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Malti[:mt]Ivana: Matul dan iż-żmien tal-COVID-19, qed ngħix waħda mill-isbaħ esperjenzi ta’ ħajti. Nagħti s-sehem tiegħi f’Ċentru għal nies vulnerabbli, iżda meta l-pandemija waslet hawn Malta, dan iċ-ċentru kellu jagħlaq il-bibien tiegħu. In-nies li jiġu għall-għajnuna nafhom sew u ħassejt li ma stajtx nabbandunhom. Għalhekk offrejt li nibqa’ nagħmel ix-xogħol li kont qed nagħmel mid-dar tiegħi. Dan kien ifisser li kelli nwassal affarijiet tal-ikel u xi ikliet imsajrin lil bosta familji.
Iżda mill-ewwel sibt ħafna għajnuna: kien hemm min offra l-affarijiet u kien hemm ukoll numru ta’ voluntiera li offrew li jmorru jqassmuhom f’diversi postijiet ta’ Malta. Ħbiebi tal-Fokolar u oħrajn offrew is-servizz tagħhom. Id-dawl ta’ Ġesu’ f’nofsna għenna biex naslu għal dak kollu li kellna bżonn u kollox mexa sew.
Aktar ‘l quddiem ġejt avviċinata minn confectioner magħruf li xtaq jagħti xi affarijiet tal-ikel għall-Ħadd il-Għid lil 200 ruħ. Emmint li Alla għandu l-mod tiegħu kif jaħdem, u kont naf li ser insib l-għajuna biex nagħmel dan. Mill-ewwel sibt disa’ voluntiera lesti biex iqassmu dan l-ikel. Fosthom kien hemm żewġi, binti u xi ħbieb tal-fokolare: grupp tassew sabiħ li ma’ kull kaxxa u bajda tal-Għid wasslu wkoll l-imħabba anki lil dawk it-tfal kollha li ltaqgħu magħhom.
Steph: Meta bdiet il-pandemija tal-Covid-19, kien hemm numru ta’ nies mill-parroċċa tiegħi li mill-ewwel bdew jorganizzaw ruħhom biex jgħinu fejn jidħol it-tqassim tal-ikel lill-anzjani. Kont lesta li ngħin iżda qatt ma sejħuli għaliex in-nies tal-ħwienet bdew imorru huma stess iqassmu x-xirjiet. Għalhekk meta sirt naf li kien hemm bżonn ta’ voluntiera biex iqassmu affarijiet tal-ikel lil dawk fil-bżonn kont kuntenta li stajt ngħin. Ħassejt li l-proxxmu jrid jiġi qabel kollox, u li kien hemm bżonn ma nibqax komda d-dar. Xtaqt ukoll ngħix ir-Randan b’mod aktar sħiħ.
Kollox mar tajjeb meta morna nqassmu l-ikel u n-nies kienu kuntenti ħafna. Imbagħad ġejt mitluba ngħin fit-tqassim tal-ikel f’Ħadd il-Għid. F’kull basket tal-ikel kien hemm ukoll talba ta’ ringrazzjament lil Alla u bajd tal-Għid għat-tfal.
Ħadna l-prekawzjonijiet kollha: żammejna d-distanza meħtieġa u wżajna wkoll is-sanitizer. Għal darb’oħra stajt nara lil Kristu f’għajnejn dawk li morna nżuruhom, u l-ferħ li ħassejt f’dan Ħadd il-Għid kien tassew xi ħaġa speċjali.
Meta mort lura d-dar sibt li r-raġel u t-tifla kienu ħejjew ikla tassew tajba u l-boyfriend tat-tifla ħa ħsieb jara li fil-ġnien kollox kien f’postu biex niċċelebraw flimkien l-ikla tal-Għid. Ħassejt l-imħabba tagħhom u rajt kemm hu veru l-kliem tal-Vanġelu: “Agħti u jingħatalek!”.
Julia: Meta ġejt mitluba biex ngħin fit-tqassim tal-ikel f’Ħadd il-Għid mill-ewwel aċċettajt, għalkemm stajt nara li kien hemm xi wħud fil-familja li bdew jibżgħu xi ftit li kont ser immur fid-djar tan-nies minħabba l-pandemija.
