In his work with the young people as director and general coordinator for the activities the Salesians undertake in Syria, Fr. León noted that the biggest challenge is to form them so they are prepared to rebuild their country once the war is over.
"There will be companies and countries ready to rebuild the walls in the cities, but what will be needed are persons, young people, very prepared to rebuild the hearts, souls and the spirit of that society … this will be the main mission of the Syrian youth."
Another difficulty is "the cultural idea of vengeance which is very ingrained," which does not arise out of hatred but out of "love for that loved one who has died and who must be avenged because of that love."
"In Syria everyone has someone to avenge" the priest lamented, adding that his work is also to seek to promote reconciliation and not vengeance.
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"Our Syrian young people are going to refugee centers where there are, in addition to many abandoned people, women and children of the Muslim extremists who are taking part in the attacks," he explained.
"You would have to put yourselves in the shoes of those guys and think about what they have overcome to be able to help and take care of, for example, the son of someone who ordered the bombing that killed my cousin or my brother."
"Taking that step, for a lot of them has been hard, but it also has been very freeing. They have realized that in the end the children of those extremists are not culpable and in the end they are also our brothers and sisters."
He said that the war and "the mystery of suffering" has made a lot of young adolescents with whom the Salesian work in Syria to have serious doubts about their faith.
"The problem of evil has created a crisis of faith, but with our witness and being close to them, many young people have overcome this and afterwards have been able to have a much more authentic experience of Christ."
In fact, this country "is among those that have given the most vocations to the Salesian family, even before the war. Also those who during the war have overcome their doubts, have come into a deep spiritual life which makes them ask themselves what God wants from them. And that is something beautiful."