Last Monday, August 28, an emotional meeting brought together sisters, lay people and friends of the extended Vedruna family at the House of Health Promoters, in the province of Celendin, in the department of Cajamarca, Peru. The special occasion was the celebration of St. Joaquina Easter, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the presence of the Vedrunas in Peru and the 41st anniversary of their work in our beloved province of Celendina.
This beautiful event became a deeply moving experience for which we express our sincere thanks to God for the wonderful Vedruna family. Joaquina is the one who has given us the opportunity to belong to it, as Laywomen and sympathizers, with her wish: “I would like to embrace the needs of all peoples”, “I wish we were all on fire with the love of Jesus, so that we could light up the whole world”. A charism and a universal mission of love, service and dedication.
One of the most gratifying moments of the celebration was listening to the testimonies of numerous brothers and sisters from different communities, who spoke to us about this love, which has left everlasting traces of gratitude and recognition through the work of each sister who has come to our town, in the mission of educating, healing and liberating. They have sown the charism of St. Joaquina with their own life of dedication, work, love and commitment, reflecting God’s love for humanity in every contact, encounter and approach they made with each person and community throughout the length and breadth of our Celendine territory. A work so deeply rooted in the heart and soul of our people that even Sister Concepción Gosálvez, better known as Conce, has remained forever among us reminding us of the Vedruna identity and charism.
At this moment our Vedruna family has grown, is rich and varied and opens new horizons, with new missions and illusions that encourage us as laity and sisters to walk and join forces to make possible the Kingdom of God among us and sow the hope of a more just and humane world, as Joaquina dreamed and did as a woman, wife and religious.
Maruja Amparo Mestanza Tejada, Vedruna Laywoman
