Bryan and Becky Gerritsen in Italy

  April  6- 22, 2022 Becky, near our apartment in Alzano Lombardo, Italy Dear Family and Friends, These last two weeks we have spent much of our time visiting organizations and working on projects to help refugees and the poor.  One organization was the Mamma Rita residential school, just north of Milan, which houses and teaches children from many countries, including refugees. Latter Day Saint Charities helped them with school supplies, shoes, and other needs last summer and fall.  When we visited them and told them that there were still some funds remaining in the project, they asked if they could purchase 8 cabinets and a washing machine, for new refugees from Ukraine that had just arrived. They wanted each mother and their children to have a cabinet to put their food and plates in. The washing machine is to help clean their clothes. They were thrilled to receive these, and were full of incredible gratitude.         Left: Refugee children,...

March 27 -  April 5, 2022 Refugees from Ukraine arrive at housing provided by Latter Day Saint Charities at Santo Pietro di Paolo in Milan, on March 16, 2022 Each week brings meetings with several organizations that help refugees, the poor, homeless, women, and children.  It seems like we get about 4-5 requests a week for Latter Day Saint Charities to help those whom they serve. It is very difficult to say no to any of them, but funds are not unlimited and we have a budget from Humanitarian Services, so choices are tough. One organization we met with, called AVSI.  AVSI assists young refugees, including those from Ukraine, in job training programs funded by Latter Day Saint Charities. These include job training in welding, carpentry, and catering, which helps refugees with long term solutions, self reliance, and integration, to help them and their families.   Refugee children from Ukraine eat at housing provided by Latter Day Saint Charities  at Santo Pietr...