US gratitude for humanitarian assistance

Having communicated in detail the extraordinary assistance of the government of Malta, I am writing on behalf of President Barack Obama and the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton to express the heartfelt gratitude of the United States for Malta’s substantial humanitarian assistance in the provision of medical care, security and immigration services for those Americans being evacuated from the present violence in Libya.

At times like this, it is important all Maltese and Americans differentiate the people of Libya, often described as generous in nature, from a murderous tyrant. A Maltese passenger on our rescue ferry made the point nicely in recounting how Libyan guards assisted her board our boat. In my daily prayers for the safety of all aboard the ferry, I counted upon that same human decency to transcend momentary ideological madness.

As many know, I have been studying Maltese, and while I cannot ask either President Obama or Secretary Clinton to have more trust in my translation than my linguistic skills warrant, let me rely upon a few words in Maltese, hoping that, when understood, I have done more than just order lunch:

“Malta wriet għal darb’oħra li għalkemm ġeografikament hija żgħira, il-poplu tagħha għandu qalb kbira u m’hemmx dubju li huwa denju tad-deskrizzjoni li tinsab fl-Atti ta’ l-Appostli li tgħid ‘urew magħna ħlewwa li ma bħalha.’ U hekk ikun!”

A final word of thanks to the many Maltese citizens who supported Fr Dionisius Mintoff’s Peace Lab in Ħal Far by making a donation to attend the premiere of The Way, starring Martin Sheen. Fr Mintoff’s work on behalf of refugees and others displaced from their homes has been valued for many years and soon may be in even greater need. The movie was eċċellenti, Martin and grandson Taylor Estevez were generous with their time, and all that is left to say is: Prosit!