Is-Sorijiet! Il-aħwa!

'Illum kelli nipprepara l-ikel ma’ tnejn mill-voluntiera, they are the best … (even though the food was not great lol).' 05-07-2016

'Bħalissa ninsab waqt l-adorazzjoni, u qed naħseb f’għaxar minuti ilu (fejn kissirna sodda). Nemmen li anke dak il-ħin kont qiegħed tidħak maghna, Mulej!!' 10-07-2016

'Fl-aħħar irnexxieli nibda konverżazzjoni ma’ dawk iż-żewġt itfal. Kollox beda minn tpinġija ta’ Mickey Mouse fuq il-coach.' 04-07-2017

'Illum ħadtha ‘off’ mis-summer camp. Ma tantx ħassejtni niflaħ. Qattajt il-ġurnata għand is-sisters. X’ċuċ hi n-nanna … ikel non-stop, minn filgħodu, sa waranofsinhar, sakemm waslu lura sħabi mill-camp. Sibt il-ħin biex nipprepara tpinġija bħala ringrazzjament għas-sorijiet u għall-membri l-oħra; tal-paċenzja li ħadu bija waqt li kont ma niflaħx.' 17-07-2017

'Hekk hu, meta saqsewni biex naqsam xi esperjenzi personali tal-volontarjat, ma ħsibthiex darbtejn biex immur naqra xi ħsibijiet reali li kienu jgħaddu minn moħħi f’dawk iż-żminijiet. Ngħiduha kif inhi, x’hemm iktar reali u isbaħ minn kitba jew ħsieb tal-‘mument’? Nista’ ngħid li fiż-żewġ esperjenzi ta’ volontarjat li kelli, ġewwa Firenze u ġewwa Palermo, tgħallimt napprezza kull mument tal-ġurnata. Tant hu hekk, li hekk kif kont insib ruħi waħdi qabel norqod, jew waqt xi ħin għall-kwiet, kont nintilef fi ħisbijieti u nirrifletti fuq il-ġurnata (niddubita kemm kont nagħmilha qabel l-irqad, għax naħseb stilel biss kont nara, imma nsomma, fhimtni).

Is-sabiħ tal-volontarjat huwa dak li tgħixu ma’ komunita’ (il-voluntiera u s-Sisters). Qatt ma nista’ ngħid li sibt ruħi waħdi, għax b’xi mod, dejjem qsamt x’kien għaddej fuq moħħi mal-oħrajn. Niftakarni nifforma ħbiberiji tassew sbieħ minn qabel l-esperjenzi li seħħew f’Lulju.Waqt il-formazzjoni tal-grupp, li tibda ferm qabel, sirt naf il-voluntiera Maltin l-oħra aħjar. Ma nistax ngħid li ntoppi ma nqalgħux tul l-esperjenzi iżda b’xi mod, dejjem wasalna għal xi ftehim u ħdimna bħala tim wieħed.Is-Sorijiet! Il-aħwa! Kemm Firenze u kif ukoll Palermo, dejjem sibna xi voluntiera minn tagħhom jistennewna l-ajruport sabiex iwassluna għandhom, bil-karozza. Kont naħsibni li jien biss naf nilqa’ n-nies u ndur bihom ġewwa l-lukandi (peress li dak iż-żmien kont naħdem fis-settur tat-turiżmu). Kemm kont sejra żmerċ! Naħseb qatt ma lqajt lil xi ħadd b’daqshekk ferħ, entużjażmu u tbissima sinċiera daqs kemm laqawna s-Sorijiet.

