A welcoming gaze - LOOKS of LIFE

I began my service at the Pastoral Office for Migrants in Turin on October 27, 2025. Five months have now passed. Every day I discover how welcoming is a sacred place, where lives touch and intertwine.

My main role is at the “welcome desk,” where, together with my colleagues, I meet people who knock on doors or call in search of a listening ear, guidance, and support. Some are looking for a job, some need an address for residency, some ask for housing, some need documents, or an Italian language school.

Hospitality becomes a bridge: between those who arrive with an urgent need and those who, in the various local communities, can offer a concrete response.

My first gesture is always a look: a look that says “I’m here for you,” a look that recognizes the dignity of the person before me. Then comes listening, attentively and respectfully, and finally I direct people to the most appropriate service to resolve their situation. Many explain why they came to the Migrant Office, and their response helps us understand which path to propose.

The people we meet come from diverse countries: Peru, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Pakistan, Bangladesh. Each face brings a unique story, often marked by great hardship, but also by great courage.

The greeting I use when meeting someone for the first time is a simple “Good morning,” which quickly turns into a more familiar “Hello.” I always give children a smile. Usually. People, after receiving guidance or help, express their gratitude with simple but profound words: “Thank you,” “You listened to me,” “I didn’t feel alone.”

Some return multiple times, not only to find what they need, but also to greet those who welcomed them so kindly.

There are days when joy is great: when we manage to direct someone to a place where they finally find what they were looking for.

But there are also times of struggle, when we can’t meet the needs of those who need it most, like shelter or a decent place to sleep. In those moments, I feel my own fragility, but also the even stronger desire to continue welcoming and serving.

Meetings don’t stop at the front desk. Throughout the year, we gather at celebrations organized by the Pastoral Care of Migrants, such as the “People’s Feast”, where we dance, eat, and pray together. These are moments when diversity becomes enrichment and the community expands, becomes more colorful, and is renewed.

This apostolate is teaching me that hospitality isn’t just a look, a gesture, but a way of life. It’s believing that every person brings a gift. It’s building bridges where others see walls. It’s allowing the encounter to transform me too.

Sr. Stella Mwinuka, mc