Providing a home for the homeless, elderly, poor
Our sisters’ ministry in the home for elderly in Espumoso, Brazil
is to welcome elderly, poor, needy and handicapped women whose families cannot
manage to care for them. Some of these women have been abandoned by their
families. The home provides entire and full time care, helping and treating
the needs of 45 women.
One of the sisters´ aims is to maintain a link between the people living
in the home and the local community so that they do not feel lonely. In addition
to material donations, such as food and clothes, the local community support
comes from different groups who come to the home to share their time and
love with the elderly, doing activities to cheer them up and keep them active.
The activities include dances, parties, games, exercises, talking with them
and listening to their stories. Masses are celebrated regularly in the chapel
at the home for the elderly, which provides another way of bringing the residents
and the local community together. Some people become so close to the elderly
that they “adopt” them and come for frequent visits, even
taking them to their homes for a while.
On special occasions, students from nearby schools prepare plays that they
perform for the elderly and share a snack with them. These kinds of mutual
exchange help the children and the adolescents learn social responsibility,
respect, care and love towards the less fortunate.
