A Catholic Priest, The Reverend Monsignor Bobby Benson on Christmas day feted over 1,000 people in the Eastern Region including people living with HIV/AIDS, people on the streets, hospitals and prisons.
Supported by some Catholic students, Monsignor Benson distributed packed food and drinks to the inmates of the Koforidua Prisons, cells at the Koforidua Central Police Station, in-patients at the Regional Hospital and the St Joseph Hospital to show love to the vulnerable.
Apart from the sick and those in the prison cells, staff of the various institutions that were on duty at the time were also feted as an appreciation for their untiring efforts to attend to people who needed their help on Christmas day.
Reverend Bobby Benson who is also the Founder and Director of Mathew 25, an HIV Care Centre in Koforidua, instituted the gesture some years ago to provide food, drinks and water to children and others who for some reason could not afford to celebrate the
christmas.
In an interview with GNA, Monsignor Benson said Christmas was a period of love and so all persons irrespective of their situation must be shown that love to put a smile on their faces.
He said the greatest commandment God gave mankind was to Love Him the Lord and our neighbors, emphasizing that it was during Christmas that such commandment should attract the attention of those who by the Grace of God were alive.
Monsignor Benson said many people lived under difficult circumstances, especially those living with HIV and AIDS due to stigmatization, and urge people to show them love since the disease was no respecter of persons.
Currently, the Mathew 25 House, founded by Monsignor Benson to cater for people affected by the AIDS pandemic has 40 inmates and 79 orphans and vulnerable children who are provided with education, food, shelter and drugs to sustain them.