On Tuesday evening we attended a 'fund-raiser' concert hosted by the Italian magazine: Confronti. The concert included a singing group: Gruppo Coral Cantering for the first half, and then by a pianist and a sax player (Luigi Bonafede, and Mauro Verrone). Talented! The concert was held in the Chiesa Metodista (Methodist Church) and the acoustics were phenomenal. The place was packed and it was well worth the effort to get there. Afterwards we were able to meet and talk with Claudio Paravati who is the director of Confronti. Confronti put on this concert to raise money for scholarships for refugees. We hope to be included in future planning meetings that this group arranges!
On Wednesday we had an appointment with the Red Cross. We toured their facilities and also the refugee camp which they host on their grounds.
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| PR photo with the Director of the Red Cross Rome Chapter. Also at my left is the RS President, Luise (who is the mother of our friend in Brussels: Emanuela!, and our translator Barbara. |
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| Just outside of the women/children shelter. This building is for those with special needs as well as mothers and children under the age of 10. One problem is the cost of DNA testing to be sure the children belong to the women. When asked what happens when the facilities are full? "We just make room!" This house has about 200, but it has swelled to 900. |
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| Tent City. 400 in this city. These camps house the refugees after they have been identified at the Hot Spots and before they area assigned a camp. |
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| Discussing the mobile kitchen that LDSCharities donated last summer. |
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| The Red Cross President and her managing director. They were asked what their biggest concern is at the moment: "We need bathrooms and shower rooms." They have a great need for mobile units for housing instead of the tents. |
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| It was nice to take the metro into town for an early morning walk this morning. This mission is getting quite hectic and it really pays to get outside for some exercise just to clear the mind and get in some fresh air! Today also marked the one year anniversary of the Brussels Bombing. Very sobering to remember. |
Thanks for the update. It's nice to see a bit of what you are doing. It seems non stop!
ReplyDeleteI remembered the anniversary on that day. It was weird that thing in London happened the same day a year later.
It amazes me how basic their needs are. Keeps me humble. So crazy that they have 900 people in a place designed for 200.
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