Surprising free gifts

Would you not leap at the thought of free gifts? About 120 University students did just that in their first semester this scholastic year. It's just that these free gifts are not your ordinary gifts of books, make-up or vouchers but much more. And, it was not just getting free gifts but more importantly giving them.

The Free Gifts Campaign is organised by the KSU-Chaplaincy Voluntary Sub-Committee. This campaign encourages all University students to give of their free time, energy and talents to others who need attention and care.

In this first semester, about 25 students spent time with children at Dar Merhba Bik, St Joseph Home in St Venera and St Joseph Home in Zabbar. Another group visited Holy Family Home in Naxxar regularly to befriend senior citizens, helping them out at mealtimes. Others chose to help persons with special needs in their craft sessions. Most went to Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija and others helped STAND.

A group of about 30 students chose to stretch beyond their comfort zones and reach out to asylum seekers who are living in the open centres at Balzan and at Hal Far. They worked with the children there or shared some free time with the adults, sometimes even teaching them English or Maltese. A smaller group chose to work in the environment, teaming up with Nature Trust to work in their projects.

Most students came with great generosity and enthusiasm to give, but throughout the experience they realised that they had received much more than they had given!

Many felt that this experience helped them grow in their self-worth.

The voluntary work initiatives also helped students to grow in communicating with others and working in a team.

Others grow in a greater sense of understanding issues and realities in our world. This was mostly the experience of students who worked with refugees. When listening to their stories, they understood much more about the phenomenon of illegal immigration and structures in the world which lead to poverty and war.

At times these gifts come in disguise and are ones which help students grow in areas which are essential to life even if they are not always enjoyable: "I do not always feel useful. However, I still keep going and try my best, knowing that I should be there not for my immediate satisfaction and knowing also that results usually come gradually with time," said Mark, an engineering student.

It is these unexpected gifts which also help the students to continue offering their time even though they have much to study. As Elizabeth, who went to Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija, commented: "Once you see their smiling faces, you cannot resist coming to this place, even though we are hard pressed for time with our studies!"

And these gifts, most students realised, "are ones which last longer than our Christmas or birthday presents and certainly longer than the buzz of a night out. It has given colour and meaning to our life!"

The Free Gifts campaign is to be launched again in the second semester. Some new opportunities will be offered, including: playing with children at hospital; working with the Third World Group in literacy and after school projects in Valletta; as well as feeding and taking care of animals. The date and time of when students do this voluntary work is established with great flexibility according to their availability and that of the project with whom they are working. Any interested University students can obtain more information or an application by writing to voluntary@ksu.org.mt; chaplaincy@um.edu.mt or by calling 2340-2341 and asking for Christine Sammut or Fr Jimmy Bartolo, SJ.