Christmas is fast approaching and everyone is busy buying presents for their loved ones. Gift giving is about spreading joy, and this Christmas, Aid to the Church in Need (Malta) is inviting families in Gozo to send a Christmas present to a child in Syria.

“No we’re not actually asking you to post toys and sweets to Aleppo. That would not be practical or even possible in a war situation. What we are suggesting is that you make a donation equal to whatever you plan to spend on a present for your child, nephew, niece or grandchild to ACN Malta’s “Christmas presents for Syria” campaign,” said ACN.

These donations will provide “Christmas Parcels” filled with warm clothes, food, toys, sweets, shoes and other essentials for displaced children and those who lost everything when their homes were bombed. With financial aid from ACN, local workers have been assembling many thousands of Christmas packages, ready for distribution to displaced families in need.

Thanks to the kindness of our benefactors, last year’s “Christmas Parcels” distribution was a great success, bringing Christmas cheer to 15,000 children in Iraq and over 7000 in Syria. The need is even greater this year, with so many families who have just been evacuated from East Aleppo, said ACN.

The ACN’s dedicated team members on the ground in West Aleppo continue to deliver food and other lifesaving aid amidst constantly changing conditions. The Sisters of Jesus and Mary go house-to-house providing food, money for rent and heating, warm clothes and medicine to support Syrian families through the winter.

Fr. Ibrahim makes sure that the families in his parish have at least a few hours of electricity and water each day. “It’s an absurd war. Those who suffer most are the weakest- in this case the children” he says.

“Share your love and prosperity with Syrian families – give them a Christmas gift they’ll never forget!” Please send a cheque made out to ACN (Malta) in an envelope marked “Christmas present for Syria” by regular post to the following address: ACN Malta, 39b, Mdina Road, Attard, ATD9038 Malta.

Donations can also be made via bank transfer to APS Bank, IBAN: MT72 APSB 7705 7008 5772 2000 1771 733. Please send an email with “Christmas present for Syria” in the title to info@acnmalta.org to let them know when the donation transfer payment was made.

ACN Malta is the local office of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN ), an international Catholic organisation which primarily strives to help nurture the faith and well-being of persecuted and suffering Christians worldwide. Founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten, whom St John Paul II named “An outstanding Apostle of Charity.” ACN supports important projects undertaken by the local Church (bishops, priests, Sisters and lay people) in over 140 countries including Iraq and Syria.

These range from giving aid to refugees and building churches to providing essential transport for our field workers and even distributing copies of our Child’s Bible.

Photograph by ACN: Volunteers preparing ACN Christmas parcels

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