Colombo (AsiaNews) - A group of 130 volunteers from the Society of St. Vincent of the Archdiocese of Colombo visited a few refugee families from the village of Adampan in Mannar district for Christmas, taking them as gifts, aid amounting to 3 million rupees, the equivalent of 18 thousand euro. Fr. Mahendra Gunatileke, spiritual director of St. Vincent of the deanery of Kandana, tells AsiaNews: "We delivered parcels containing new clothing, bedding, shoes, stationery, cleaning materials and other things to about 450 Hindu and Catholic families. Each of them received aid for a value of about 5 thousand rupees. "
The meeting between the group from Colombo and the families of Adampan was a festive party. They gathered in the village parish hall spending three hours together (photo). Fr. Mahendra says: "They told us that this is the first Christmas they have received gifts from people who come from outside and thanked us warmly."
The collection of Christmas gifts brought to Adampan began in November and involved all the faithful of the Kandana deanery. They responded enthusiastically to the invitation to donate something, via St Vincent de Paul, for former war refugees from the diocese of Mannar.
The trip to the village and the area until recently, the theatre of war between the army and Tamil Tigers, was also an opportunity to enlighten the 130 members of the group from Colombo. "Only when we were with them - says Fr Mahendra – could we understand the real conditions they face and their immense need for help". He adds: "Their warm smiles revealed their profound gratitude to welcome their brothers who travelled from afar to their very doorsteps to share in the hardships which they live".