Instead of being discouraged by the problems related to the pandemic and the small number of their community, Sister Elsa P. Joseph, Sister Mary Clara Topno and Sister Susan Soren, whose community is based in the Salesian parish "St John Bosco" of Malkerns, stopped to discern what they could do.
And thus they undertook numerous activities:
- They wrote letters and presented aid projects to individuals, companies, friends, and benefactors, involving the most diverse people in their initiative: from the truck drivers who made available their vehicles and their expertise to deliver the aid, to the Indonesian Consulate and to the Taiwanese Embassy, who made maxi-deliveries of several tons of food to the nuns.
- They identified the priority recipients of their charity, first of all seeking the poor, the sick, the elderly and the lonely.
- They worked in collaboration with the village heads, the catechists and the various local authorities in all phases of gathering and disseminating information and aid.
- From March 14 until the end of May, they physically distributed food and health and protection devices to 900 families in 52 villages, while also making the population aware of the correct prophylaxis practices.
- In the midst of their many activities they were noticed by journalists and communication operators, and the nuns also found time to give interviews on their work.
At the end of their activities, the three "Ferrandine" nuns (from the name of their founder, the venerable Mons. Stefano Ferrando, SDB) met to thank everyone - the volunteer collaborators, the benefactors, Fr Martin McCormack, SDB, and Fr Mbongiseni Shabangu, SDB, and God for all the graces they witnessed in this vast relief effort.
The work of these three religious was so commendable and appreciated that Fr George Menamparampil, the Salesian deputy from the Congregation for the coordination of emergency activities for Covid-19, declared: "Congratulations, sisters! You have become experts in resource mobilization, an excellent model for all of us!"
