"Your ordinary contact with God takes place where your fellow men, your yearnings, your work and your affections are. There you have your daily encounter with Christ.”
(Saint Josemaría)
The following stories show how creativity and a passion for doing good can cut through walls and cross over oceans. Although we are confined, our eagerness to help others cannot be.
Marian from Puerto Rico says she grew up in a "bubble": between her family and her school, all her needs were always met. All of that changed after doing some community service at school. Motivated by Saint Josemaria's encouragement to foster a genuine concern for every person, she also wants to help others to see beyond their own immediate needs.
One year ago the first center in Palestine for the specific diagnosis of breast cancer was opened in Bethlehem. Its history is an example of how a spirit of service can cross over borders and reach the world's peripheries.
"But what can I do?" On seeing so many needy people in the streets of Mazatlan (a coastal city in Mexico), Amparo asked herself what she could do to help. Today, more than 15 years later, Amparo’s question has found a clear answer.
How can I help assist those in need? Where do I start? This short documentary shows creative ways in which Catholics from various countries have responded to the needs of those around them.
"When I was in high school, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were distant lands. But an unexpected opportunity to organize a service project in Lithuania brought the Baltic countries a lot closer to home."
A young artist from Seville, Spain, set out to paint 400 paintings in 2 years, donating half of the profits to projects that help children at risk of social exclusion.
Citywise is an educational program in Dublin helping young people from difficult city backgrounds to aim high in life. It is inspired by the message of Saint Josemaria.
Some Italian volunteers are trying to help children whose fathers are in prison to reopen communication with them, especially through drawings and games.
Maria Estela is Guatemalan. Several years ago she was taught the skills needed to earn an income in Ixoqui, a rural center that seeks to improve the material and spiritual life of the women in the area.
Abel Albino is a pediatrician in Argentina. In 1995 he founded CONIN, an NGO that has set up more than 70 centers to combat infant malnutrition. From the documentary "Working for the Others" on social initiatives inspired by Blessed Alvaro del Portillo in Latin America.
