THE QUARANTINE: SPACE, TIME OF OPPORTUNITY, LISTENING TO GOD IN THE BROTHERS
This Quarantine helped us feel called to a team mission, coordinating with various Institutions: CEIL, Church (Bishop). Parishes, Vicarage, Mayor’s Office, alumni, families, principals, teachers and others.
It allowed us to realize the dream that we set out to do when we made our life project in common: Listen, Clarify and Commit ourselves, bearing witness to the faith in works.
With these latent motions we wanted to capture it these two months and we organized as a community:
Liturgy, retreat. Prayer, cleaning, making food, shopping, the younger Sister offered herself for the care of the others. Also in the afternoons we take two hours for different activities and sharing: looking at our personal history through photographs, readings, baking, recreational games, movies, eve, community prayer.
To grow in the good being of the Congregation and work with others, service teams were built in the communities with volunteer people to prepare the solidarity lunches of the COMMON POTS.
Taking into account the risks, we abandoned ourselves in the blessed Hands of God and of Mary of Nazareth, we began to look, listen, the situation of many families who did not have for their daily subsistence, we saw that with the bag of some food it was not enough . We reconsidered the fact, we spoke with some families from different neighborhoods who accepted the proposal to make a common pot, we gave them the food that came from donations. Having Mother Candida as intercessor, according to her, she lived trusting always in Divine Providence.
It started with a call from CEIL coordinated by Sister Susana Guzmán who motivated solidarity to alumni, principals, teachers, families who wanted to send their contributions: food, money to buy what is necessary…
It was possible to coordinate with the neighborhoods: Isla del Palmar- Capilla Madre Cándida, Plan 4000- Barrio Tiluchi, San Pedro del Palmar. We highlight the availability of the Ladies: Elena Guarachi, Elisa Pinto, Teresa Veizaga and Milthon Alavi (who acted as driver to collect the donations) gave their unlimited time to carry out these activities.
Father Flavio Méndez worked coordinating as representative of the parish and the Vicaría San Pedro; Father Raúl, pastor of the Holy Cross, collaborated with many donations.
The Mayor’s Office was present on several occasions with basic necessities.
Everything was managed by us, distributed according to needs. Around 800 dishes were prepared daily.
Thanks to the solidarity of so many people, many low-income families were fed for two months, who were infinitely grateful for their daily bread.
Our attitude was to be vigilant, alert, vigilant, so that nothing was missing.
The challenge was great, our strength, our faith, were put to the test, goodwill goes hand in hand with learning. We know that by
finishing the quarantine, inserting yourself into work and daily activities will be full of risks, possibly there will be more infected, more pain, more anxiety, but we cannot live forever locked up. We will have to learn to live with the virus. This time has been a trial. Now is to protect us, to take care of each other. Trusting that God your Mother and Mother Candida will protect us, we greet you with great affection from Santa Cruz.
Hijas de Jesús de Santa Cruz de la Sierra – Bolivia
