2012-05-02
“Los Martincitos” is a community-based initiative sponsored by the Catholic Church in Villa El Salvador. Three times a week, approximately 130 poor senior citizens receive basic services (two hot meals a day; recreational activities; a literacy program; arts and crafts classes; basic health care and counselling). The participants of this program face different challenges: neglect on the part of their families, physical abuse, poor health and nutrition levels, inability to adapt to a new urban environment, and social rejection for racial and age reasons. They wait for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to come together and share their meals, sing and pray, play games and have fun. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the staff members pay follow-up visits to the homes of the elderly.
Duties: Volunteers participate in and develop recreational and other activities for the senior citizens, including the visits at their homes. Activities for the regular program days may include helping the staff serve breakfast and lunch to the seniors, leading a short exercise session, playing games or sports with them, polishing the ladies’ nails and shining the males' shoes, teaching them some crafts activity or sometimes just sitting down and listening to them. While some of these activities may seem trite, the men and women attending the program do appreciate the volunteers’ company and attention. On Tuesdays and Thursdays volunteers will go with one of the program’s staff members on home visits.
I’m elated to be working with senior citizens because you know how passionate I am about their care. Thanks for your prayers and support as we assist in the needs of the Peruvian people as led.
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