I heartfully thank the Mission Fund for the generous remittance of €2,000 sent to me so that I can continue to help families living in four poor villages in the mountains of north Albania, where I am serving as a Catholic priest.

Besides the pastoral work as a priest, I am glad that I can offer some humanitarian help to so many poor families. I feel it is a duty and also an honour.

Together with the help of the Franciscan Sisters, I am trying to help the poorest families in these ways: giving out food hampers three times a year (Easter, Christmas and Santa Marija) to 300 families; paying for medical expenses; encouraging parents to pay more attention to the dental health of their children; helping out with the expenses for the lodging incurred by university students staying in Tirana or Shkoder; paying for the transport fees for secondary school students and for the books for primary school students; organising and sponsoring six-a-side football games, so popular here and so badly needed in such a depressing area of the country.

Capitalising on the extraordinary interest in sports here, we try to organise activities for our youths, a category of the community that is suffering most from the dire economic and social situation of the country.

Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year call to be merciful as our Father in Heaven comes about so naturally here. We cannot cater for everybody’s needs but we do try hard. After all, we have to show the people that we care for them… it is the gesture that counts. We are here to bring about a smile.

Donations can be sent to Mission Fund by direct transfer.