Making the invisible visible, part 1
Our three Christmas celebrations for the disadvantaged in México City put us in contact with many “invisible” people, those whom most of society don’t see or hear about. “Patricino un Libro” (Sponsor a Book) volunteers are so thankful that we were able to show these desperately poor people some recognition, encouragement and love during the Christmas season.
The “Pepenadores” of
Ciudad Neza
The “pepenadores”, who live on the outskirts of Mexico City, are the poorest of the poor. Hidden under oversized hoods, they ride decrepit mule-drawn carriages searching for garbage, which they deliver to their community to search through. If they find something that day, they will eat, if not...
Black with grime, hair matted with dirt, they and their
children ride back and forth from garbage dumps in search of something worth
selling. The garbage dump is their
universe where they live and form families. They have babies in make-shift
hovels with no water, electricity, or sanitation. A whole marginal society with
its own tough laws is established there. We asked some of them why they would choose
to live in such a place, and received the same answer from everyone: because the
only work to be found is selling things found in the garbage dumps. Many of the
children do not go to school because they are needed to work. There is no
census of the dump dwellers, they legally do not exist.
We participated in a Christmas event for 250 children of
pepenadores in a make-shift chapel. Our volunteers provided a clown show, toys
and storybooks for the children and blankets for the mothers. The event was
very appreciated by these dear people and the books were a big hit with the
children. For all the children, these were their first books they had ever
owned. Throughout the event we were reminded of how much we have to be thankful
for, when so many have to settle with so little.
The Government
Shelter
On December 24th, Patrincino un Libro held a Christmas celebration in a shelter for displaced families. These families are living in houses precariously built on the side of cliffs in Mexico City. Around 100 families are “temporarily” housed there; some of them have been living there for over a year. We performed a special puppet show to the delight of the children, who had a good laugh while learning about family values. All the children received gifts of storybooks and toys for Christmas.
Orphans at the Four
Season Hotel
Forty boys and girls from two state orphanages enjoyed a delicious meal and all the luxuries of a five star hotel for a Christmas celebration. Our volunteers provided storytelling, drawing contests, gifts of books and toys, and lots of attention, love and hugs. Most of all, they had a peek into a different reality – away from their memories of abuse, scarcity, and loneliness, making brighter horizons not so far out of reach.
Patricino un Libro offers many thanks to Activated
Ministries for once again donating all the books we needed to give to these
very needy and appreciative children. Your help is an invaluable blessing and we
wouldn’t have been able to do these programs without it. God bless you!
