Guatemala - Families benefit from new homes "My way of living faith is to promote charity and a faith based on solidarity"

27 September 2019
Guatemala - Families benefit from new homes "My way of living faith is to promote charity and a faith based on solidarity"

(ANS - San Benito Petén) - Psalm 9 expresses the conviction of many people: "the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever", and presents itself with an incredible timeliness. The psalmist describes in a real way the lives of millions of people living in this world. According to UN-Habitat, the UN agency for human settlements, nearly a billion people live in slums and in inadequate housing. Pope Francis observes that many poor people wander from one part of the city to the other, hoping to find a job, a house, and that every possibility offered to them becomes a ray of light. That light has come to the Parish of San Benito Petén, thanks to the construction of 22 houses for the poor.

In 2001, Fr Fernando Echeverri founded "Fundepaz NYC", a non-profit organization, to promote social and pastoral projects. "Father Echeverri came to San Benito Petén," explains Fr Giampiero De Nardi, economer of the Salesian house, "to get to know us and ask if we could follow the realization of a housing project." In fact, this project started in 2018 with the construction of two houses for very poor families.

During the months that passed, Echeverri and the FUNDEPAZ institution of New York continued the development of the housing project for 22 low-income families living in Petén. "I am a bridge of solidarity in the United States to promote development and peace and in any part of the world, so I am always ready to help. My way of living faith is to promote charity and a faith based on solidarity because this is the the only way to give dynamism and a true meaning to our religiosity," declared Fr Echeverri.


This year, on Friday 20 September, during the Eucharistic celebration, the houses were officially handed over to the beneficiaries. Roger Gómez, a journalist who helped bring this initiative to fruition, could not but be there. The selected families had undergone a socio-economic study to obtain the houses. The construction and furnishing of the houses were sponsored by several parishes in New York and Atlanta who collaborated through the "FUNDEPAZ" organization.

Many of the families who offered help came to Petén to learn about and share this project with the people who benefited from it. The new houses were visited and the house keys handed over.

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes. By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements, you consent to the use of cookies. To learn more or to opt out, click "Further Information".

Further Information