As a family offers warm food for the poor people

The community in Gubrie built a Dining Room for the poor in the mission. Since the mission has been in Gubrie, the community welcomes so many poor people daily, so the idea of building the Dining Room was born from the need of the society. Although the sisters have been offering some food for them, they wanted to make a warm and welcoming environment as a family.

Every day many poor people are coming to ask for help in various ways and many of them ask for food. In this Dining Room, we can welcome anyone with a spirit of family. When we see that people are very happy and feel comfortable eating and stay with us, we are happy too. Sr. Rosaria is responsible for this duty and the whole community works together to welcome people. As we want to see Jesus Christ in everyone, these poor people are Jesus Christ who visits us every day.

As this Dining Room is becoming known to the people, more poor and hungry children are coming and asking the sisters for a meal. One day two boys came and said to sr. Rosaria, with very small voices: “Sister, Mesa (which means lunch)”. Sr. Rosaria welcomed them, offered a meal, and helped them to eat. Children and poor elderly people can find a family in this Dining Room.

A place of solidarity.

This Dining Room is not only for the poor but for other people who can eat a good meal with good payment. The idea to have people, who can pay for food, is to help the poor. So, the more people come to eat, the more people can receive help. It is a circle of solidarity.

On the first day of the Dining Room, we offered food for many people who could pay and many poor children. While Sr. Rosaria was assisting the children, many people saw how Sr. Rosaria was serving and offering a meal for them. All of a sudden a man brought a bunch of bananas to offer as well. He just wanted to offer them. It was a start to make this place a place of solidarity. We do not preach but our action gives a strong testimony and teaching.

There is another example. A few weeks ago, this young worker offered five meals for others. He spoke. “I have seen you working and giving food to the poor. Today I want to pay for five people as you do.

This young worker comes into our Dining Room almost every day and we know that he is not rich at all. Probably he is an honest and diligent worker. Our Dining Room resounds an echo of solidarity, and we are hearing the echo from others as well.

The Dining Room becomes a living place of solidarity and education for the people to have a sensibility toward the poor and to practice charity.

We express our gratitude to all the benefactors who helped us with great generosity to prepare this Dining Room for the people. We give thanks to God who is present among us and is showing us this beautiful solidarity.

Sr. Rosaria often call the poor, “oh povero Cristo!”. We meet Jesus daily in the poor and we see his presence from the people of goodwill and solidarity!