
This volunteer work is especially important to Marietta and her husband Rich. They had a special needs son, Richard Jr., who passed away and who loved to volunteer.
"He kind of blazed the trail for us," Rich said, "and we try to do what he would do."
They're volunteering all week, helping bring a little peace to the littlest attendees of the World Meeting of Families.
