Caritas Samoa assisted a family whose home was destroyed by a fire early this week claiming the life of a child by supplying food and and clothing. 

Deacon and Chaplain Tiufea Mikaele Toluono said they heard the news and reached out to the family. 

"When we heard about the news, we immediately convened in the office the next morning to determine how we could help," said Tiufea. 

The Deacon and two helpers visited the family with food items such as noodles, boxes of chicken, sugar, rice, milk, mackerel cases, corned beef, and breakfast crackers. 

"They were thankful, which is always the reaction of these people when we come to their homes," said Tiufea. 

The non-food items that were gifted included mosquito nets, tarpaulins, kitchen sets, shelter toolkits, blankets, towels, jerry cans, toilet rolls, and hygiene kits. 

"The meaning of the word Carita is a Latin word meaning love. It is the duty of the Catholic Church around the world, since its establishment 2000 years ago, to continue that mission of the church as Jesus did," said Tiufea. 

"We discussed our options and decided to focus on providing tangible support—what was necessary for these families to begin rebuilding their lives." 

As a normal procedure in his work, the Deacon conducts a biblical spiritual exhortation with the families he visits to calm them and assure them that God is always there. 

Attempts to interview the family affected by the fire have been unsuccessful, as they have stated they want their privacy.