Maltese help Albanian families stricken by floods

Twenty years ago, Alfred Cassar headed to Albania in a van loaded with basic necessities, including blankets and stationery supplies. In 1997, he was answering an appeal from his uncles, Dominican brothers the late Fr Ġwann Frendo OP and Mgr Ġorġ Frendo OP. The two had just started missionary work in Albania after a call from Pope John Paul II to religious orders to support those who had suffered the most cruel and anti-religious form of communism, said Mgr Frendo, who went on to become the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Tirana-Durres diocese. Since his appointment as Archbishop, Mgr Frendo has also changed some things around. Among others, on Christmas Day he does not invite politicians over for lunch, but instead eats with poor families. His nephew’s first visit in 1997 marked Mr Cassar for life, and he has returned several times since. This Christmas, Mr Cassar travelled with a container full of items donated by the Maltese for struggling Albanian families whose houses were destroyed by heavy flooding in December. Albanian families are still struggling, and for the missionaries, education remains a priority. They often fund the studies of promising children and also help to...