The sisters gratefully received the invitation from members of the Christian community of Luya, to participate in the celebration to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the presence of the sisters in Peru and 40 years shared in the town of Luya. In the name of all the sisters, I was sent to Luya, welcoming the invitation with joy.
To say “THANK YOU DEAR PEOPLE OF LUYA!” is an understatement. I never imagined that I was going to live a deep experience of memories, anecdotes, naming the sisters who passed through Luya… The encounter I had with the young people. In this space, spontaneous testimonies emerged: “The sisters walked with us, they gave us the gift of their joy, they instilled in us to defend justice and especially to value women.” “They were always attentive to the needs of the people. They promoted and accompanied several training spaces. In a joint work with the authorities we were able to have our Health Post, today called Health Center”. “The sisters are not gone, they left footprints in our lives and we will always have them present.”.
On Sunday morning the celebration of the Eucharist took place, prepared with love and delicacy by the “Vedruna laity”, people who closely shared life in mission with us. Different signs reflected the feelings of the people for all that our presence in Luya meant. The mayor, on behalf of the entire district of Luya, thanked the sisters for their faithful dedication, and especially for their closeness and solidarity with those most in need.
Seeing the people gathered at the celebration caused me emotion, I felt the Vedruna spirit alive, moving and smiling. It was an outpouring of affection for all the VEDRUNA. On behalf of all of them, I received hugs, words and details that filled me with strength and echoed within me: “Sisters, let us not stop, let us bet on the small, and holding hands with our brothers, let us continue to open the way and leave footprints wherever we are sent by the good Jesus.”.
Inés Rojas Mori. CCV
Below are some testimonials from people who expressed their feelings:
With great enthusiasm and gratitude we celebrated the presence of the Carmelite Sisters of Charity Vedruna for 40 years of mission in our town of Luya and 75 years in our country.
We remember that they arrived in our town and its surroundings with the purpose of carrying out their apostolic work, playing a fundamental role in the formation of spiritual and cultural values among the population.
Through their missionary work, they helped us to cultivate love for God and neighbor, focusing on the revaluation of the role of women in society, community work, the generation of self-employment with local enterprises, creation of recreational spaces and spiritual formation for children and youth with the TUPAY, health assistance in the topic by Sr. Antonia Olave and Health Promoters, adult literacy, skills development with the creation of the Santa Joaquina de Vedruna Occupational Education Center (today CETPRO Santa Joaquina de Vedruna) and the formation of homes for adolescent students coming from distant places.
We remember with nostalgia the Carmelite Sisters who accompanied us for many years in our town and who, thanks to the space of trust, formation and motivation that they gave us, today there is a population with many values.
The greatest token of gratitude to the Carmelite Sisters of Charity Vedruna was the mass offered last Sunday where the population participated with great joy in the liturgical acts, and then listened to the message of our dear Sr. Inés Rojas, CCV, where we remember how they arrived in our country and in our town. He also made a remembrance of each of the activities that they carried out in our town. All of us who had the grace of sharing with them are immersed in the memory of a period that significantly marked our lives.
The tribute to the work they did in our town concluded with a delicious typical lunch, offered with great affection by the population where we shared many memories and anecdotes with everyone.
It is important to emphasize that they will always be present in our hearts and in our daily lives. Thank you for everything.
Mónica Villar – Luya
THANK YOU SISTERS FOR YOUR FAITHFUL DEDICATION IN OUR VILLAGE OF LUYA
The celebration was a day of rejoicing and gratitude of many people, who have shared beautiful life experiences with the sisters and lay people during their time in our town.
How we would have wanted them to continue with us! Their charisma of love for God and neighbor was contagious and encouraged us to continue with them, developing different activities, prioritizing health, education, and promotion of women to be more independent and stand on their own.
They left footprints in our lives to walk with firmness and to be committed people in our society.
Our eternal gratitude and thanks to all the sisters who were with us, and also to the sisters who fulfill the Vedruna mission in our country. Our prayers for those sisters who are already in the glory of the Lord.
Paula Tuesta Cullampe. Luya