TEAMWORK
Sister Esperanza is a religious woman whose community is small and without many resources. When Sister Esperanza is sick she has to attend the Public Hospital since she has no medical insurance. When the Archbishop of San Salvador visits her soup kitchen in the city of Soyapango, the car must pass through armed checkpoint run by armed gang members who check documents as if passing through customs. The best reference the Archbishop can give in order to pass is saying, “I’m here to visit Sister Esperanza”.A few months ago, Sister hope paid a visit to the Episcopal Vicariate of Human Promotion-Caritas to say that she was low on funds and needed assistance. She humbly showed us her receipts that were all rolled together in a plastic bag, in order to present her rather minimal budget. Despite its shortcomings, there is no denying the quality of care provided to hundreds of children at the center. It provides much more than nutrition, it supplies education, healthcare and welfare to the mothers. The nutrition center offers comprehensive integrated care at a more personal level; because the work here is evident there is respect from the gangs that surround the center.
The directors of the Episcopal Vicariate of Human Promotion-Caritas sat down with Sister Hopes and took a look at the whole operation. What was needed was for someone to help develop a strategic plan. The director of construction undertook the task of examining the physical infrastructure. By implementing a program to create a community garden and help raise tilapia, our Director of Agriculture is addressing the issue of nourishment. The nutritionist of our health department is helping to develop some recipes for a daily lunch program. In addition we have asked a Maryknoll missionary with experience in soybean production to lend a hand. The Director of the Office of Legal Protection is also organizing workshops for mothers of the children. When these transactions are finished the department of credit will initiate a solidarity circle amongst these women. Sometimes these women were charged interest rates of 55% daily, as they tried to make a living.
Sister hope is addressing the most difficult problem in El Salvador: urban violence. These issues face problems such as an immense lack of resources. In addition, with these evident issues at hand, the support of the Vicariate in matters such as water access, access to credit, health issues, human rights, construction and education is needed. With each director administering resources and ability and demonstrating willingness to aid in Sister Esperanza’s problems, we are capable of completing her mission as well as ours.
However, each department has to concentrate on working with limited resources accurately and keep their activities within strict parameters. As you get to know more about the work of our departments you will see that we must keep in mind the lesson of Sister Hope, when working as a team, you have to know the limits of their capacity to respond, know the gifts of other members of the team, share a common mission and be creative.