I discovered joy in Baobab

Baobab is one of many refugees welcoming centers, near the Tiburtina train station. It welcomes some 400 young Eritrean, Somali and Sudanese Christians and Muslims. “There’s a warm, happy chaotic and rather anarchical volunteer service – says S. – everyone goes, sees what is needed, helps, calls friends . . . And it works just fine!

With the consent of the people in charge of the Food Bank of Rome, together with a young woman who coordinates the volunteers from the Baobab Centre, we went to Fiano Romano and packed twenty tons of excellent food (pasta, sugar, canned meats, 600 yogurts, cases of oil, 120 pineapples, 30 cases of fresh fish and nectarines, 100 pieces of parmesan cheese, and much more). By ten o’clock it was already 40°C (104°F)! We got to the centre at around 13:00, where we found at least 500 quite organised and patient Eritrean youngsters, all of them from those notorious boats that we see on the television news.

The temperature was at least 42°C by then. In the span of ten minutes or so, the children formed a queue, and began to unload an overpacked van. Not a single yogurt or drink was taken, and everything was carefully placed in its proper place. Then they all entered the queue for lunch. I was also served a plate, which I was happy to share with them.

The welcome centre does not only focus on assistance, but especially on involving and integrating the refugees. This ensures that the individual dignity of each person will be respected and that each of them is welcomed and accepted. Many of them then contact relatives and friends in other European countries.

The long line of Roman citizens who bring all sorts of help is constant and also quite moving. So much assistance arrives that we often take boxes of supplies to other assistance centres.

As I was there shaking hands and meeting people, the first baby was born to a young refugee woman who had been taken in by the centre. She had just arrived from the hospital, 20 days old. Doctors, nurses, volunteers all gathered around her for a smile, hoping to get a glimpse of her face. It showed how life goes on.

I returned home more tired and sweaty than I ever have before. . . but in my heart and soul there was a unique and quite special joy, such tangible serenity, the true recompense for a small gesture toward those beautiful people whom everyone is calling “refugees”. . .

At the end of the month we’re already planning on taking another load of supplies. Moreover, through a friend whose family runs five supermarkets, we were able to organize regular food pick-ups of products whose expiration dates would soon expire but could be consumed within a few days at the welcome centre. I thank the Eritrean refugees and volunteers at the Baobab Camp for having given me the opportunity to live a truly beautiful and precious moment, which I am sure will happen again in the coming days and in the future. I feel so privileged, and I truly am!” (S.D. Italy)