Earlier this month Fr. Anthony Zammit, a missionary priest from Victoria, Gozo, visited Sri Lanka where he said he met a young boy who “stole his heart when he discovered that this boy had never been able to walk.”

On his return to Gozo Fr. Anthony got in contact with the Foundations ‘Mintix Wahdek’ and ‘Missionary Knights,’ to try and locate a wheelchair for this boy, as well as some summer clothes for an orphanage of girls.

Paul Zahra of Floriana Bicycles donated a brand new red wheelchair and Fr. Anthony took it straight to the airport along with a bag full of swimwear kindly donated by Manuel Sultana of Intimissimo in Capuchins Street, Victoria, Gozo.

Emirates Airline gave its generous help by delivering the goods free of charge and they were in Sri Lanka the next day. However, it took a little time to organise the donation of the wheel chair. Fr. Anthony suggested that the presentation should be made in the 3 star Hotel Yapahuwa Paradise “so that the boy will have the opportunity, if only once in his life, to see a hotel.”

The hotel Manager Mr Sunil Perera presented the chair on behalf of the Foundations ‘Mintix Wahdek’ and ‘MissionaryKnights.’ The boy was accompanied by his parents, two of his teachers, Sugatt and Wasantha and the driver’s family Nimal, his wife Suarna and their son Dimetel.

“We send food, clothes, toys and 101 other things to be distributed to the poor,” says Fr. Anthony, but is this eradicating poverty or is it hammering the reality deeper into the poor people’s mind and heart?”

Fr. Anthony said that whenever he distributes items to the poor he never allowed queues, “because all the time that a child is waiting his turn, he is reminding himself that he is poor!

“He believes that he is poor and he will remain poor all his life. Tell a child that he is intelligent and he will prove you right. The best way to give gifts to the poor is either by rewarding them for their effort in study, or an achievement, or serve them a hot chocolate and a bun during the interval of for example, a Puppet Show.”

“What a great physiological message it would give to the child!” Fr. Anthony said, “see you are like royalty; you are being served on a tray. Sit there and relax. Eradicating poverty means educating the poor, convincing them that they are not poor in their pockets, but in their belief.”

Now Fr. Anthony would like to purchase a Heavy Duty Singer sewing Machine to send to the Girl’s orphanage in Sri Lanka. It costs €240.00. Fr, Anthony said that “if there is anybody who would like to help him purchase this very important machine which will greatly enrich these orphan girls, please contact him on 79 914800.”

Permalink: Donation of a wheel chair and clothing arrives in Sri Lanka