It's not just a bed

Before 1988, when we opened the men's dormitory, we had never organized a real reception in a structured way.
As Sermig, from the beginning, we had a clear desire to follow Jesus, but the methods were defined over time. Some episodes made us understand that the problem of those who did not have a bed to sleep in affected us directly.
A phone call to warn us of a boy who was sleeping on a grate, the kind used to vent heating, the death of some homeless people. Finally, that boy who pointed his finger at Ernesto and asked him point-blank: "But you Ernesto, where are you sleeping tonight?" Episodes and meetings that questioned us deeply and that led us to the decision to get personally involved. We began touring all of northern Italy to understand how the other dormitories worked, to learn how to do it.

That's how we started, with the first guests who were reported to us by the Foreigners' Office.
Guido, Claudio and Rinaldo from the Fraternity were always next to me. Then many volunteers who are still here today approached me: Adriano, Marco, Francone and Sandro, just to name a few of the many that come to mind. Little by little we grew and a method was born with us. We immediately understood that good intentions were not enough.
We thought a little common sense and collaboration were enough, but people who live on the streets look at reality with different eyes. The experience they live often leads them to be angry and suspicious.
In the early days, many people arrived at the reception by being arrogant. We, calmly and firmly, made them understand that there were rules of coexistence that we asked them to respect, we did not tolerate aggressive or violent behavior, we prohibited the introduction of alcoholic beverages and drugs into the reception, and requested that the hours be respected.

The first two years were really difficult.
We saw first-hand what it meant to welcome the poor! There were difficult nights, but they allowed us to set up a service that began to get going and work. We became more attentive and ready and little by little we expanded the possibility of hosting, arriving, in the space of a few years, to host over 100 men. And as the number of places grew, so did the volunteers. In the meantime, the type of guests changed.
At the end of the 90s, the majority of guests were of Maghreb origin, then there was a real wave of men from Eastern countries, especially from Romania and from 2000 onwards refugees from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Horn of Africa and then again Pakistan, Afghanistan. In those years, the number of Italian guests began to increase, which in previous years had been small in number. Today the situation has become much more complicated.
Many – especially Italians – live in conditions of social marginalization from which it is very difficult to escape. Either because they are elderly, or because they have been on the streets for too long. And yet, there are so many stories of fall and redemption.

A dormitory like ours cannot solve all the problems of the world.
But it can give an opportunity to those who need time and space to start over. Just a few days ago, a former guest of ours who had found himself on the street came to visit me.
A smart person full of resources, with a coaching license obtained in Coverciano.
At the time, it took him two months to get back on his feet, find a job and get his life back. Stories of hope that start over when they are welcomed.

Gianni Giletti
NP Focus
May 2024