Fourteen youths from the Għarb Parish Centre, led by the tireless parochial collaboratorFr. Dominic Sultana, have successfully ended a week-long missionary experience in my parish of Torovice, in the mountainous north of Albania.

I would like to thank them all for their care and generosity. They left us so much joy, badly needed in an area where unemployment is rife, the social service hardly exists and all the young people are desperate to flee the country.

These youths worked so hard! They handed a hamper (including rice, flour, macaroni, edible oil and so on) to 150 poor families of Malecaj, on their first day.

They took great pains to refurbish three dilapidated houses in the Shkembi i Kuq village. With the help of our English friends from Sheffield, these houses were supplied with the badly needed furniture.

Together with some Albanian youths, we fitted in an excursion that took us through the rugged mountainous region surrounding Lake Koman and Montenegro.

Above all, these Għarb youths did this voluntary work with dedication and love. They were so full of life and joy that they brightened up the atmosphere, wherever they were called to help out. Indeed they are so different in character but so united in purpose and dedication.

Thumbs up to Fr Dominic who organised this trip and to each and every one of the Għarb boys’ group. Thanks to the archpriest Fr Joseph Sultana, clergy and the parish of Għarb, who gladly supported this initiative which, concretely, amounts to a vote ofconfidence in the youths ofthe parish. A very good investment indeed.

These boys, in their genuine and dedicated effort to helpothers, have given us a lot of wealth.  And I am sure that this experience will help them too.

Thanks to the wonderful Għarb boys!