Venezuelans don’t let poverty stop them from helping the neediest

On visit to Venezuela, ACN executive president struck by generosity of spirit among those hit by June 24 earthquakes

Sister Disciples of the Divine Master handing out medals of the Divina Pastora — the Marian devotion whose shrine is located in Barquisimeto — to rescuers and earthquake victims.

An impoverished population might have been down due to years of economic turmoil in Venezuela, but they are definitely not out, said Regina Lynch, executive president of Aid to the Church in Need.

Lynch and a small team from ACN headquarters in Germany flew to Bogota, Colombia, and then to Valencia, Venezuela. The twin earthquakes that devastated the country June 24 badly damaged the main airport outside Caracas.

In the video below, Lynch describes how the local Church has literally become a “field hospital,” to borrow a phrase from the late Pope Francis.

The Caritas chapel in Valencia from which Lynch speaks has temporarily been transformed into a holding station for donations of all kinds of material aid from local residents: medicines and sanitary supplies, food, bottled water, etc.

“What we’ve heard today from the director of Caritas and also the people working here is of the generosity of the local people of Venezuela,” Lynch said. “There’s this great sense of helping their own people.” She was impressed by how “immediately this population, which has been impoverished due to its history over the last few years, reached out to help.”

ACN’s executive president noted that the delegation would proceed to meet with the Catholic bishops’ conference in Caracas and Archbishop Raul Biord Castillo of Caracas later today.

“We continue to entrust this visit to your prayers,” Lynch said in a message to ACN benefactors.

–John Burger