Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.
Elders are an integral part of our families and communities. They formed and raised each and every family in the world today, pass down and preserve traditions, and continue to share their unique gifts and talents with their loved ones, friends, families, and communities.
This week, we’re sharing our top 5 “elder” photos from our sites! In addition to child sponsorship, some of our sites have a sponsorship program for elders. Elders with little or no family support can rely on sponsorship and their Chalice site for food, medical support, and companionship! We’re so happy to be able to partner with our supporters to help give our elders the opportunity to live safe and dignified lives.
#5: Mario’s support system
Don Mario, a retired farmer, is sponsored through our Don Bosco site in Paraguay. His father was sponsored until his passing ten years ago, at which time Mario began receiving support. Mario’s passion was playing the accordion, but unfortunately he had to sell it to cover living expenses.
Most of his sponsorship funds go towards medicine and food. He has four brothers and four sisters, one of whom lives next door and keeps an eye on him, helping him to arrange his weekly visits to the hospital. He is very grateful to his sponsor for helping him make ends meet and live comfortably!
#4: Juana’s full arms and schedule!
Juana lives alone after her husband passed away in 2008; but, she doesn’t have time to be lonely because she is always out and about in her community! She volunteers with the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family, who run our Luis Amigo site. They often visit the sick and homebound.
Juana is not sponsored, but the Sisters began to notice her health was deteriorating. Juana had been unable to buy enough food for herself. Thankfully, the sisters were able to acquire a large supply of Ensure nutritional supplements for Juana through our gift catalogue. Juana was smiling and crying when the package was delivered.
#3: That’s a stretch!
The Saturday of our Medical Mission Trip to Haiti last fall was devoted to the care of the elderly in the community. We invited them to the clinic in Grand-Bassin in the morning, where they saw a physician and pharmacist to receive chiropractic care and physiotherapy. At the start of the day, physiotherapist Betty led them in some stretches and motions they can do each day to stay strong and mobile!
#2: A roof over Rosita’s head
Eighty-year-old Rosita lives in the small fishing community of Talisay in the Philippines, and has been sponsored since 2017. Her children and family all live far away. To keep busy, she makes brooms from coconut fibres to sell to her neighbours. In December 2019, her home was destroyed by a typhoon. Luckily, she had neighbours she could stay with. Her home is being rebuilt thanks to the generous Chalice donors who supported the Disaster Relief fund.
Rosita is so grateful to have a safe home, and for her sponsors, whose support helps her to have enough nutritious food and allows her to purchase her medications. She’s also grateful for her neighbours, who are always keeping an eye out for her and makes sure she always has enough to eat.
#1: Proud to be working
The Furaha women’s farming group in Songea Tanzania began their small business with Chalice funds by purchasing an acre of farmland. They planted rice themselves. As farmers, the land is their only source of income. They hope to expand their little farm to five acres. They are also hoping one day to have a rice husking machine, which would save them the cost of paying for that service. “We want to thank Chalice for thinking of the Furaha group.”
Follow Chalice on Facebook and Instagram for daily updates from our sponsor sites, impact stories, and more! Be sure to check back next week for another Photo Friday.