CALLED TO SERVE
Sister
of Charity of Halifax: Seeds of hope
By
Gabriela Villela
The seeds of hope planted
by the Seton Way Group from Edmonton keep growing in La Victoria, Peru.
The first service trip in 2006 was framed in a series of workshops on
nutrition, hygiene, recreation and the environment.
Now five years later, it was with great joy and anticipation that the
women and children of La Victoria awaited my pastoral visit. Likewise,
it was a blessing for me to spend time and energy among them.
I found the growth in family
values most evident. Parents are making greater efforts in educating
their children in spite of significant financial difficulties, even
though many of the parents are still illiterate.
St. Vincent and St. Benedict
elementary schools in Edmonton have twinned with the children in La
Victoria for the past eight years and their solidarity has benefitted
the children greatly. This time, their donations went toward providing
school shoes for approximately 100 children. The children also received
warm jackets from Saint Thomas More Junior High, Edmonton. A donation
from a group of Associates in Halifax provided a number of school supplies.
All of these gifts were appropriate,
as the school year was about to begin in March.
During my visit, with contributions
from Annunciation Parish in Edmonton, we replaced the roof of the centre,
built a new bathroom, added a new kitchen sink and put the finishing
touches to the kitchen walls.
Gerald Beliveau from Edmonton,
a carpenter by trade, was instrumental in all of these work projects
during his three weeks of voluntary service.
At the conclusion of all of these work projects and my visit to La Victoria,
we dedicated the centre to the late Maria Rivas, a woman with a young
family who spent her life sharing loving service with families in greater
need than her own. Maria died of cancer 10 years ago at the age of 50.
Her widower, children and grandchildren joined the women of the newly
named Centro Maria Rivas for a time of prayer, words of remembrance
and celebration of her life.
Much gratitude is expressed
by the women of the Maria Rivas Centre and by me to our congregation
for sharing the charism of charity; also to the many people of Annunciation
Parish for their generosity in providing ongoing programs and new ways
by which families in this area can look forward with hope to a brighter
future!
Sisters of Charity —
Halifax live and serve in areas across Canada, the eastern United States,
Bermuda and Peru.
Villela is a Sister of Charity — Halifax who lives in Edmonton.
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