COMPUTADORES, CEREMONIAS, COMIDAS CON AMIGOS, & CELEBRACIÓNES DE CUMPLEAÑOS

COMPUTER DELIVERIES

Our week began with two quiet days in the office and then on Wednesday morning, we loaded the big van with 20 computers that have been refurbished and headed south to Chillán. It is always a memorable moment when we get far enough out of Santiago’s smog to see blue skies!

After driving for 4 ½ hours we reached Fundacion Coplec where we donated the computers. This Foundation serves the social humanitarian needs of residents in rural communities surrounding Chillán. With extensive poverty in the rural areas, the foundation provides a variety of services and equipment to alleviate suffering and help break the cycle of poverty. This includes providing free housing in Chillán for college students from rural areas who don’t have the necessary resources for housing and/or transportation. They offer various training and preparatory programs to enhance university preparation. We were able to meet three of the thirteen young women currently living in the home the foundation provides. These students will put the refurbished computers to good use.

CEREMONIAS Y COMIDAS CON AMIGOS

BOMBEROS

Raul Seguél, one of our field managers, picked us up at our hotel in Chillán to drive to Quillón. The 45-minute drive turned into 1 ½ hour because of construction on a bridge. As we sat in standstill traffic, Raul purchased several snacks for us from roadside vendors; flatbread with bacon in it and chocolate cookies filled with manjar (a caramel-like spread). We arrived at the chapel just in time for the signing for the Quillón Bomberos emergency project. During a recent forest fire, Latter-Day Saint Charities donated emergency supplies for the fighters such as water, eye drops, and sunscreen.

Then back to Raul’s home in Chillán for dinner. His wife Roxana had prepared a lovely meal. It was so very kind of them to invite us into their home. They dropped us off at our hotel at about 11:30 pm.

The next morning, we headed north for an hour and a half drive to Colbún. We had time before the ceremony, so we drove up the mountain to Lago Colbún. We encountered rain for the first time since our arrival six months ago and found a cozy place for lunch. May have purchased a rather “small” chocolate bar.

SOR TERESA DE CALCUTA HOGAR DE ANCIANOS

At 3:30 we met President Sotomayor at Sor Teresa de Calcuta hogar de ancianos. A group of volunteers came together to form this organization to welcome and care for vulnerable older people who do not have family support. Some have been abandoned. Caretakers wish to give them dignity in the twilight of their lives by offering a space for them to live, in hopes that they will achieve spiritual and physical well-being. There are currently 38 residents with an average age of 87 years. A large percentage are severely physically dependent and do not have adequate beds for their condition. The donation of 15 clinical beds has been an important help in caring for these elderly people and in fostering a family environment. We had a lovely ceremony where they presented us with handmade dolls in traditional costumes, made from horsehair.

Then an hour drive back south to Parral where we went to President Sotomayor’s home to meet his wife. She showed us her beautiful Chilean Bellflower, the national flower of Chile.

HOGAR DE ANCIANOS SAN JOSE

Then on to the ceremony at Hogar de ancianos San Jose. This nursing home in Parral has 20 residents between the ages of 70 and 94. Residents’ families do not have the resources to care for them at home. The donation of kitchen and laundry equipment, and lifts will assist employees in better caring for patients while protecting their own health. New mattresses will add to the dignity of residents’ everyday lives. The treadmill will provide these seniors with a way to exercise.

This ceremony was followed by a formal dinner with community members. After a wonderful day, we drove the 4 hours back to Santiago in the rain and crawled into bed at 2:00 am for a few hours’ sleep.

HOSPITAL QUILPÚE

The next morning, we left at 7:30 am for Quilpúe, an hour and a half drive northeast, for a ceremony at Hospital Quilpúe. The donation of a dermatome will improve care for those who have been severely burned and those who have severe wounds that require skin harvesting and transplant. The rest of the donated items were for the pediatric unit. This pediatric unit has 9 beds and 10 cribs and cares for children from 28 days to 14 years of age. When a child or adolescent is hospitalized and find themselves in a totally new environment they may experience physical discomfort, fear, or anxiety. To help them adapt to their new surrounding and situation, a pleasant and welcoming environment is necessary. Due to budget restrictions, the hospital has not been able to make its pediatric unit comfortable. TVs will provide a means to occupy some of the time of these children and provide a distraction from their pain. Lap tables provide the surface necessary to do schoolwork with the guidance of the in-house teacher. The bottle warmers were much appreciated. Local Relief Society sisters made crib sheets and covers for the infant beds.

We always feel such joy at these ceremonies. Such gratitude is expressed by the recipients. So many are blessed because of the donations. We were impressed this week with another blessing from these humanitarian projects and that is how they connect our local church leaders with the community. As we stood back and watched the stake presidents and communications directors interact with community leaders, planning future service projects together, our hearts were touched, and our understating was expanded. We count our blessings every day for the privilege it is being trusted to help administer these sacred humanitarian aid funds.

We drove back to Santiago, picked up the Lindquist’s, had lunch at one of our favorite Italian restaurants in the mall, chatted with our server, who is a member of our church and is getting married next month, and did our grocery shopping at Jumbo. We arrived home to find no electricity at our apartment. Just as we finished carrying our groceries up four flights of stairs it came back on.

CELEBRACIONS DE CUMPLEANOS

On Saturday we drove to Casablanca with our fellow missionaries and PFJ helpers; Salgados, Lindquists, and Acevedos. This time, when we pulled into the campground, there were no tents or youth there. This is the site where the PFJ (For the Strength of Youth) sessions were held in Jan-Feb where we assembled many of the school kits. It was such a memorable day. We all brought food and Elder and Hermana Mora hosted us at this church campground they serve at. We wanted to thank these wonderful people for all the service they gave and have a relaxing day together. It also happened to be Hermana Lamb’s birthday. We celebrated the Chilean way with a birthday song and a Viva Chile cheer.

We then moved inside to the beautiful farmhouse for a concert. Elder Mora is a retired police officer who played in the police band. We could not just sit and listen. His music moved us to dance to some oldies; the Argentines (Elder & Hermana Acevedo) did the tango, Elder Salgado taught Sister Mora’s 83-year-old mother to samba, and we ended with a sing-along around the piano. It was a birthday Hermana Lamb will never forget!