Our roots are in the train station. That's where the streetworkers go, that's where the children in the Social Centre Lazarus come from. Between Gara de Nord and Lazarus messages are sent as with bush drums. Florentina sells flowers in front of the train station. She is the hub for the children. When I bring friends, they are received with flowers. Florentina has five children of her own; she took on four more of her sister's after her death. She earns her money in ice cold weather, she warms her hands over a coal in a bucket. Usually a lot of dirty little fingers also reach out to the warmth. In return, the children sneak her some sandwiches from our feasts in the train station. One hand washes the other.

Today Florentina is cranky, she's complaining. She says Prince stole her most expensive flowers. He just ripped them out and ran away. It's a scandal for which she makes me responsible. In addition, she hasn't been able to pay her rent in the apartment block for months. She is to be thrown out onto the streets with all of her children. She pulls out the magistrate's threatening letter from between her many skirts. We have to help her. The roses are going to be expensive.

Eight children squeeze into the car. We reach Lazarus without being stopped by the police. In the welcoming room - called " servus " after the German expression of greeting - exhausted children are sleeping. Inconsolable teenagers are hanging out. They are waiting for the showers and the clothing room to open. At the entrance, "assistants" check to see whether hands have been washed. The assistants are teenagers who have collected the desired points through service in order to climb up the hierarchy.

Things become loud at one table. "Ruth is unfair," protests Ionuz. Just a moment earlier he was content and proud because he has been working at the sausage factory for a week. But, at dinner Sobar gets to sit next to Ruth. Sobar has more to answer for than anyone else. He comes too late, he disturbs with funny faces, he refuses to do even the smallest jobs. He - not even an hour ago - smashed a window pane. "Is he allowed to sit next to Ruth?" the well behaved young man asks angrily. Since he has begun working, he notices the many injustices from Ruth. He asks out loud whether it isn't stupid to be a good guy.

Ruth turns to Ionuz as she places an arm around Sobar. "You've made it. You came to work on time six days in a row and you weren't kicked out. But Sobar has a long week ahead of him." No one likes him because he's always a bother, even in chapel. Most of all he likes to annoy the girls. Ionuz needs to understand that Sobar requires and inordinate amount of love in order to calm down. When he is allowed to sit next to Ruth, he is happy and can entertain the whole table.

Along with Sobar, Sandale, Moise, Iulian and Aluna are sitting with Ruth today. They are the strong and difficult ones. We are at their mercy. Prince shows up in the dining hall late with the bouquet of roses. For Ruth. She is surprised about the fresh flowers which cost so much in winter. Ruth is used to surprises. Yesterday she got a huge fish head from Moise. Who knows where the rest of the fish is, where the flowers come from? Is it appropriate to be pleased about receiving gifts which have been stolen? Nonetheless, the message overcomes all barriers. Red roses for Ruth, just after Sobar broke the window pane. The scandal at the train station cancels out the scandal in the house. Life goes on. Tears of desperation alternate with tears from high spirits.

Will we be able to turn around the thieves and the destroyers? Can we divert their powers towards good with "injustice"? The SALA CONCORDIA Hall next to the social centre should be finished in the spring. The building will make our life together easier and will open a door to community and work for many teenagers who come to Lazarus, especially the most difficult. Activities, competitions, painting and singing, dancing and karate, drama and church services change our children.

Dear friends, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for every building block towards healing with "injustice". With the Easter wish that the difficult ones liberate us, I send my greetings.

Father Georg Sporschill, SJ

Chişinău, Advent 2005