Fondation

pour les Enfants

de l’Équateur 4409, rue St-Hubert, Montréal, QC H2J 2X1

Tél. 514-525-4920 rosaliecadron@videotron.ca

Bulletin Printemps 2011

L’hiver 2011 est derrière nous et le printemps s’annonce comme une promesse de

renouveau, d’énergie nouvelle et de projets à réaliser.

Le présent bulletin se met au diapason. Nous partagerons avec vous

l’émerveillement de deux voyageuses québécoises récemment en visite à la Mission

en Équateur. Il s’agit de Anamaria Gomez Upegui, assistante au bureau de la

Fondation depuis 2 ans. Anamaria est colombienne et elle a épousé un québécois.

Elle visitait la Mission pour la première fois, accompagnée de Céline Tremblay,

infirmière, laquelle a vécu en Colombie durant de longues années.

De plus nous verrons comment un petit canadien de 8 ans a eu l’initiative de

collecter des sous pour les enfants pauvres de l’Équateur.

Enfin, plusieurs photos vous diront plus « que mille mots ».

Je vous souhaite un printemps lumineux et que la fête de Pâques----la grande Fête

liturgique de l’année---vous apporte la joie profonde que rien ne peut altérer.

Marie-Thérèse Bourque, s.m.

FAIRE DE «PETITES CHOSES»

Essayer faire de petites «choses» de manière «EXTRA-ORDINAIRE» pose en effet un bien grand défi. C’est en partie l’émotion qui me

submergeait en septembre 2010 à mon retour de Compostelle. À cela s’ajoutait la recherche d’une mission spécifique.

Au début d’octobre, lors de la fête annuelle des Sœurs de Miséricorde réunissant la famille et les collaborateurs de l’œuvre, j’ai rencontré des

membres équatoriens de la Mission de Pascuales, Guayaquil. Tout au long des échanges sur les besoins, une idée s’est imposée dans mon

esprit. Comment réaliser des ateliers de formation touchant l’amour et la sexualité qui rejoindraient les mères célibataires, leurs enfants et les

éducatrices du Centre de Développement Infantile (CDI).

Voilà c’était parti! Mais comment réaliser cette folie? J’ai d’abord fait part de mon projet à Sœur Marie-Thérèse et à Anamaría de la Fondation

pour les Enfants de l’Équateur. Avec leur large sourire, elles m’ont encouragée. Alors tout a déboulé. Mis en contact avec Sœur Jeannine à

Pascuales, nous avons durant plusieurs mois élaboré ces ateliers à l’aide de plusieurs documents de référence en français et en espagnol.

. Voir au verso

Mot de la Présidente,

Après avoir lu le bulletin, j’aimerais devenir ami donateur

de la Fondation pour les Enfants de l’Équateur

Nom: ____________________________________________________________

Adresse : _________________________________________________________

Ville : ______________________________ Code postal : ___________________

Tél.: ___________________ Courriel :__________________________________

Voici ma contribution :__________________ N.E. : 865366884 RR 0001

L’exemple de Dimitri (Ontario)

Tel Dimitri, les jeunes sont à prendre au

sérieux. Ils sont sensibles et généreux. Si on

leur en donne l’opportunité, ils s’engagent

de façon surprenante!

Plutôt que le machin qui plane au coût de

100$, la voiture miniature, si on proposait à

ces jeunes de parrainer un autre jeune qui a

faim, ou qui ne peut aller à l’école faute de

sous, quelle confiance on leur manifesterait

et quelle joie profonde pour eux !

Pensez-y.

En Équateur l’année scolaire vient juste de commencer. Avez-vous pensé au renouvellement

de votre engagement comme parrain-marraine? Cette année les dix enfants de la photo ci-

contre ne pourront pas aller à l’école faute de parrainage… Merci en leur nom !-

THE THREE FOUNDING SISTERS RETURN

Age and fatigue is putting a stop to the activities of the three sisters in the mission field. Aged 86, 82 and 79, after 13 years of living in hot humid weather ranging from 36 to 42 degrees during the whole year and non-stop commitment 7 days a week… they deserve a rest. Yes, they will be taking a rest, but they will not completely retire as they will continue to offer their support to the people through the various communications.

Since the day the Mission was founded, the sisters had planned on returning to Quebec once it would be established on a solid base. They set up an Administrative Council made up of Ecuadorians and appointed a general director for the 2 works: the Women’s Center and the Infantile Development Center. There is a faithful core group and the personnel are well trained. We are hopeful that the work will last through the efforts of the large Misericordia family – all of whom are Ecuadorian.

