Nearly ten days after the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, two testimonies from Venezuela highlight the power of solidarity and the faith that God sustains us even through the worst of times, such as these.
Mental health is very important
After spending an entire week working nonstop—receiving supplies, organizing, sorting through clothes, shoes, medicine, water… for all those affected by this double earthquake that we, as Venezuelans, have experienced—we have seen far too much pain up close. Graphic images, screams, cries, unfiltered footage, nonstop videos, family members trapped under rubble, deceased individuals, news story after news story, video after video.
Without a doubt, we have also seen how wonderful Venezuelans are—their solidarity, their smiles, their applause, their jokes—and how they focus on the positive aspects of their lives, which I believe is the most important thing: seeing hope for tomorrow, for life, and for recovery.
I think we do need to stay informed, but we also need to take care of our mental health. In the past, we often watched events on TV—edited, with warnings, and presented with a certain degree of care; today, they reach us at any hour directly on our phones, live, without context, one after another, and that takes a toll on our minds and emotions, leaving us with nothing but suffering. Some people are having nervous breakdowns; others are facing their fears, reliving them every time someone sends them a message; children are seeing events they shouldn’t be seeing; I understand that staying informed is important, but staying informed cannot mean destroying ourselves—and mind you, this isn’t about looking the other way, nor is it about closing our eyes to tragedy or pain; it’s about taking care of our mental well-being as we stand with the country during these difficult times—we must take care of ourselves.
Recently, at the national gathering of educators, one of the topics we discussed was precisely this: taking care of those who care for you. How important it is to take care of ourselves and others in order to keep our minds and hearts healthy… Joaquina told us: “Let us place ourselves in the hands of Divine Providence, and then God will take care of everything; let us cooperate with grace on our part, and may God’s sweet will be done in everything and in its entirety.” That is what we must do now: cooperate and place ourselves in God’s hands.
I am grateful to everyone who has shown up—both in person and online—to stand in solidarity with us as a people, for your prayers, for your contributions, and for placing us in the hands of the Good Lord, trusting that all of this would pass—and indeed, it did.
Giclis Santamaria
Seeing Through God’s Eyes
The pain of my people… Today is a day filled with so many images that remain etched in my eyes, my mind, my skin, and my heart. When I arrived at El Carmelo School and saw so many people at work—administrators, teachers, support staff, administrative staff, mothers, fathers, and students—I was filled with joy at the sight of our people’s solidarity.
Motorcycles, cars, and vans to transport the supplies that have been donated to people in need and deliver them to the locations they request. A representative was about to head to La Guaira with supplies, and I blurted out, “Can I go with you?” The answer came right away: “Of course”… and we set off to see that reality for ourselves…
It was heartbreaking to see the tragedy up close—so many people working, others standing in lines checking the lists to see if their relatives are on them; they keep pulling people alive from the rubble, and others who have died—and the hope of the rescue workers, who give you a heartfelt “thank you” for thinking of so many people in need.
Looking at that reality through God’s eyes leads us to commit ourselves in our daily lives; realizing that in an instant everything can come to an end and take away what we love most—what we have fought for— it makes us see our own smallness, and invites us to live with our feet firmly planted on the ground in our shared home, our eyes fixed on God, who never abandons us and continues to show His love through so many acts of solidarity.
Carmen Alicia Figuera, CCV