Fl-ewwel esperjenza tiegħi, ġewwa Firenze, vera kont eċitata li ser niltaqa’ magħhom ‘live’ għal-ewwel darba. Dan għaliex, f’moħħi meta kont issemmili l-MC’s (Missionaries of Charity), kull ma kienet tiġi f’moħħi kienet Mother Teresa fuq xi santa, fuq xi magazine jew fuq xi artiklu.Wasal ukoll il-ħin li kelli niltaqa’ mat-tfal li kienu jattendu dan is-summer camp. Ma nistax ngħid li l-lingwa kienet barrier għax it-Taljan nifhmu u nitkellmu sew, iżda nemmen li, anke jekk ma kontx naf nitkellem il-lingwa, b’xi mod dejjem kienet tasal l-imħabba lejn it-tfal. Filfatt, il-ħafna drabi li ħassejtni l-iktar qrib ta’ dawn it-tfal huma dawk il-mumenti meta kont npoġġi ħdejhom fuq il-coach, u naqbdu npinġu fuq din il-karta mgħaffġa. Ħarsa waħda kienet isservi biex nifhem li t-tfal kienu jkunu ferħanin bil-preżenza tiegħi waqt dak il-mument.Wasal ukoll il-ħin fejn kont niddubita fija nniffsi; u għax tifel kien jitkerraħli jew kien jissuppervja quddiemi, kont neħodha personali u kont nagħmel ġurnata bin-nervi. Darba biss ġrat, tafx! Allaħares ma’ kull ħarsa kerha tinbidilli l-ġurnata u nħalli impatt negattiv fuq tfal oħra! .

Ma nistax nagħlaq mingħajr ma nsemmi l-Adorazzjoni, li għal ħafna, inkluża jien, kien meqjus bħala ‘’il-ħin tal-mistrieħ’, fil-veru sens tal-kelma. Fl-ewwel sena tiegħi ġewwa Firenze, kont nqatta’ ħafna mill-ħin tal-Adorazzjoni nogħnos. Kont inkun wisq għejjiena biex nipprova nitlob, jew nirrifletti dak il-ħin. Fit-tieni sena ġewwa Palermo ppruvajt nagħti xejra oħra lill-Adorazzjoni. Waqt dan il-ħin kont bdejt nipprova nagħraf iktar l-azzjonijiet tiegħi u xi stajt nagħmel aħjar matul il-ġuranta. Kien hemm waqtiet fejn kont inqatta’ siegħa niċċassa lejn l-Ewkaristija. Hekk hu, ‘niċċassa’, imma tal-inqas mhux rieqda. Nemmen li dik is-siegħa għall-kwiet kienet tagħtini boost għal ġurnata oħra.Minn esperjenza personali, l-Adorazzjoni nħobb nqabbilha mal-ġelat favorit tiegħi, Maxibon. L-ewwel sena ġewwa Firenze kelli l-Maxibon magħluq, fejn kont nosservah biss mill-bogħod u nimmaġina t-togħma tajba li kellu filwaqt li fit-tieni sena ġewwa Palermo, iddeċidejt li niftaħ il-Maxibon, fejn irnexxieli nduqu u tassew stajt ngħid "xi tjubija!" '.

Deborah Debono – Aġenzija Sapport

A blessing beyond words

Back in January 2018, I had applied to go to a voluntary experience in London with the aim in mind of helping others. I wanted to spend a few weeks where I could solely give my energy and time to people who would have needed it. Little did I know how much more I would be receiving back through this experience.

When I was approached to write a few words regarding my experience doing voluntary work, I didn’t know where I would start or what I would say, as the experience was such a blessing beyond words. Living with the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity taught me so much. Their simplistic and poor way of living, and yet immense happiness and joy with the little things of life, is something I wanted to carry back home with me. Working with the children during the Summer Camp was also a blessing in itself. Taking care of the children was obviously not without its struggles, but it was very rewarding to see them enjoy themselves and to see them grow fond of us volunteers as the days passed by. Through the whole experience, I was also able to make and establish friendships with the rest of my community which I cherish to this day. Going through the experience with another 12 individuals means you always find someone to share the laughter, frustration, tears and joy with.

Apart from all of this, London was a place that made me aware of God’s presence in my life, something which I wasn’t aware of before. My faith grew tenfold from this experience and I am deeply grateful for this. It really is very hard to describe what a beautiful experience going on voluntary work is. It is an opportunity that I had which I am very grateful for and I suggest it to anyone who would be interested.

I also want to encourage anyone who might be apprehensive and think that their lack of faith will stop them from enjoying the experience. Don’t let fear or apprehension stop you! Apply, you will not regret it. “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Maria Ciantar – Child Care Worker, London 2018