Now I'm going to ask you for money

Fr Frankie Cini, who took over the running of St Joseph Home for Boys when changes had to be made, is trying to raise enough money to take the 18 boys at the home on a short holiday to Germany’s Black Forest, where they will get to see the countryside, some city life in Munich and visit Stuttgart Zoo. As he explains it, what so many of us take for granted is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them. “These boys, even when they become adults, rarely have the resources to travel,” he says. “Because they come from disadvantaged situations, the probability is that even when they leave this home, they will hardly be in a position to afford a holiday abroad for quite some time in their lives, if ever.”

St Joseph’s Home is a long-term home for boys from disadvantaged backgrounds. They live in three separate apartments within the main building in St Venera, forming small family units of six children each. Most of the boys have experienced trauma, neglect and abuse in early childhood. Others come from situations which make it impossible for them to live with their biological families.

Fr Cini is seeking corporate or individual sponsors to make this holiday possible. A full sponsorship is EUR300, a half-sponsorship is EUR150 and an activity sponsorship, covering outings to the zoo and similar, is EUR50.

Once you are on line at the moment in any case, you can transfer funds from your account to HSBC a/c no. 027 022 730 001 or Bank of Valletta a/c no. 158 004 000 86. Otherwise, you can send a cheque made out to St Joseph’s Home/Holiday Fund to Fr Frankie Cini, St Joseph’s Home, Triq il-Kbira, St Venera.

Think of all the money you are going to waste this Christmas, and be generous.