(Seychelles News Agency) - On November 30, two Seychellois families lost most of their belongings in a fire that destroyed the third floor of a block of flats which also housed 4 other families at Bel Air, central district of the Seychelles main island of Mahe.

The families barely had time to save some of their belongings from the flames.

Perry Tirant who lived in one of these apartments with his girlfriend and other members of their family were among those who lost everything.

Perry is an employee of the Constance Ephelia Resort located on the western coast of Mahe where he works to keep the beaches clean.

One of his colleagues, Cedrick Thomas who is in charge of landscaping at the Resort decided to invite Perry and his girlfriend Isha Victor and their daughter Ashanty Victor to share Christmas lunch with his family yesterday.

Perry’s Girlfriend, Isha Victor sharing Christmas lunch with the Thomas family. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

Normally, Christmas Day is a time that most Seychellois families choose to spend with their loved ones.

“I did not expect someone to offer for me to have lunch with his family on Christmas Day, I was a little confused at first, but everything went very well. This allowed me to get to know him a little better and I'm very happy,"Perry Tirant told SNA.

At the moment, Perry and his family have been temporarily relocated in a house, in the Bel Air district.

“Normally, I would have spent Christmas with my family, but given the incident we experienced, it is good that I was at someone else's home, in another state of mind,” he said.

While most people tend to keep to themselves, others are trying to showcase other values which exist in the society.

“When I first announced the decision to my family, they were a bit surprised, they thought I was trying to be a new apostle or disciple, but after a while they understood... everything I have, I decided to share with these people,” Cedrick Thomas told SNA.

“.....their house was burnt, so it is the perfect occasion to invite them to spend Christmas with my family and myself,” said Thomas.

“Christmas is a time of sharing that people should do more often. In our society, too often we forget to share. In the past.....we were used to sharing our meal with our neighbour, now its all gone, and I think we should start to do it again, we should perpetuate this tradition.” 

Cedrick Thomas seen from the back and his special guests. At his right Jean-Marc Lagesse and Terry Tirant(Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

Cedrick Thomas also took this opportunity to invite Jean-Marc Lagesse, the General Manager of the Ephelia Resort and his wife to Christmas lunch.

Lagesse has been in Seychelles for the past six months and this is his first Christmas in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

“Normally I used to have lunch with my family even when I was in Mauritius, and this year my wife and I were very touched that Cedrick asked us to come and eat with his family, and for us it is a wonderful time full of friendship and simplicity, we feel like we are part of the family,” Jean-Marc Lagesse told SNA.