Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade (bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)
JUMP MY SON… JUMP!…
The building was engulfed in fire. Coming from one of the windows everybody could hear the cries of a panicked eight-year-old child. From the streets the firemen, after preparing a safety net to catch him, kept shouting: «Jump… we are here to save you… please jump… You will be safe».
The cries of the child kept growing in volume and in panic. After trying a few times without any success, the firemen had the good sense of asking the child’s father to help them to convince the child to jump. The father was horrified but anyway he tried: «Jump my son jump… you will be OK… a safe net is here to catch you. You will be OK ».
The boy didn’t move. He just cried. Answering to his father he said: « But Daddy, I can not see anything. The only thing I see is smoke and it is very hot. I can not see you ». At this moment the father had the inspiration to tell his son: « It doesn’t matter if you can’t see me. The important thing is that I can see you… I can see you, my son. Jump my son… jump! ».
Listening to these words the boy lost his fear and jumped into the darkness. A few seconds later he was completely safe in the arms of his father who now cried of joy.
We all pass through some horrifying fires and violent storms in our lives. But on the other side of the storm we have a Father, a loving God, who tells us: «Jump! Do not be afraid, I am here to catch you. Jump my son… jump » !
« PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE » IS A JUMP IN THE DARKNESS
After the terrible floods that destroyed part of Madeira Island in 2010 we got more in touch with the reality of the poverty that affects so many families. Some people live in poverty and some in misery. In the words of Pope Francis: « Misery is poverty without any hope ».
Because our main point of reference are not rules but the suffering of the people, without any plans and no budgets, we embarked on something that we had never done before. We started taking people who live and sleep in the streets and giving them a decent place to sleep and to live like human beings. When they look for a job, at least they can say that they have a mailing address. The majority of the money that supports this cause comes from the generosity of the tourists that attend the English Mass at Penha de França.
MOYNIHAN’S FUNDRAISER DINNER
Sometimes we feel like the frightened boy. Sometimes the only thing we see is suffering people and an empty bank account. But then something happens where we listen to God saying: «Jump, my son, jump. That battle is not yours. That battle is mine. Jump». That’s what I felt last September 16th at Moynihan’s Restaurant. A Fundraiser dinner took place and it was a huge success. The restaurant took a small amount to help with the expenses and donated all the rest to the poor. People Helping People got the amount of 710,00 Euros. Amazing!
We want to thank all the people involved, especially Sinead and Tadhg Moynihan, Avril, Alan and Anne O’Brien, Dr. Vittorio Ventura, Manolo Borrero and the list would be longer if I had written their names. But there is no doubt that the employees who worked so hard to provide such a wonderful meal with so much extra work and extra kindness deserve a big applause and especially our prayers.
Love and Peace,
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
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