The Foundation for the Children of Ecuador and the Misericordia Sisters will continue to offer their collaboration as long as necessary.

The Quebec sponsors are an essential part of the Mission and sponsorship for schooling is a jewel of the work! The future of this slum area depends on literacy programs and schooling at least to the High School level and the people of Quebec are the ones who have established this program and maintained it. In general, the work depends on our benefactors and the people you may interest in your own surrounding.

May you be given Easter Joy in abundance and may this joy be with you throughout the year . Marie-Thérèse, president

Have you thought of including a donation to your favourite charitable organization in your will? You do not have to be wealthy to do so. www.unheritageapartager.org. When preparing your estate planning and your will, it is important that you begin by looking after the needs of your family and your relatives and then you may choose to express your solidarity and love for the mission of the Foundation for the Children of Ecuador. By this gesture of the heart, you will leave your inheritors one of the values you considered important in your life.” AF. FEÉ

 TO EXPRESS SOLIDARITY IS TO BUILD PEACE

A huge thank you for your generous response to

our Autumn 2010 Newsletter

AN OASIS CALLED “Rosalie Cadron”

I am still in love with what I saw at the Pascales Mission! Four Sisters from Québec (Sr. Rose-Aimée (86), Sr. Marie-Thérèse (84), Sr. Céline (79) were successful in sowing hope, respect, compassion and tenderness in a slum area where the poverty among women and children is striking! The Misericordia Sisters created an oasis called “Rosalie Cadron Mission”. It is an oasis of beauty because the Mission building is beautiful and discreet. It is an oasis of goodness in this village of more than 80,000 people. There the people learned that they could receive help and be loved, they also learned that there were other ways in which people could speak to them. Amazing! I did not have to go there to fall in love with the WORK, of course… but when I did see it on the spot, I saw the grandeur and true dimension of the actions carried out by the Sisters. They have done tremendous work! It is impossible to calculate how many people have been affected by their presence.

In the village of Pascuales, there are many “dead ends”… each person has their own. Each person has been abused by someone else… and the Mission established by the Sisters has been a lantern in the darkness through the Women’s Centre and the Infantile Development Centre. I am not only referring to the religious point of view as such but rather that of justice and equity. The women there were disillusioned by society where men have all the rights but no responsibilities… the abuse of women begins in childhood, and even by their own mother, because she too had been abused thus creating vicious circles of endless abuse without knowing that they have rights. The Women’s Centre, which has offered training in legal rights and courses in micro enterprise, cooking, embroidery, crafts, bodily care, opened the doors for success and greater autonomy. At the Center, the women receive human warmth and this enables them to see a light to their “dead-end”. The Infantile Development Center is filled with the poorest of the poor. The word respect did not exist in their vocabulary…. However, because they are treated with respect, the children are transformed into seeds of hope. The sisters live the charisma of compassion, tenderness and mercy for all, especially for single mothers, heads of families… the poorest of the poor.

The charisma of Mother Rosalie is being lived and is very much alive. It has been well transmitted to the people for almost 14 years. It is up to all of us to make it last!

PS. SINCERE THANKS to Sr. Rose-Aimée, Sr Jeannine and Sr. Céline for your warm welcome, your generosity and especially for your humanity! THANK YOU Céline Tremblay-France! I really enjoyed going on this trip with you! Anamaría Gómez-Upegui FEÉ

With a $20.00 or more donation you will receive a year-long Foundation

Membership Card as well as a Tax Receipt. Please join us!

Women’s Center, Group of prayer Children’s Center

DOING “LITTLE THINGS” (cont.)

What happened while in Pascuales for two weeks? We held three workshops for single mothers, teenagers and a few grand-mothers. The workshops were carried out with respect, openness, mutual confidence and in an atmosphere of great simplicity. We held several informal meetings with the teachers of the IDC. The issue of sexual abuse of children was often mentioned during our discussions. Finally, Anamaria and I had very constructive discussions with the members of the new administrative council set up by the sisters. In ending, we earnestly believe that there will be a follow-up! I thank all those who have expressed their confidence in this “madness” and who helped me to meet this challenge. I would never have been able to bring it to fruition without the support and daily acts of love, tenderness and welcome of Sisters Jeannine, Rose-Aimée and Céline. Heartfelt thanks to Anamaria, a wonderful accomplice and attentive confidante. I learned that the way we do “small things” is what gives weight to generosity, love and especially life… what more!

Céline Tremblay-Franche Nurse, Co-operator with SUCO in Columbia 1970-1980

We invite you to view the film “Rosalie Cadron Mission” on YouTube. It was produced by Jérôme Cotte http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlSP0sa3X1s