For the past 15 years, the “Child-God” Home, attended to by our sisters in Bethlehem, has welcomed children and adults who for different reasons cannot be cared for by their own families or have been abandoned. The priests of our Congregation, with their collaboration and counsel, are an integral part of this Home.
Currently, there are 36 beneficiaries, who live, day and night with the sisters. The Home is their family. Soon a second Home will open, run by the IVE, to care for the older boys.
As soon as this painful situation of the coronavirus began, we made a consecration of our Religious Family, putting the Home, with all its children, adults employees, sisters and priests, in the hands of the Blessed Virgin, asking for her special protection.
Given that the border is closed to volunteers who usually come to assist with our work, we have had to rearrange our activities and support ourselves with the help of the Provincial House, since the 5 sisters who live permanently at the Home would not have been able to care for all of the residents.
By the grace of God, our priests have been able to celebrate the Holy Mass daily, and also give us the benediction with the Blessed Sacrament each day. The children are already accustomed that in the evening “Jesus comes to bless them” and they fight for who can blow out the candles after He has been reposed. It is an honor for some of the children to be able to ring the bell at the moment of benediction.
It is really quite moving to see them, like little angels around Jesus; in their simplicity, not even able to speak, they offer Him their pains. The majority of them are in wheelchairs. They are little victims with the Victim-Jesus, whose suffering arises like incense to the presence of the Father only to return in the form of many blessings for the souls most in need. It is the mystery of ‘ever-fruitful’ cross! That is why we consider it a privilege to be able to assist them in different ways, either directly or indirectly, also helping in the kitchen, laundry, etc.
Yesterday we found out that the closure will be extended another month. Our Holy Week will be very special, taking care of the suffering Jesus in these children, giving them the love of which they were denied. The religious, for being a Spouse of Christ, is Mother of Christ’s children; her spiritual maternity is real and sublime. We are convinced that in caring for them, out of love for our Lord, we unite ourselves to the redemptive work of Christ… perhaps like a drop of water in the sea, but as St. Teresa of Calcutta used to say, without this the sea would be a drop less.
As a Religious Family, we offer 7 hours of Eucharistic Adoration each day, in the morning and the afternoon, asking God to have mercy on the victims of the pandemic. We pray for those who are farthest from His grace, that in this pain they may encounter Jesus Crucified and find in Him their only consolation and salvation.
We entrust ourselves to your prayers,
M. María del Cielo