On December 17, 2018, just a week before Christmas, the Augustinian Recollect Sisters of the Heart of Jesus in Los Teques (Venezuela), received what they describe as “the best Christmas gift”.
Esteban, a 3-month-old baby, arrived at the sisters’ general house with all his bones marked by severe malnutrition: “One more week and this child might not go on living,” Sister Luisana Cruz, who personally took care of him, recounted in this interview.
The little boy arrived in such serious condition that the nuns had to take turns caring for him day and night, keeping him in their arms to avoid the risk of death by reflux.
Thanks to the love and dedication of the sisters, Esteban We realized that in addition to medical care, what he needed most was love,” said Sister Luisana.
Eventually, Esteban became part of the community and grew up among them for the first five years of his life, until he was placed in a foster family.
“HE RECOGNIZES US AS HIS FAMILY”
Today, five years after his arrival, although Esteban lives with his foster family, he still visits them frequently: “A bond that grew, that was there from his first months of life, how can it disappear so quickly?
This was like his maternal home for him, that is, he came from here to this family, and he loves us, he recognizes us as his family, as his beloved little sisters, and every time he comes back, he sometimes spends a few days here, although he always comes back”.
“We saw him born again. God gave him a new opportunity to continue in life and brought him here and we gave ourselves to that mission. Esteban grew among us, he grew, as the Word says, in stature, in wisdom, in grace… In everything”.
She also recalled that with him they learned “to experience spiritual motherhood much more as a gift from God.
We saw Esteban being born again.
God gave him a new opportunity to continue in life and brought him here and we gave ourselves to that mission.
Esteban grew among us, he grew, as the Word says, in stature, in wisdom, in grace… In everything, because he is a very awake, lively, effective and creative child and whenever he comes to see us he is a real joy”.
“COMPREHENSIVE CARE”.
But Esteban was not the only one. His case was the first of many.
Since then, the community has received numerous children in critical conditions.
“We learned a lot from him.
Today we continue with this mission, and now we care for 45 children in our care facility.”
The home, which opened two years ago thanks to donations, houses both boys and girls, from infants to 18-year-olds.
The children arrive due to different circumstances.
Some are rescued by the Protection Council due to situations of violence, neglect or extreme poverty.
Others come with serious health problems, such as the recent case of a one-month-old baby in critical condition due to malnutrition who arrived with his brother.
In all cases, the nuns are in charge of their integral care, providing not only food and medical attention, but also a lot of love and spiritual accompaniment.
“SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD”
For the nuns, this work has become a true spiritual motherhood.
Inspired by their foundress, Mary of St. Josephwho was known for her maternal love for the most vulnerable, the sisters see their work as a way of living this vocation.
“We are not biological mothers, but we have learned to live a different kind of motherhood, a spiritual motherhood that God has given us,” explains Sister Luisana.
Taking care of these children has allowed them to experience the unconditional love of a mother, but elevated to a spiritual dimension and total surrender: “We want each child who arrives here to understand that God loves them, that despite what they have lived through, there is another possibility of life.
For those who cannot be adopted, the nuns become their only family: “It’s a harsh reality, because many older children are not adopted.
We, as a congregation, become their home.”
The sisters see their work not only as an act of charity, but as a mission that reaffirms their religious consecration and their role as spiritual mothers: “They have lived very hard realities, but here we show them that their future can be different“.