Garda’s Charity Nativity Scene Supports Brazilian Victims and Holidays
“This nativity scene encourages reflection on all the poverty-stricken nativity scenes experienced daily in the southern part of the world.” It is with these words that the retired bishop of Verona, Monsignor Giuseppe Amari, inaugurated yesterday the large religious tableau set up for the sixth consecutive year by the volunteers of Borgo. A giant charitable nativity scene: the goal is to raise funds to support the work of a missionary actively working in northeastern Brazil, Father Adolfo Serripierro.
The missionary’s message and support for victims
And Father Adolfo was yesterday in Garda, very emotional, greeting in person the supporters of his cause. “Thanks to the friends of Garda,” said the missionary, “we have been able to help many girls who often have to sell their bodies to support their children. Many are just twelve, fourteen years old. Some were abandoned as children and have led lives of misery.
Today they can redeem themselves: the support from the people of Garda helps them forget the painful memories of the past and reassures them that they will not pass on the suffering they endured to their children. That is how Jesus continues to be born.” Already, five hundred mother-children from Fortaleza, often victims of sexual tourism, have been rescued with the funds collected from visitors to Garda’s large nativity scene.
The funds also helped establish vocational training courses. “It’s worth it, you can believe it,” said Father Adolfo.
From Garda to Christmas celebrations
With the ribbon-cutting of the Garda nativity scene, the festivities of the long Christmas calendar began among the olive groves in Garda. “The nativity scene created by the Borgo volunteers,” noted Mayor Giorgio Comencini, “has the right of precedence over our Christmas among the olive trees.” In fact, the entire event stemmed from the growing success of the giant nativity scene.
An achievement more than justified: dozens of life-sized statues, hundreds of meters of fabric used for the costumes, hundreds of tools and objects enriching the various scenes. This year, there is a new feature: from the gardens of the congress palace, it has moved to the nearby Fountain of Remembrance, at the mouth of the Gusa stream. Gaining in charm.
Next to the bazaar and the carpenter’s workshop, a mill has been built, its wheel powered by the stream water. A fisherman is depicted on a boat working at his craft. Children throw their fishing lines into the little river.
From the wooden bridge, visitors can get a glimpse of all the scenes. The Nativity hut is particularly evocative. “The Son of God,” commented Monsignor Amari, “chose to become man by giving up everything, except one fundamental human reality: the family, the greatest wealth of humanity and society.”
This nativity scene helps us remember that today, when the family faces many challenges. The Christmas calendar among Garda’s olive groves includes a concert by the Val di Non band at 3 PM and Christmas carols by the La Rocca choir at 8:30 PM. Tomorrow, at 6:30 PM at the Riviera bar, the booklet by Fabio Gaggia titled “At the Origins of the Corporation of the Ancient Inhabitants of Garda” will be presented.