Ir‑Rota ta’ Kamrul | 15 BBQ B’Risq Il‑Missjoni | 18 Papa Franġisku f’Malta

Storja vera addattata minn Claudia Cini.

Il‑Bangladexx huwa pajjiż li jinsab fin‑Nofsinhar tal‑Asja u għandu popolazzjoni ta’ madwar 161 miljun ruħ. Huwa meqjus bħala wieħed mill‑ifqar pajjiżi fid‑dinja. Jingħad li aktar minn nofs il‑popolazzjoni ta’ dan il‑pajjiż għandhom dħul ta’ inqas minn €0.80 kuljum.

Normalment dan ikun l‑uniku dħul ta’ familja ta’ sitta u xi drabi ta’ aktar membri.

Kamrul huwa raġel ta’ familja li tgħix f’dan il‑pajjiż. Huwa jibda l‑ġurnata billi jmur lejn l‑eqreb għadira biex jaħsel wiċċu u jaqta’ biċċiet taz‑zkuk sabiex ikun jista’ jaħsel snienu wkoll. Meta jkun lest, jerħilha biex jibda l‑ġurnata tax‑xogħol.

L‑impjieg tiegħi huwa li nġorr kemm nies kif ukoll oġġetti. Dan huwa possibbli permezz tar‑‘rickshaw’, rota bi tliet roti li timxi billi taqdef bil‑pedali.

Dan it‑tip ta’ trasport huwa importanti fil‑Bangladexx għax huwa l‑qligħ ta’ aktar minn 100 elf persuna. Minn dan l‑impjieg, Kamrul jaqla’ madwar €2 kuljum, li minnhom irid iħallas €1.20 lil sid ir‑‘rickshaw’. B’hekk ikun fadallu biss €0.80!

Mill‑flus li jkun fadalli nixtri l‑ikel għall‑familja tiegħi. Rari jifdal biex nixtru xi ħwejjeġ, żraben jew oġġetti oħra.

Kamrul jiltaqa’ ma’ diversi tipi ta’ nies, fosthom persuni li jġagħluh jaqdef aktar milli jkunu ftiehmu, mingħajr ma jħallsuh. Dan l‑atteġġjament iweġġa’ ħafna lil Kamrul, tant li jixtieq jagħmel minn kollox sabiex it‑tfal tiegħu jkollhom opportunità t’edukazzjoni tajba.

L‑edukazzjoni twassal lil uliedi biex ikunu stmati aħjar fis‑soċjetà.

Il‑ġurnata ta’ Kamrul u ta’ ħafna rġiel oħra bħalu, ma tintemmx hawn. Barra mit‑tbatija li jġib miegħu dan ix‑xogħol, huma jkollhom iħabbtu wiċċhom ma’ diversi limitazzjonijiet fi djarhom, fosthom iċ‑ċokon tad‑dar, kif ukoll il‑fatt li m’għandhomx dawl elettriku.

Jiena u l‑familja tiegħi ntemmu l‑ġurnata bl‑ikla ta’ filgħaxija, imbagħad nippreparaw biex norqdu..

Huwa diffiċli ħafna nfaddal għax il‑ftit flus żejda li jifdal, nużahom biex inħallas l‑edukazzjoni ta’ wliedi.

L‑akbar xewqa ta’ Kamrul hija li jfaddal biżżejjed flus biex ikun jista’ jixtri r‑‘rickshaw’ tiegħu. B’hekk il‑flus li jaqla’ jkun jista’ jżommhom kollha hu u mhux ikollu jagħti aktar minn nofshom lis‑sid tar‑‘rickshaw’ li jaħdem biha bħalissa.

Xewqa oħra li għandu Kamrul hija li l‑imgħallem tiegħu jinvesti f’‘rickshaw’ li jaħdem bil‑fjuwil. B’hekk Kamrul ma jkollux għalfejn jaqdef biex iwassal in‑nies u l‑oġġetti minn post għal ieħor. Barra minn hekk ikun jista’ jgħaġġel aktar u għalhekk jaqdi aktar nies.

