Last year, the arrival of refugees from Libya to Milan has given many groups and the Italian communities the opportunity of meetings that have opened new ways to serve. 

Here is the experience of Paola  Rovelli, in Milan, the president of the Lay Xaverian Missionaries of Mary.

I accepted with joy the invitation of my pastor to help sub-Saharan refugees from Libya who arrived in Milan, to teach them Italian.

A few years ago I had a similar experience with immigrants from South America and now I had the opportunity to touch the reality of people who are living with unimaginable difficulties.

Then, the membership of the Lay Xaverian Missionaries of Mary gave me the opportunity to try to put into practice one aspect of our charisma, the hospitality.

These young people, Muslims or Christians, although not all practicing, they gave me more than one lesson. The first one occurred in the evening when we announced that we would give the Italian course on Sunday morning.

These people for whom learning Italian is of primary importance, asked us not to have the class on Sunday if this meant not being able to participate in the Mass. This shocked me because in our world it is not common to place the encounter with the Lord before everything else!

 I was also impressed by the attitude of these immigrants during the Mass. They try in every way possible to follow the ritual, even if they understand little or nothing of what is said. One Sunday, noting that one of them would put coins in the basket, I thought of the mite of the widow in the Gospel.

After a few months of meetings, three times a week, they have learned to trust us and talk about their experience. Their stories make me realize how important it is for them to feel welcomed in our country and to rely on friendly people.  Some of them have left small children, and in addition to nostalgia, they worry about not being able to send home the necessities of life. On the run, they could not even take their personal belongings, not even have a picture to fill their eyes with loved faces.

With enthusiasm they attend the class, which usually lasts more than the fixed time. This is for me an opportunity to learn about their countries.

Sometimes they try to teach me a few words in Barama, Malinki or Peuli, but with little success. Definitely, they are much better than me in learning Italian!