Wasal Ħadd il-Għid u morna l-Belt niġbru l-ikel li konna ser inqassmu. Poġġejnieh fil-karrozza tagħna; iżda meta lestejna u ġejna biex nitilqu, il-karrozza ma riedet tistartja b’xejn. Ħsiebi mill-ewwel mar fuq il-familji li kienu qed jistennew l-ikel li kellna noħdulhom. Fdajt kollox f’idejH u flimkien maI-mama li wkoll kienet qed tgħin, ippruvajna naraw x’nistgħu nagħmlu. Ċempilna lill-papa, li telaq kollox u ġie biex jara kif seta’ jgħinna.
Minħabba li kien Ħadd il-Għid ma kienx faċli ssib towing service. Iżda l-papa li tant hu kreattiv f’imħabbtu sab rimedju u fi ftit ħin rajna jasal tow truck u jipparkja viċin tagħna. Id-driver ta ħarsa lejn il-karrozza u offra li jipprova jistartjaha.
Intant il-mama u jiena tlaqna biex immorru nqassmu l-ikel għax ma xtaqniex inkunu tard, u l-papa baqa’ hemm jara x’ser isir mill-karrozza. Fi ftit ħin id-driver tat-tow truck irranġa u l-karrozza bdiet taħdem, u dan ma ried ebda ħlas. Meta spiċċajna nqassmu l-ikel u wasalna lura d-dar, il-papa kien ġa qiegħed hemm.
Kien Ħadd il-Għid tassew speċjali. Tajna l-imħabba u rċevejna l-imħabba. Tant ħassejtni tajba waqt li kont qed inkellem lil dawk li morna nżuruhom għalkemm kellna nżommu ‘l bogħod minn xulxin. Ħassejtni tassew kuntenta![:en]Ivana: I have been living this COVID-19 as one of the most beautiful experiences in my life. I normally work at a Centre for vulnerable people, however this centre had to close its doors when the pandemic reached Malta. I know our service users well and felt I could not abandon them so I volunteered to work from home. Food stuff and meals needed to be supplied and delivered to many families.
I immediately found the support of a number of NGOs offering the supplies that were mostly needed. Volunteers were also needed to distribute this food stuff all over the island. Friends of the Focolare and others offered their services. With Jesus in the midst, we found all the help I needed and everything worked like clockwork.
I was later approached by a well-known confectioner, who wanted to give packs of party food on Easter Sunday to 200 individuals. Again, because I believe that God works in His own ways, I knew I would find help and soon had nine volunteers willing to distribute this food. This included my husband and my daughter, and some Focolare friends who formed part of an amazing group and truly delivered their love through each box and Easter egg that was given to every child.
Steph: When the Covid-19 Pandemic broke out, a number of members from my parish Community quickly got together to organize the help needed to distribute food to the elderly. I volunteered but I was never called as groceries started being delivered by the shopkeepers themselves. So when I got to know through Ivana that volunteers were needed to distribute food to people in need, I was glad to accept. I felt I had to put my neighbour before everything else and go out of my comfort zone, my home. I also wanted to live this special time of Lent joyfully and to the full. Thankfully, all went well on the day. The people were so happy to receive their provisions. I was then asked to distribute food again on Easter Sunday. The bags of food also had a prayer included giving thanks to God for all His goodness. There were also big Easter eggs for the children.
All the necessary precautions were taken: distance was kept and hands were sanitised! Once more I could see Christ in the eyes of the people we visited. The joy I experienced during this Sunday was really special.
When I returned home I found that my husband and my daughter prepared a marvellous Easter lunch, while my daughter’s boyfriend made sure that our garden looked all set for the occasion. I felt truly loved. I experienced the words of the Gospel: “Give and it shall be given unto you”.
Julia: When I was asked if I could help to distribute food on Easter Sunday I accepted straight away even though there were family relations who were slightly worried about me going to people’s homes in this pandemic.
On Easter Sunday, we went to in Valletta to put the food packs in our car. But when we were ready to start our visits, our car would not start. My first thought went to the families waiting for the food in their homes. I immediately entrusted everything to Him and together with my mother who was helping with the distribution, looked for a solution. We phoned my father, who immediately left everything he was doing to come over to help.
Being Easter Sunday it was not easy to find a towing service. However, Dad is very creative in demonstrating His love. In fact a few minutes later a tow truck arrived and parked nearby. When we asked him for help, he offered to start the car. In the mean time my Mum and I left to distribute the food, so as not to be late and we left dad with the broken down car. It only took the tow truck driver a couple of minutes to restart the car and he did not want any kind of payment. It was a blessing for us to be receivers of his love
When we arrived home after our visits to the families, my father was already home.
This was a very special Easter Sunday. I felt so good talking to the people we visited even though we had to keep a certain distance away from them. I really felt great joy![:]
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