English 
The “last”, in this case the guests of the Family Homes of Fu Hong Society in Hong Kong, had the opportunity of being at the centre of the attention and to be protagonists of the activity organized to thank and reward the volunteers who operate in the Families.
“The last will be the first and the first will be the last”… not only in the Kingdom of God!
Sunday, April 30th, in the parish of Saint John the Baptist, the 22 members of the 3 Family Homes (Radiance Family Home, Splendor Family Home and Encounter Family Home) were the protagonists of the program of that afternoon: they played with the volunteers, they performed singing and dancing for everybody’s enjoyment. They handed a “Certificate of Appreciation” to the volunteers who from the month of May of last year when Hong Kong finally came out of the lockdown, went to visit them or participated in the activities which we organized, even if still reduced, under the Covid-19 restrictions which were abolished only last March.
The members of the Family Homes are mentally disadvantaged adults to whom we want to give a quiet environment where they can found a “family” atmosphere, since they don’t have their own families to take care of them.
The “last” in this society where everybody runs towards his own success and where there is competition in every sphere of life. Nevertheless, these friends are very happy when somebody gets close to them and love them, they are thankful when somebody shows them appreciation towards their capacities, when people consider them friends and chat with them.
Protagonists and the masters of the stage: with the microphone in their hands, they sang the songs of their idols, they felt free to dance and move their bodies (usually a bit clumsy) at the rhythm of the pop songs they love!
Happy and proud of handing a souvenir made by them, a “Thank you card” with flowers and hearts drawn by them to the volunteers who were faithfully going to visit them despite the Covid-19 restrictions (the record of the 3 Covid-19 vaccination, the Covid-19 negative result of the test every time you enter the family …)
To give these friends considered “last” but “first” in simplicity and truthfulness the opportunity to express their thanks, to live as protagonists for one day, to be considered for their capacities was also for me a great satisfaction!
To spend my time with them, to organize to bring them out in the city or to plan the small handicrafts that they love to do is my commitment from which I receive much more than what I can give: this is also part of the strange “logic” of the Gospel which calls us to love the small ones, those rejected by the society, as Pope Francis loves to call them!
Sandra Covini, Hong Kong
