SPAIN, Rodolfo Monedero •
How to help? This is the question posed at a remote meeting of a group of Schoenstatters. When buying food or paying for electricity and gas, becomes a problem for many, Schoenstatt cannot remain indifferent. When our society suffers, we cannot remain comfortably installed in our bubble. “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty…” —.
“But there are already many initiatives at work,” -someone claims. “I already collaborate with Caritas,” -says someone else. It doesn’t matter. The Queen’s children also make themselves “available to anyone who may need help, whether it be a private person or family who requests it, or an institution or an organization that requires it (Caritas, nursing home, food bank, parish…).
Photo: iStock Getty Images
Each one offers what he/she knows is able to do
Some know from their own experience what it is like to find you -humanly speaking- at a dead end, in a desperate situation. That is why they want to make Christ present, supporting those who have lost a loved one or who do not know how they will feed their children tomorrow.
This is how a list begins to be drawn up, a list where each one offers what he knows is able to do, telephone accompaniment, specialized advice, preparing and distributing food, or making and distributing masks. So, this initiative opens up and is offered to anyone who wants and can collaborate.
The health crisis is followed by the economic and employment crisis, and together with them comes the personal and social crisis.
We have identified different areas. In some, we know that help is needed right now, and in others, that help will be needed soon. We know that the health crisis is followed by the economic and employment crisis, and together with them comes the personal and social crisis.
These are the areas we have defined (they will be expanded as the team grows):
- Listening/accompaniment.
- Accompaniment and psychological help.
- Telephone accompaniment of the sick and elderly.
- Accompaniment in grieving situations.
- Nursing Assistant Care.
- Organize wardrobe or food bank.
- Sewing, washing, ironing, folding.
- Food preparation.
- Elaboration and/or distribution of necessary material.
- Social Dining Rooms.
- Food delivery.
- Online private lessons (for elementary all of the subjects, for Junior High and High School, English only).
- Fiscal and employment guidance.
- Entrepreneurial advice.
- Financial aid/advice.
- Advice on company transformation/adaptation.
- News verification.
- Help with computer resources, telephones…
We are at the service of:
- Caritas
- Red Cross
- org
- Madrid Food Bank
- Little Sisters of the Poor
- Family Feeding Project
- es (Church initiatives portal)
- Resource Guide San Cristobal
- Purchase, manufacture and distribution of medical equipment and delivery to hospitals, health centers, nursing homes and any group that needs it through http://www.materialcoronavirus.com
Photo: iStock Getty Images
In the spirit of Schoenstatt reaching out
Once this list of areas or fields of action has been elaborated, we have been incorporated into that area or areas, where we can offer our help, either because it is our field of work, or because it is an area in which we have been collaborating and we know it, or because it moves us to get involved in that field.
In the spirit of Schoenstatt on the way out, we want to offer ourselves to whoever may need us, with what we know or can do, and above all with our own carisma. And we want to do it by uniting efforts, resources, initiatives, and especially the desire to serve.
From this moment we invite everyone who freely and voluntarily wants to participate in this initiative, coordinated by the group of Schoenstatters who have launched it in a spirit of solidarity.
Where there is a need…
Suddenly, as soon as we open up to wider circles, more volunteers begin to sign up. In this way we hope to contribute to alleviate to some extent the needs of so many people who are suffering and who need a little or a lot of help to get by.
“We are children of Mary. Where there is a need, the “Children of the Queen” should be there.
Original: Spanish 2020.05.02. Translated by: María Aragón, Monterrey, México.
