On 7 July evening, I returned to Madagascar after a month and a half trip around the world.

Everywhere I saw that there was a great enthusiasm to help the poor when they support and especially when gift arrives at its destination, the poorest families in Madagascar. I saw that people are ready to engage themself in the fight against extreme poverty of our Earth when their help, concretely help the poorest. On any of my trips, I never come back empty handed.
I made a quick trip for a week in Argentina, to see and to comfort my brother sick and all my sisters and their families. Despite the illness of my brother who takes a lot of courage, I had the joy of visiting the homes of all my sisters and relive this family love that characterized us since childhood. I had trouble deciding me to go, but once there, I was happy to be among them.

The arrival as when I left were very emotional times, so much so that sometimes tied a knot in my throat, preventing me from speaking. But these are the feelings that come from the heart that make the beauty of family life and brotherly love, and I thank the Air France Foundation, which gave me a ticket free.

I arrived at the Ivato airport ( Madagascar) on July 7th at midnight and out of customs, an “avalanche” of children jumped on me, with huge cries of joy and happiness to see me again. This reception, which was very spontaneous and sincere, also seduced the crowd that was there waiting for their relatives. Once outside, we walked, sang a song of thanksgiving. Personally I think that night, in a so cold airport, joyful cry has changed the atmosphere and set flush this friendship and brotherhood so we all need to live. How many people have I seen that in our passage, smiled and waved to us!

I think moments of such intensity do us good to us Akamasoa, but also to all the people around us because the joy and brotherhood are contagious.

After a very short night, morning at 8 am, I made my “press conference” before a hundred heads of Akamasoa, school officials, health, construction, security and workshops who were there to welcome me and listen to the fruits of my tour. I saw before me an extraordinary group of people, women and men who listened to me with great interest. On several occasions, when I told that during my tour, people greeted them and helped to continue this action and solidarity Akamasoa experience, they applauded whole heart.

It was a moment of great communion of spirit, a great readiness to listen and receive new strength. And I insisted to tell our leaders that we should never do any work with the poor by routine, but rather that each aid must be made with a new spirit, and treat patients with a new spirit, as education, a new spirit. And he must flee this mentality of minimum service.

I also said that their testimonies and at numerous conferences, people have asked me: my father, is that people Akamasoa help each other, are united, join hands in difficulties? Of course I said yes, but much remains to be done too.

I told them also to all those responsible, we will read and reflect on the last encyclical of Pope Francis, Laudato If that speaks of our common house that is our Earth.

I feel something that makes me feel good to each return from a tour, and I come back full force, joy and energy to continue this work with the people of Akamasoa.

We ended the meeting by giving us hand in prayer and blessing. It’s a difficult thing to explain in words, human and fraternal intensity experienced since yesterday and this morning. I repeated again today to all those responsible for Akamasoa, that Akamasoa before being a geographic place, is primly a state of spirit for service, solidarity and fraternity. All highly praised.

It felt so good that people did not leave, they began to sing. And after an hour and a quarter, I told them: I have finally chase you for you to go to work! And everyone left laughing. It is so beautiful to be back among his brothers and sisters at Akamasoa.

Thank you with all my heart to all those who received me in my tour, to all those who prepared my visit to France, and that brought that enthusiasm to make the generous people who came to listen.

I witness the generosity exists in France!

Very cordially!

Pedro P.

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