Handling of the volcanic ash situation

I went to the airport on Sunday just to see how the situation of stranded travellers was being handled, and what a disappointment. EasyJet was making an effort and I know of one family who was given 11 days free accommodation. Air Malta, our national face to the tourist world... nothing because it's an act of God.

In all fairness to Air Malta, they did put on an extra flight to Rome while I was there, and I did see an employee passing out bottles of water. A very thoughtful gesture, but I'm not sure how much comfort it was to the young man with his wife and three kids trying to get back to the UK and his job, with a mortgage payment to make at the end of the month.

I was in Nova Scotia when Swiss Air 111 went down just off the coast. It was the height of the tourist season and everything was booked solid. The government put out an appeal to the public and within 24 hours they had more accommodation then needed in private homes, free, no charge!

I also remember reading about the province of Newfoundland (Canada) during the 9/11 crisis, when hundreds of planes landed in the community of Gander, population 9,000. Thousands of people were hosted by various small communities around Gander, for the duration.

I realise this is not on the same scale in terms of tragedy. However, it is a major financial crisis for some of the people stranded here. Maybe most of us haven't even thought of it yet, but can we help them?

This is what's called hospitality. Interesting that St Paul commented on the kindness and hospitality of the people of Malta when he was shipwrecked here. I wonder what he would say today?