I am writing this long overdue letter to thank the Mission Fund which, through its representative Ms Sperry Xuereb, very generously donated €1,500 to each of our missions in Asia.

I met this dynamic lady at our Convent in Mdina, where she kindly came to meet us, because Sr Dolores Fenech was still recovering from a knee replacement operation she had undergone in Taiwan. 

Taiwan is real mission country. Only about four per cent of the population is Christian and we work in the city of Chungli. We collaborate with the parish priest in the Parish of the Sacred Heart and with the Hope Worker Centre, run by the Colomban Fathers, which caters for the needs of migrant workers. There are three Sunday Masses for the migrant community, which is made up mainly of Filipinos, although there are also Thais, Vietnamese and Indonesians. This community knows that the Hope Worker Centre Staff will help them with the problems that arise from working in a foreign country, very often not knowing the language. Often, we have poor migrants lodging in our hostel while their problems are sorted out.

On the other hand, I represent our mission in the Philippines which, even though it is less than a two-hour flight from Taiwan, is a very different reality. You have probably heard of our House of Formation and our projects with the poor of our area, which Sr Annie Catania organises. I confirm everything that Francesca Agius-Vadalà wrote about the situation in the depressed areas around us. This does not deny the existence of people living in cities like Makati, or those living in different levels of gated communities, where the professionals and the super-rich live in luxury.

As Dorotheans we believe that education is the best passport out of poverty. Though we have no school here, we run projects that educate. In the “Feeding Programme”, undernourished children are given pre-school education, followed by a midday meal. At the same time, their mothers are given livelihood courses. Some mothers are already using what they have learnt to earn a living. The cupcakes and sweets Sr Annie and her team are making are gaining in popularity, as is also the making of school uniforms.

Another project is the “Pastoral Care of Children”, which embraces children from birth to the age of six. This project is run on the lines of “Pastoral de las Criancas”, a Brazilian brainchild that can be seen on the internet. The mothers themselves make the food supplement out of local products, and a monthly supply is given to each child and pregnant mother. The highlight of the project takes place on the third Sunday of the month, when the parents and children are invited to a “Celebration of Life”. The local Knights of Malta (SMOM) and other benefactors provide us with medicines, and Filipino doctors offer their services free. Lectures on important topics are offered by SMOM, The Couples for Christ, The Rotary Club, a Catechist, etc., while our young sisters organise games with prizes for the children.

Finally, depending on the generosity of our benefactors, we help students who are finding it difficult to go to school or college. Last year, one of our benefactors had the satisfaction of seeing a young man he had sponsored qualify and receive a bronze medal in Hotel and Restaurant Management.  

In the name of The Sisters of St Dorothy of St Paula Frassinetti I thank the Mission Fund for their generosity and encourage you to be generous.

Assuring you of our daily prayers,

Sr Celia Agius-Vadalà and

the Sisters of St Dorothy

in the Philippines and Taiwan