Aktar ma naqdi nies, aktar indaħħal flus u aktar ikolli biex ngħixu ħajja aħjar milli qed ngħixu bħalissa.

Kont taf li jeżistu ħafna tipi differenti ta’ ‘rickshaws’?

Kurżità: Jingħad li kien l‑Amerikan Jonathan Goble li fl‑1859 ivvinta r‑‘rickshaw’. Huwa ngħaqad mal‑marines u mar espedizzjoni lejn il‑Ġappun. Dan ir‑raġel ivvinta dan il‑mezz ta’ trasport sabiex ikun jista’ jġorr lil martu li kienet diżabbli, tul it‑toroq ta’ Yokohama. Għajdut ieħor jgħid li kien il‑ħaddied Amerikan Albert Tolman li fl‑1846 ivvinta r‑‘rickshaw’, filwaqt li hemm min jgħid li kien James Birch minn New Jersey li ħoloq dan il‑mezz ta’ trasport fis‑sena 1867.

We Can Say That We Were There!

On Sunday 3rd April 2022, a group of Form 4 (Year 10) students from St. Margaret’s College Secondary School Verdala, were offered the opportunity to participate in the Pope’s Holy Mass celebration held at the Granaries in Floriana, Malta. Students were accompanied by the Senior Religion teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc and LSE Mr Robert Axisa. Due to COVID‑19 pandemic health restrictions, participating students had to be vaccinated and wear a face mask all the time. St. Margaret College students could say: “We were there experiencing the Maltese fervour and the cheering, and waving Vatican flags as Pope Francis entered the square in the pope mobile.”

Pope Francis said that the word ‘irredeemable’ does not exist for God, whose mercy is inexhaustible. Speaking in front of a crowd of thousands of people, the Pope urged Maltese Catholics to be ‘tireless witnesses’ of God’s mercy. Pope Francis underlined that God always forgives and provides a chance for a fresh start to those who approach his mercy. Pope Francis said in his homily: “There is no sin or failure that we can bring before him that cannot become the opportunity for starting to live a new and different life under the banner of mercy.” The Pope added: “This is the Lord Jesus. We truly know him when we experience his forgiveness, and when we discover that God comes to us through our inner woundedness. That is indeed where the Lord loves to make himself known.”

The live‑streamed Mass was the largest public gathering during the Pope’s two‑day trip to Malta and about 20,000 people were present in the square and surrounding area for the Mass. St. Margaret College participating students expressed the following words following this unique event experience in their lives:

“It was a unique spiritual experience for me, which I will

never forget.” Bach Sakka Fiorini.

“Surely it was an opportunity for me to strengthen my Christian faith in Christ Jesus.” Sheyzen Grima.

“I was touched by the Pope’s Angelus message: “Dear young friends, I want to share with you the most beautiful thing in life. Do you know what it is? It is the joy of giving ourselves completely in love, which makes us free. That joy has a name: it is

Jesus.”” Yanique Gambin.

“I loved the Pope’s words: “Speak with your elders, speak with your grandparents, speak with elderly

people!”” Axelkees Massa.

“I reflected a lot about the Pope’s words: “When we open our hearts to God in truth, he can work

wonders in us.”” Jamie Bugeja.

“I can say that I was there to meet with the Vicar of Christ in the person of Pope Francis.”

Denzel Portelli.

“Participating in the Pope’s Holy Mass was an occasion for me to witness the joy of the Maltese Christian community and to renew my faith in Jesus.” Andrew Cole.

After the Holy Mass celebration, Pope Francis went to meet with migrants at the John XXIII Peace Lab, an immigration reception centre in Ħal Far, and then he departed by plane on Air Malta on Sunday evening. Senior Religion teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc said: “It is important that our school students experience such a unique spiritual event in their lives, and I am sure that this event will remain a mark in their hearts and memory.”

After the Pope’s Holy Mass celebration, students enjoyed lunch together with their teacher and LSE. The feedback from the participating students and their parents was very positive.