On Saturday 13 February volunteers and friends of the Ayuda Contenedores NGOs along with volunteers from the Salesian NGO Jóvenes y Desarrollo gathered in Etxabakoiz, Pamplona, to load a container of food intended for Benin.
In total it carried 23,000 kilos of non-perishable food, collected through the "Food for Benin" campaign in progress in various Salesian houses of the Spanish Province of St Janes the Greater. This gesture of solidarity was made possible by school students, the Salesian Family, the faithful of the parishes, benefactors and volunteers of NGOs. As well as the material collected, another truck was loaded with crates containing tools and other useful objects.
This laudable initiative draws people who have a little closer to the poor and needy who lack the necessities of life. Pope Francis has redefined solidarity in a very simple, yet profound way. "Charity that leaves the poor as they are is not enough." In this sense, the Salesians make a concrete approach to young people who need to eat in order to live. And the question of the Pope in this Year of Mercy becomes a challenge for life: "Do I bend down to help those in need, or I'm afraid to get my hands dirty?"
