Louis Duca, from Ghaxaq, lived an experience of five weeks with the Mission Fund in Guatemala in order to help in the building of a fish farm for the local villagers.

In the light of the poor standard of living undergone by these people, he and Fr Anton Grech, a Gozitan missionary, came up with the initiative of building houses made of stone instead of cane for these villagers.

This could only be done with the generosity of beneficiaries from Ghaxaq, who, in all sponsored the building of 20 houses. It is remarkable to note that every house so sponsored has been given the name, surname and nickname of the person from Ghaxaq who sponsored it. He has, thus, brought a small piece of Ghaxaq and Malta into Guatemala.

I wish to congratulate Mr Duca not only for his perseverance and determination in making an idea reality and thus helping these people, but also for taking a bit of his hometown into the Guatemala. I heartily wish Mr Duca the help of more beneficiaries and sponsors for the building of this “Ghaxaq village” in Guatemala. He and Fr Grech have been Maltese ambassadors who in silence, and relying on their intrinsic motivation, have carried out this act of charity.

John Agius

Tarxien