We did not leave… so we cannot go back!

This is one of the many writings on the walls of the city of Hatay, a city hit by the earthquake on February 6 this year in Turkey and Syria. An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 degrees, followed by dozens of aftershocks that left an invaluable number of victims and injured.

Months after this catastrophe, the Turkish authorities have begun to make calculations and balance sheets on the victims and damage to infrastructure, because at first aid, both national and international, arrived immediately but now… after a few months and now returning to daily life, we must look at the future of these cities, of many families and above all of many abandoned and sick children.

As a Franciscan presence in Turkey, this catastrophe did not leave us indifferent. On the contrary, although the earthquake was more than a thousand kilometers away, in northwestern Turkey and bordering Syria, for us at that moment it was a sharing in the suffering and mourn with our dear Turkish people. We received many phone calls, messages from many sisters and friends, asking how we were, but we had our heart in that area, also feeling helpless in not being able to do anything "immediately".

All the churches and organizations have taken action to be able to give an answer of help, each in their own small way and immediately, so we, as a community, together with the Friars Minor of Santa Maria, have decided to make our convents available to welcome the victims, families with children and anyone in need. Caritas Turkey kept us informed on the needs and urgencies but we know very well that managing a catastrophe of this kind is difficult, and the government has preferred to do everything through the country's Municipalities, to have control over movements and the enormous exodus that Turkey would have to face, even before the presidential elections. Thus, the hope of being able to welcome needy families has no longer been realized also because so many people do not want, even today, to leave their homes and lands, out of fear.

Over the months, together with the Franciscan fathers, we have often asked ourselves how to act, what to do, how to respond to the cry of our Turkish brothers and sisters at this moment.

So one day and through a dear friend of ours, Murat Kanberi and his wife Şirin İskit, who live in Büyükada, volunteers of A.F.A.D (Disaster and Emergency Group) who were active during the most difficult days of the post-earthquake, saving lives and helping people, we learned of a great shortage of everything and many needs in the city of Hatay, where they work as volunteers.

Murat told us that 35 families in Hatay have children with disabilities and that their special school has been damaged and is now gone. These children need to get back to their routine and have a little space to continue learning and above all to heal the wounds caused by the earthquake. Thus, together with Murat and his wife, the dream began – the project to build their special school, for them but also for us; a school full of Franciscan spirituality, which wants to restore peace to these children and young people.

How to do? What to do? Where to start? These were the first questions we asked ourselves but Providence, which never abandons us, put this couple of friends next to us and together we began this beautiful project, full of hope and dialogue.

During the feast of Eid al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, from 22 to 25 April we, Sr Zita and Sr Miriam, together with four friars: Br Eleuterio, Br Apollinare, Br Duma and Br Jeff set out on a journey to Hatay, to see and touch the pain, the catastrophe and embrace our brothers and sisters who are still there.

Our adventure started with a bit of difficulty, Hatay airport is still closed and we went to Adana, almost three hours drive from Hatay¸ arriving there, our dear friends, Murat and Şirin were waiting for us in a camp where the doctors who are volunteers in that area. The arrival was sad, the silence during the hour that we walked the streets of Hatay was a blow to the heart; we could not hold back the tears in front of so much destruction; for us sisters it was the first time we had an experience like this, we have never seen or experienced an earthquake ... and now standing there in the middle of streets that were not streets ... buildings that were not there anymore … it was a very strong emotion. Our first impression was the smell, which brought us back to the many victims who are still at the bottom of the rubble and their spirit and soul can be felt in that silence that penetrates… especially when evening falls.

In the city there is no place for anyone, only for volunteers; we were enrolled as volunteers of the Municipality of Istanbul, and placed in an A.F.A.D tent, in an exclusive area for volunteers among nurses, soldiers, police and officials of the municipality. We felt part of all of them, we felt useful and close to the victims.

In those days we had the grace to touch the pain, to cry, to think, to pray, to reflect together as a Franciscan family because in the evening, we faced the pain and destruction that is lived and felt all day long. We visited the camps, full and crowded that even contain up to 300 families; we saw the tents where other people live in miserable conditions... and we saw so many children... and here we were speechless because there is no need to say anything.

We also visited "our" school, because the containers had already arrived, and we rejoiced together for the successful arrival of the goods, because it is now very difficult for anything to arrive in that area; we thanked the benefactor and his daughter, who donated the land where to build the school.

The school was designed with four classrooms, a kitchen, a refectory, showers and toilets and an apartment for the family that will act as caretaker… everything is already ready and installed.

Now all that is missing is the lawn, the lights, the plumbing system and all the furniture to be able to start in September and welcome all the children who want to be part of this school.

As Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart we feel deeply touched by this project, it has made us return to the heart of our charism: education ... and thus continue and prolong what our first sisters sowed in this land of Constantinople.

We are aware of the presence of Divine Providence which always accompanies us, takes us by the hand without ever making us feel abandoned because our religious Family today still has so much to say and so much to give; in Hatay together with the "special" children, even if there are no sisters next to them, our charism will be there forever.

Sisters of Buyukada