News from the Maria Auxiliadora center in Medellin: this nutrition center usually provides about 40 children aged 1 to 12 with a full evening meal. It is currently closed due to Covid, and replaced by meal baskets.
Extracts from messages sent by Elda
I am still sending supplies to the families. The center is still closed but the children have returned to school. One day at a time. We hope that everyone will be able to be vaccinated, but so far not many vaccines have arrived. It’s a bit complicated because new mothers come every day so we can help them. Because they come from Venezuela. In a house of 50 m² live up to 3 families. It’s sad to see how this pandemic has worsened the family life of so many people. This week I went to visit a family who came to me for help. I found 7 people in the same room. It made me very sad. You feel helpless to see the suffering of the children all huddled together. We can do all this help and work with the help of God.
Thanks to you, the money has been coming in regularly for 27 years every month. Daniel, my son, does the market. Catalina and I pack the markets. And we deliver them to each family. In this month we are delivering 53 markets at 200,000 pesos (about 50 euros) each. For a total balance of 10,600,000 pesos. A family has an average of 3 children. And it’s a lot of work to organize everything. I think I did a good job with my children, teaching them also to have a spirit of service towards others. So we will continue to work with the children in the community.
It’s very sad to have to select the families. But I tried to do it in the best way. Adriana, the girl who supports me, always helps me in this work, to see which family is the most in need. The families here, because of the economic difficulties, sometimes have to make do with just one meal a day. There was unemployment before. After the pandemic, unemployment increased by 70%. A mother who came to look for the market told me that without your help, her two small children would not have enough food. It is very difficult to explain to a mother that we have not been able to give her food this month.
As long as we have God’s help and the generosity of you all. Neither the pandemic nor distance can separate us from the love I feel for you all. Greetings to all and many kisses. And may God’s goodness and mercy shelter you all in his holy care.
Elda