I first took part in Christmas Aid in South America more than 10 years ago. It was a natural thing to do in my wife's (Ecuadorian) extended family and was part of the holiday. Every year, in the months before Christmas, a family was selected through aid agencies and such a gesture was a tremendous help in their lives. A day's work to repair a crumbling tin shack before the rainy season arrived and, as well as providing food for several weeks, we even managed to buy several mattresses for the children sleeping on the floor.
The most important thing was that you could do a lot for people not only with money, but also with manual labour.

This tradition also played a part in me volunteering at the Krishnas here in Budapest for the Christmas food distribution. It was a fantastic feeling to put a smile on the faces of grateful people who waited patiently for hours, despite the rain. I would especially like to point out that my 10-year-old son Adrián came with me and I envied him a little bit because he was thanked several times for each item he was handed in the queue.