30.12.15

Volunteers' Corner: Ludovica Cesari



"I started my travel without any expectations because it was my first experience like a missionary.  I heard from other people about their missions and I spoke with them about their feelings, but I knew that every experience is different because each person is different. 

I didn't know how I would react seeing, but especially staying in contact with this kind of poverty.   In Italy you see poor people without home.  Often they have it, but they can't afford the bills and they haven't got money to buy food.  But in my country you don't see children sleeping in the streets. 

My mission in Manila was to stay with the children of the streets: teach them, dance with them, but especially speak with them, even though there exists gap of the language. They didn't care if you didn't understand what they were saying, they just wanted to speak with you. The children know that you are there for them and they are so grateful for it. 

Almost certainly there are difficult days.  It's part of the plan, but also in these days there would be someone, who with little wonderful things, will make you understand that you are in the right way and you are always supported by someone. 

Being a missionary is one of the best experiences in my life and it's something that is difficult to understand if you don't live it. In my opinion everyone should try to do it, for themselves, but especially for others. 

My experience was very short, only one month, but it has been really intense and full of emotions. There were some moments that I will always bring in my heart.  One is when I was sitting on the floor with all the little children around me trying to count in English and every time they said a correct number they wanted give me a high five or when in the public school all children run toward me hugging me so strong and screaming 'Ciao Ate Ludo!' 

For them you are really important, whoever you are and they prove that to you every day. Even on the last day, they were so sad, someone cried and many of them wrote me some beautiful letters.  They don't have material things, but they give you a true and sincere love that will change your life."