On 19 October, the "Long Live the Elderly" home, the first home for the elderly of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Pakistan, opened last July, was officially inaugurated in Lahore.
The ceremony took place in the presence of the Archbishop of Lahore, Mgr Francis Sebastian Shaw, who went to the Christian district of Youannabad to bless the house and then presided over the Liturgy of Thanksgiving. Sadia Iqbal, the head of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Lahore, recounted how this house was the fruit of a reflection made during Andrea Riccardi's visit to Pakistan last January. It sparked the dream of creating a home for the elderly - especially women - who are often abandoned and have no means.
As we worked to realise this dream, we became aware of the great number of poor and lonely elderly people". In fact, this is a growing phenomenon in Pakistan, where there is no social pension or other forms of welfare and many elderly women, especially if widowed, find themselves in a state of total destitution. "This is why," Sadia concluded, "the home represents the dream of giving a family back to those who have lost theirs, but also of building a more human world in which abandonment and indifference are overcome by solidarity".
Zinet, one of the elderly guests of the home said: "I have four children but when they got married, no one could take me in. I was left alone and I couldn't even eat, then came the invitation to live here, a real blessing for my life, the blessing I didn't even dare hope for and for which I thank the Lord every day".
After the liturgy, a celebration open to the whole neighbourhood gathered the Community of Sant'Egidio of Lahore in this house, a sign of hope and unity between generations.
