He didn't choose to be a "war clown". He found himself in the middle. But he chose to stay there, why "A child to whom you give wonder will be a healthy bearer of peace". Marco Rodari, in art, the Pimpa, teacher of Letters of Leggiuno (Varese), has been for years now "claun"(As he defines himself) full time, between Gaza, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Italy.
Between "Professor Rodari" and "claun il Pimpa"
This is a story of a "good guy". One like many. Student, busy at the oratory ...
In 2006, as he told in an interview: "I was lucky enough to know almost simultaneously, Daisy Clown e Magician Sales, two people who have made solidarity and giving themselves to others a reason for living: I owe everything I do to them ". With theAmbulaclaun di Margherito (historical clown therapist from Bergamo), who he considers his clown teacher, practically toured Italy during earthquakes and floods. And the foundation of Mago Sales (a Salesian priest-magician from Cuneo) still supports Pimpa's projects in Gaza and Iraq today.
Pimpa full time, "to make the sky smile"
Soon, ours became more and more passionate about the wonder he saw in the faces of the little spectators of his shows. And so he found himself in Gaza, invited by priests for make the children of war smile. He began to spend his holidays there, in the rubble of the war, there and then also in Iraq and Syria. More than once it happened that the bombs did not allow him to return to the Varese area among his pupils until November or December ... And then it was decided: he would toured the world "armed with a red nose", "to make the sky smile where bombs and tears fall". This is the mission of claun Pimpa "wherever the joy of children is lost".
A "miracle" of wonder
Since then he has done little miracles, with his magic, literally in the midst of the rubble. “I met Shamila in the hospital, under the bombs. It gave me so much hope because it was the first one that day that came with both arms and legs. And that he had passed the operation. After that, however, he no longer spoke. And my hope is gone ", Marco told Varese a few years ago. “She had every reason to keep quiet”: she was the only survivor of her family. Doctors, nurses, and psychologists tried everything to get him to talk again. In the end, they tried with the Pimpa. Which, “with a bit of rope and a little wonder”, made her smile. And he started talking again.
What's the catch ???
Today, when he does not perform shows in squares, schools or parishes, Pimpa (by the way: he wanted to call himself that to remember his dear grandfather Pin) does the "claun doctor" in hospitals or gives "magic lessons". Yes: it teaches adults and children how to become “magicians-clowns”. Or at least to make those around us smile. But how: the secret of the magicians is not just not to discover what trick is underneath? Maybe ... but Pimpa likes to see children smile even more than playing magic games - he explained it to his little students. “Then I will teach you cso you can use these secrets to make those around you smile a little" It's nice to make you smile! Also because, when you make someone smile, then you smile too! ".
The Pimpa has many friends
Around the Pimpa was born in 2015 the Volunteer Association “To Make the Sky Smile". The association takes care of children who have suffered physical and mental trauma as a result of a war that has been experienced or who are still experiencing; performs shows and clown therapy in the hospital; creates Schools of Magic and workshops for children and Magic-Clown workshops for adults, on site; it implements food and medical support actions for families in need, helping to rebuild houses destroyed by the war. The association collected and donated thousand of hot meals, health facilities, school kits and school days. Not counting 8 o'clock reconstructed houses, the 78 families supported and the 2.780 shows and workshops carried out by the volunteers. The result that is perhaps most dear to Pimpa is that more than 950.000 children have been given a smile.
Something beautiful…
The Pimpa is a claun, and he does not know the reason for the war ... but he knows that "it is a defeat of humanity". He found firsthand that "Whoever has a good thing to do does not think about going to war". For this they were born A Wonder of the School , Wonder Day. So at least the children of Al Mosader (Gaza) can "dream of doing something beautiful in life" and "go to school in order to make their dream come true".
Pimpa also knows that "if we thought of children, wars would end immediately ”.
This is why he invites us to think of them, to always take care of them and to give them wonder, smiles and hope.
