The death of a Maltese missionary in Brazil last week has unfortunately brought to the fore the work that is carried out by these people in several countries worldwide.
Fr Carmel Bezzina died following a traffic accident in Parana, Brazil, at the age of 63. He was run over by a car and efforts to save his life in hospital proved futile. He had been working as a missionary in Brazil for 40 years.
Fr Bezzina was one of many Maltese missionaries who spend years away from their country at the service of others in need. Malta has always been in the forefront in sending over missionaries to several countries. At present, there are 27 Maltese diocesan priests working abroad on such missions, together with 235 religious men and 380 religious women – a total of 642, a big number indeed, considering Malta’s size.
They are mostly stationed in South America, Africa and Asia, but there are a few who work in Europe as well. Most of them live in the poorest communities with some of the poorest people in the world.
For many, it is a choice they make and, once they leave Malta to work among people in need, they never come back to live here except for a brief holiday every few years to see their families and friends. Others work for a few years and then return to Malta for good, or until they are sent again.
These people sacrifice their lives for the good of others, but very often their work goes unnoticed. We hear little about them, unless unfortunately something tragic as the death of one of them occurs as happened last week. Yet their work must be commended.
Some write to newspapers, on most occasions to say thank you to the Mission Fund for providing them with money – generously donated by the Maltese. They appeal for the Maltese to continue giving their contributions, as these are crucial for them in their mission. In this sense, the Mission Fund is a direct link with Maltese missionaries. The Malta Independent publishes such letters regularly because we would like more people to contribute towards such a good cause.
The life of missionaries is one of sacrifice and dedication. They leave their home, their families and friends, and their country to take care of poor and sick people in underdeveloped countries, where the personal risks are high.
It is not an easy matter to turn up in a given country, where the religion practised is often not Catholic, and start doing a job there. Many times, missionaries take long to be accepted in the communities they are sent to. Many times they even have had to face trouble.
The language barrier is just one of the many problems they have to overcome. Getting used to their community’s customs and gaining its confidence are also a hard task.
But, still, they go and do sterling work with people who, in most occasions, have little to get by with. It is a vocation that the majority of us will not be able to carry out. The missionaries get little in return for what they do in material terms, but few would opt for a different life because the spiritual wealth of such an experience is overwhelming.