If you are ready to give a few months of your life, if you believe in Jesus, who calls us to be with him in service of others, if you would like to live with others a rich and useful human and Christian experience, this could interest you.

The JMB’s (French initials) are volunteers who work with the Sons of Charity in service of the Church in poor neighborhoods.

The project

The JMB project was created in 1996 to provide interested young people with the opportunity to work with the people of a poor neighborhood; to allow them the opportunity to discover the values and riches that lie behind the negative clichés of the media.  The experience is done in the context of the Church and the local organizations.        

An experience that is compatible with one’s personal project

For example, before beginning professional life, you can:  experience neighborhood life, develop your interest in social work, and acquire human and Christian formation.  As a seminarian, you can live a time in the world of poor people.  If you wish, you can take a break after studies before going into professional work.      

Who is it for?  For young Christian men and women, aged 19 to 28. 

What do they do?  They participate, for example, in the life of a Christian community in the city’s outskirts, through a commitment to work with children and young people; or they have a social commitment such as teaching adults to read and write, tutoring school children, working with seniors, accompanying immigrants (in issues of language, culture, paper work, etc.), participating in a neighborhood association, building relationships with other religions present in the neighborhood, etc. 

How long does it last?  From 12 to 24 months.

Legal Status:  In accord with the laws of the country, there is social coverage, lodging, and insurance.  (So far, the experience has been done in accordance with French law.)  Other forms can be considered. 

Accompaniment:  

Each JMB is accompanied by a Son of Charity and receives training.
Participants are offered community life, preferably with other young people.   
To contact the Sons of Charity:  les-fils-de-la-charite@wanadoo.fr

The world of poor people fascinated me

I think the first thing that life as a JMB offers is the opportunity to meet and live with a diversity of people.  It’s a great richness, because you meet all sorts of cultures, countries, and traditions; you learn things, make friends, etc.

The second important point is discovering what people call the world of poor people.  This world fascinated me and continues to fascinate me today.  I wanted to be useful, and I was; and I am still useful, but above all I discovered a world where I feel at home.    

The encounter with Christ and with the Church

Work with the young people triggered in me a rediscovery of my faith, because it allowed me to work on Bible texts and the Christian tradition.  Accompanying a catechism group or a group of young people who are searching, forces you to read, reflect, and prepare yourself so you can help others in their search. 

 All this led me to approach my studies more systematically.  In this sense, the mission as a JMB helped me discover theology and reflection on my faith.  It also helped me discover the life of the Church through the liturgy, through the Christian community with its activities and commitments, and also through the world of neighborhood associations. 

It’s true that living in community with others is not always easy, and reviews of life can be very demanding . . . but sharing among ourselves was a source of profound joy.