Sr. Nadia Coppa, General Superior, on December 25, Christmas Day, went to Albania where, since 1991, two ASC communities are living and working in Durres and Mamurras.
After that night of anguish of November 26, where an earthquake of magnitude 6.2 destroyed the city of Durres and Thumana, the situation seems to have improved, but remains critical. According to official statistics, 50 people lost their lives, including 6 children and 22 women, two thousand are injured and about 900 buildings in Durres and over 1,465 buildings in the capital Tirana have been seriously damaged.

Those people directly affected were accommodated in reception facilities, but many families were placed in tents or in diocesan and religious centers. Durres is becoming a ghost town as it is gradually being emptied.
The Adorers of the Blood of Christ are assisting families whose homes are unusable, hosting some in our community, and offering them help for every need that arises. The situation is very delicate, because of the winter temperatures and frequent rains that make everything more difficult.
Thanks be to God there is solidarity and charity is present daily through many forms of participation of concrete closeness. Sr. Nadia, by her presence, wished to be a visible witness of the interest of the whole ASC family scattered around the world, of solidarity and closeness to our sisters and to the victims of this natural disaster.

Thanks to the initiative of the S. Egidio community and the passionate collaboration of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ in the generalate, the church was transformed into a wedding hall to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the heavenly bridegroom who chose to become a child to express the Father's Love for humanity.
Welcoming our brothers and sisters who are at the margins of our society as guests of honor at a Christmas party was a concrete gesture to express Jesus' love for humanity. The 150 invitees, together with the volunteers of the S. Egidio and the numerous Adorers of the Blood of Christ, sat at the same tables and shared the same food, experiencing that community can be real and that a world of peace is possible if justice is practiced; we can sit at the same table recognizing the other as a gift of God who calls us to relationship.
Bethlehem means House of Bread, and if Jesus was born in a manger, the church can be transformed into a dining hall, where He becomes the Bread of Life to be eaten by all and shared with all. The sacredness of the church is revealed in her capacity to be an open space where everyone finds physical and spiritual nourishment..

In the middle of the night a strong earthquake struck on the northern coast of Albania.
The city of Durres is very affected. There are at least deads and hundreds wounded. Numerous damage to buildings. They are running against the clock to recover people trapped under the rubble. The shock was very strong; it was felt even in Italy.
We express our closeness and solidarity to our sisters, their families and above all, with the Albanian people deeply wounded by this disaster.
Let us feel united with a praying heart and live this Paschal experience in profound communion.
Blood of Jesus protect us and save us!

Sr. Nadia, ASC
General Superior
and collaborators

November 25^th is ended the XVII Regional Elective Assembly, held from November 21 to 25. During this time of careful listening and study, in the light of the reflections and suggestions that emerged during the meetings of the sisters in their nuclei, the assembly delegates elected:

- Sr. Allessandra Soares Pereira - Regional Superior

- Sr. Suely Garcia dos Anjos - Regional Councilor

- Sr. Ana Jerusa de Castro Feitosa - Regional Councilor

- Sr. Analice Pereira Vieira - Regional Councilor.

for a term of four years.

We thank the Lord for the climate of openness and sharing that was created during the discernment and for the availability of these sisters to serve the Congregation in the ministry of accompaniment and guidance of the Region.