This is a long overdue letter that I am writing to thank the Mission Fund, which, through its representative, Sperry Xuereb, very generously donated €1,500 to each of our missions in Asia.
I met this dynamic lady at our convent in Mdina, where she kindly came to meet us, because Sr Dolores Fenech was still recovering from a knee replacement operation she had undergone in Taiwan.
Taiwan is real mission country. Only about four per cent of the population are Christian. Here we work in the city of Chungli. We collaborate with the parish priest in the parish of the Sacred Heart and with the Hope Worker Centre, run by the Colomban Fathers, which caters for migrant workers, mainly Filipinos.
The migrants know that the Hope Worker Centre staff will help them in the problems that arise from working in a foreign country. Often, we have poor migrants lodging in our hostel while their problems are sorted out.
On the other hand, I represent our mission in the Philippines, which is a very different reality. You have probably heard of our House of Formation and our projects with the poor of our area, which Sr Annie Catania organises.
I confirm all that Francesca Agius-Vadalà wrote about the situation in the depressed areas around us (September 17). This does not deny the existence of people living in cities like Makati or those living in different levels of gated communities, where the professionals and the super rich live in luxury.
As Dorotheans we believe that education is the best passport out of poverty. Although we do not have a school here, we run projects that educate.
In the Feeding Programme, undernourished children are given pre-school education, followed by a midday meal. At the same time, their mothers are given livelihood courses. Some mothers are already using what they learnt to earn a living. The cupcakes and sweets Sr Annie and her team are making are gaining in popularity, as is also the making of school uniforms.
Under another project, the pastoral care of children, the mothers themselves make the food supplement out of local products and a monthly supply is given to each child and pregnant mother. The local Knights of Malta and other benefactors provide us with medicines and Filipino doctors offer their services free. Lectures on important topics are offered while our young nuns organise games for the children.
On behalf of the Sisters of St Dorothy of St Paula Frassinetti, I thank the Mission Fund for its generosity and also encourage you to be generous.
Assuring you of our prayers.