Operazione Mato Grosso

The Operation Mato Grosso (Operazione Mato Grosso) carries on a number of educational and charitable activities in Latin America for the impoverished.

The O.M.G. was born in 1967 from an outburst of generosity of a group of young people. Guided by F. Ugo De Censi, they left for Brazil to build a school. Later their activities extended to Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, with a total of 85 missions up to now.

In Italy groups of young people support the educational and charitable work carried on in Latin America with a variety of activities (collecting donated food, landscaping, weeding, wall painting, etc.).

The young O.M.G. people have been helped for years by groups of adults (parents, families, friends), who help financially support the missions of the Operation Mato Grosso with many initiatives.

The ideal that we would like to live for, the true spirit of charity, is to donate yourself with no return.

The key points of O.M.G. have always been the following:

1. Working instead of chatting.
2. The "group" is fundamental for us: within the group people grow and mature by working together.
3. Break the shell of the family, of the parish, of the nation. Be a true missionary.
4. The O.M.G. criticizes with facts, not with words. Concrete work is more effective than words in order for people to question themselves.
5. The crucial point is that you have to meet your own responsibilities, be coherent with yourself, "make yourself poor"
6. Be good and humble, don't judge other people.
7. To die for the others. Sacrifice yourself, donate your life with love.

"The first rich I have to convert is myself."