By Chisomo Phiri
As one way of making everyone feels happy about Christmas celebration, one of the renowned athletes in Mulanje Shantel Davie on December 25 organized a Christmas party with orphans and elderly in Kumponda and Nchathu villages in Mulanje where over 250 kids and elderly enjoyed plenty of soft drinks and delicious foods.
Speaking during the party, Shantero said as a God-fearing person who believes that giving is a blessing, he feels not good to have something to eat or enjoy with while others are struggling to find even a little.
” As a human being who fears God, I do not feel good when I have something to eat while others are struggling to find a little to eat. You will find that those who are struggling to find food also have no shelter, a relative or anyone else to support them which is very painful. I hope this party will relieve such pains in them and make them enjoy the day too,” said Shantero.
He said he has been in the similar situation for years where he had no one to support him and he knows how it feels to be in the situation.
” I have been in the similar situation for long and I know how it feels when one has no one to support him or her, it pains a lot. Therefore, as an athlete, I take this as an advantage to use the talent in helping the poor through the funds I raise after my running competitions.
When enjoying Christmas such as playing games, visiting new places enjoying expensive foods and drinks, we have to know thet there are some who are suffering and need help,” he said.
Shantero thanked United Kingdom national Mary Davidson who always supports him in all his charitable works for the financial support to organize the party and urged her to continue supporting him.
” I wish to thank Mary Davidson who is a UK national for her financial support to have this party tody. It is not only this party, the lady is my sponsor in all my charitable projects. I do every project because of her support and I thank God to have her in life. I urge her to continue supporting me in all the next projects,”said Shantero.
In her remarks, one of the party beneficiaries who is an orphan Mphatso Williams thanked Shantero for his loving heart to organize the party saying without him they could not enjoyed the day.
” Am very happy today. We have enjoyed the day and I did not expect this to happen. We thank Shantero for organizing this party for us to enjoy. To say the truth, we could not enjoy the day without Shantero. May the good God bless him for the generosity,” said Mphatso.
In her words, Mai Likhuwa who is an elderly invited for the party also thanked Shantero for organizing the party and urged him to do the same with others who are in the same situation next year.
” We are very thankful to Shantero for the party. We have eaten expensive foods that we have never eaten before. We will never forget this year’s Christmas celebration. We urge him to do the same to those who are in the same situation next year and this should just be a beginning,” said Lukhuwa.
Being a person who is well known by his charitable works in the area, Shantero has also recently repaired 3 broken boreholes in the area where people are accessing safe water for domestic use in their homes.