Fr. Mario Pacifici says if we give something of ourselves we do not lose anything, but rather “make a deposit in the bank of love” that accumulates sooner or later with an interest that “far exceeds that of any bank”. He has said this in his Advent Message written in Italian to both his friends and friends of Andiamo Youth Cooperative Trust (AYCT) where he is the founding trustee.
In the letter, he says that these days that accompany us to the feast of Christmas, he is reminded of one of the first sayings he learned in Malawi, like “Kupatsa n’kuika (Giving is investing) and “Mulungu awonjezele pamene mwachotsapo” (God should give you more than what you have given).
Fr. Mario writes that after years quite a number of his missionary life he recognizes the truth of these proverbs, because what he has received and kept in his heart and in his daily life “is really much and great joy, although there are sufferings”.
He has since asked both his friends and those of Andiamo to be generous in doing many acts of solidarity large or small, but always done with passion and heart wide open.
“The Advent journey brings us quickly to the Christmas party that makes us live joyfully welcoming of baby Jesus, God’s great gift to humanity,” he writes.
He continues to say, that “our gratitude to God can only be lived and expressed in the reciprocal of brothers and sisters near and far, convinced that if we give something of ourselves for the fraternal welcome we do not lose anything, but rather make a deposit in the bank of love to pick up sooner or later with an interest that far exceeds that of any bank.”
“For those who risk boundless love and endless colours, love is to share the little or much that we are and have, because love is surpassed only by love, by multiplying the joy and halving the suffering.”
In the letter, Fr. Mario talks of the record number of patients Comfort Community Hospital (CCH) in Balaka has reached this year. This year CCH has treated over 60,000 patients and through the generous donations of both individuals and organisations, kids have received food and medication for free.
By P.K.B