[:mt]Siġra tal-Milied għar-refuġjati[:en]A Christmas tree for the refugees[:]

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Meta waħda mill-grupp tagħna qaltilna li għandha siġra kbira tal-Milied li xtaqet tagħtiha, mill-ewwel bdejt naħseb kif l-aħjar stajna nagħmlu użu minnha. Ġa kont qed nara xi stajna nagħmlu f’dan il-Milied biex nuru l-imħabba tagħna lir-refuġjati li hemm fid-dar tal-Bon Pastur, Ħal-Balzan. Lil dawn immorru nżuruhom darba fix-xahar, u s-soltu norganizzawlhom festin ċkejken, iżda din is-sena, minħabba l-Covid-19, ma stajniex nagħmlu dan.

Għalhekk f’qalbi għidt: din is-siġra tal-Milied Ġesu’ pprovidieha għad-dar tal-Bon Pastur! F’din id-dar hemm mal-250 refuġjat, il-biċċa l-kbira familji żgħar li għandhom tfal ċkejknin, u allura ftit aktar atmosfera ferrieħa tal-Milied  żgur li setgħet tkun apprezzata. Din l-idea għoġbot anki lill-ħabiba tagħna li kienet lesta li tagħti  s-siġra, u l-amministratur tad-dar laqagħha b’idejh miftuħa. Urejna x-xewqa li titpoġġa f’post fejn seta’ jgawdiha kulħadd.

Ma ħadniex biss is-siġra għax kien hemm xi ħadd li offra t-tiżjin u xi ħaddieħor li offra d-dwal. Ħabiba mill-Knisja Anglikana, li tiġi magħna kull xahar biex iżżur lir-refuġjati, ħasbet ukoll għar-rigali. Meta morna b’din-siġra, iltqajna ma’ raġel mill-Eritrea u mat-tifla tiegħu li għandha erba’ snin u s-security guard mis-Serbia ħadilna xi ritratti flimkien quddiem is-siġra.

Morna lura d-dar b’ ferħ kbir. Kemm hu veru dak li jgħid Papa Franġisku! Tassew li l-ispirtu  tal-Milied inħossuh meta nagħmlu bħalma għamel Ġesu’: ninsew lilna nfusna biex noħorġu għall-oħrajn, l-aktar għal dawk fil-bżonn u mwarrba mis-soċjeta’.

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When Miriam told us she had a large seven foot Christmas tree which she wished to donate, I immediately started thinking how to make the best use of it. I had been wondering how to bring Christmas love to the refugees at Bon Pastur home, Balzan. We visit them once a month, and for Christmas usually we have a small party. But with Covid-19 this would not be possible this year.

Suddenly I realised, what Jesus wanted-a Christmas tree for the Bon Pastur home, where 250 refugees live, they are young families with babies and children. They would surely appreciate a little Christmas cheer in their home. Miriam was very glad when I told her. Francis, the administrator of the home was also very welcoming.

So I took the tree, and told him I wished it to be put up at the entrance, so that all the refugees would lighten their hearts, and the hearts of the passers-by. Giuliana, another friend promptly offered the decorations, and Jane quipped in with the lights. Elizabeth, my Anglican friend, who also joins us on our monthly visits, came along with gifts for all. We managed to greet an Eritrean father with his four year old daughter when we went there, and the Serbian security guard took photos of us in front of the tree. We all came back home with our hearts overflowing with joy.

How true it is what Pope Francis tells us that the true Christmas spirit is felt when we go out of our selves for others, as Jesus did for us, especially for the poorer and more marginalised members of our society.

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