TTRC Northern branch volunteers bring home a little bit of Christmas

On Saturday December 16, volunteers at Red Cross’ Northern Branch dished out a little bit of Christmas to 29 women and eight men at the annual Christmas Welfare Meal.

“Ho! Ho! Ho!” It said on the white wall of Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross’ Northern Branch. The people who sat outside on the concrete benches that Saturday could just about see the letters as they waited and peaked through the door at the table getting all set up.

Normally the women are not amongst those who are captured laughing. Some have lost all they had in fires; many had very little to begin with. All are regulars at the Northern Branch welfare distributions, held the last Saturday of every month. This day, however, is a day for laughter and joy.

Every year the Welfare volunteers invite the poor and displaced to sit down with them at a Christmas meal. Festive rice, pineapple chicken, macaroni salad and tossed green salad are dished up by Mrs Liz Seepersad-Goodman, Ms Christine Seepersad, Ms Margaret Charles, Ms Yvonne Nurse and Ms Mary Gajusingh.

Nothing is amiss as there is juice, soft drinks and Christmas cake. The meal is either prepared by the volunteers themselves or bought from monies received from Red Cross’ fundraisers during the year.

Anticipation and enjoyment comes naturally. ”It is my first year here”, 29-year old Michelle says. “I heard about it from my mother-in-Law, and it’s great fun.”

Maria Marshall on the other hand has benefited from the Red Cross’ welfare distribution for 15 years. Marshall, 78, came to Trinidad as a child from Venezuela and now lives in Cocorite. Her legs are giving out, so she is not a regular anymore, but she comes when she can.

Ms Christine Seepersad says “But she will ring, if she cannot make it, and despite everything she misses, she still has a heart to care for others. When I was injured earlier this fall, she found a way to call me and wish me good recovery.”

The friendships which have been built show clearly during the meal at the common table. While enjoying the food, conversations flow and there is much laughter. Afterwards, the seasonal music, parang, plays from the stereo and dancing begins.

For Barbara Dalrymple, 74, it is important to make the most of the day. ”I live in Woodbrook and I used to go out a lot, come here and other places. But I have had some bad experiences with people on the street harassing me, and I do not like to go out much anymore. This is nice people here, so I decided to make the effort”.

Each story is personal, yet more or less the same. Christmas is neither about spending or saving for the people here, it is about sharing and making the most out of what can be had.

When the cake is brought out, it is hardly touched. “I could munch it all. I am a great muncher,” Michelle says, looking at her plate of sweetbread, black forest cake and coconut bread. “But I have five little ones at home, and they should have it instead.”

Her thoughts of sharing the good stuff with the family waiting at home are mirrored in everyone’s faces as the plates with goodies are placed carefully in the bags.

A little extra distribution had taken place earlier and most of the Christmas guests carry a sack of clothes and small items, as they exchange Christmas greetings and get on their way.

The volunteers had been expecting more but found that other charities had welfare meals on the same day, so at least nobody will go hungry today. And whatever is left over will be taken out the next day, when the four welfare volunteers will drive out to communities and bring a little more Christmas spirit home to the unfortunate.