Lourdes will be transformed into a massive, colourful playground next month as thousands of children with medical problems will gather there to mark the 150th anniversary since the apparitions of Our Lady to Saint Bernadette.
Assoċjazzjoni Voluntarji Lourdes (AVL) is hoping to take up a group of Maltese children to the event, that will span between June 22 and 28, aiming to offer them a holiday to remember - but the association first needs help with the funds to make this happen.
"Our dream is to sponsor each child," the chairman of the pilgrimage's organising committee, Jean Paul Fabri, said as he noted that it would cost €600 (Lm258) to sponsor each child and offer them a much deserved distraction from their daily ailments.
During the June pilgrimage children from each country will be assigned a colour as well as a symbol of St Bernadette. Malta's colour will be yellow and children will go bearing the symbolic sculpture of a sheep which they will place at the foot of the statue of the saint once in Lourdes, France.
Mr Fabri explained that every September AVL organises an annual pilgrimage to Lourdes but, this year, they will also be undertaking a special pilgrimage in June specifically for children to mark the 150th anniversary.
Each year AVL carries out a series of fund-raising activities to sponsor the annual pilgrimage and, this year, more funds are necessary since there will be two trips.
Throughout the years patients ranging in age from a few months old to believers in their 90s, and with a variety of medical conditions, have joined the pilgrimage. A few months before the September trip the applications are released and a panel of doctors consult the patient's personal doctors and choose the most deserving cases to attend, Mr Fabri explained.
A total of 300 people, including patients, family, helpers and the medical team are flown out on two planes. Each patient has one or two helpers assigned, depending on the case. Confidentiality is ensured and helpers will not know what condition the patient suffers from unless the patient chooses to disclose it.
"What distinguishes AVL is that we are not afraid to take these people up to Lourdes. We give them the feeling of being on holiday and, in fact, we stay in a hotel and not a hospital. This is more tiring for the helpers and medical team. However, we keep in mind that these people spend most of their life in a hospital. We also make sure that their accompanying family member takes a break," he said.
The hotel would be turned into a "mini hospital" and two rooms would be taken up by oxygen tanks and medicines. Renal patients are also provided with dialysis machines.
The religious element might be strong in Lourdes but, contrary to public perception, the whole experience does not involve 24 hours of prayer.
"There is a time for everything in Lourdes. It's actually fun and patients and helpers go out in the evenings and even go shopping," he said.
Mr Fabri went on to add that people go there thinking that they will see people on wheelchairs stand up and walk. But the biggest miracle of Lourdes is experienced by the helpers, who realise how trivial their daily complaints are on seeing sick people joking and laughing and maintaining their faith. The experience also gives patients and their family courage and faith.
"I've always told people that once you pop you can't stop with Lourdes. It's the miracle of Lourdes and you get attached to it. I like to think of it as a yearly pit stop," he said.
Anyone wishing to make a donation to sponsor a child's trip to Lourdes may make a deposit in HSBC bank account 0332 0313 4050. For more information on funding the pilgrimage or about joining the trip phone 2134 5523 or 9947 7537 or e-mail avl@waldonet.net.mt.