The Salesians arrived in Colombia in 1890 and founded the León XIII work in Bogotá. In the Colombian capital, the Sons of Don Bosco were also entrusted with the pastoral care of the Shrine of the Divine Child Jesus (Niño Jesús), a church located in the 20 de Julio district that welcomes thousands of faithful every day, many of whom come on pilgrimage from other countries. With the spread of devotion to the Child Jesus and the construction of a larger church, the Salesians also began to provide formation and social projects for the most disadvantaged people in this area south of the capital.
Among the programs developed by the Shrine is the Family Centre, in which almost 700 young single mothers receive a human, Christian and Salesian formation for three years, and at the same time material help to cope with their difficult economic situation and to be able to feed their children.
The open arms of the Child Jesus also extend to the district of Ciudad Bolivar, and form a bridge between reality and action supported by the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid. In this way, decent living conditions are guaranteed to the needy population, with the aim of preventing dangers and welcoming and reintegrating children and young people who are in vulnerable situations.
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