Meet Misión de Caridad

I had the opportunity to chat with Jean Sicurella about her work at MdC to give us a glimpse into things happening south of the border. Hope you enjoy!

Jean, tell me–how do you benefit the Hispanic community?

We’re empowering children and families through faith, education, and opportunity to live a life free of extreme poverty.

This month at the cafe we’re thinking specifically about courage. How does it take courage for Mision de Caridad to serve?

It takes courage to understand the local needs of the community and take the risks to provide what is needed to help improve the lives of families within the local context. The perception is that Americans come and give handouts unconditionally, but we do something different and work to give only what will lead to a sustainable better life.

And how do your clients show courage?

They have to trust us as we guide them to  invest long term in their futures. It’s courageous to spend ten years or more to educate their child instead of sending them to go work in the fields at a young age, believing that in the end educating their kids will lead to a better future.

You talk about building a vibrant community where children can thrive in school. What can we learn from the vibrant community on the border?

We can always learn from each other patience, listening, and before assuming, getting the information we need to understand. We’re quick to assume when we see something that doesn’t fit our sensibilities–but how do we become curious of the community of the people you’re in with?

How can we help?

This month is all about getting ready for school. It’s hard to transport supplies over the border but you can pick supplies from our online store and we’ll purchase them on your behalf. It makes a big difference!