The joy of giving – support for the elderly in the parish of Hodărăști

Joy slips into humble gestures—a bag of groceries, a door opened with emotion, a tear of gratitude, and especially in people who choose not to pass by their neighbor’s suffering indifferently. As Christmas approached, the Saint Tecla Foundation joined forces with the Hodărăști Parish, bringing a ray of light and comfort to lonely, poor, and forgotten elderly people, with the support of parish priest Băleanu Cătălin-Lucian.

Through simple but loving gifts—strictly necessary food items, along with fruit and sweets, distributed door to door—we wanted to proclaim that Christ is born also for those who are alone, for those who wait for Him in silence, with hope. Each package was a testimony of care for our neighbors, each encounter a moment of communion and comfort.

This campaign was more than a social gesture: it was a living testimony of Christian love, which does not pass by suffering indifferently. In the shy smiles and eyes full of emotion of the elderly, we saw the sign that a gift, however modest, becomes a blessing when it is given from the heart.

We pray that God will help us stay close to those in need, especially during the holiday season, and turn every good deed into a candle lit in the night of loneliness. Because when we give, we become bearers of light and hope in the lives of those who need them most.