When I first talked with Irene, I learned that she was made to leave her home country for legal reasons and that she cannot return to it. She has not seen her family for over ten years, and since she cannot speak Spanish, she is unable to easily communicate with the other women living at...
I thought my biggest challenges would involve the children or friends in the community, but to my surprise, it wasn't them. What I have had to overcome was living with strangers. It's weird how despite sharing a common reason for being here, we're still so different. It led me to question why I'm here, and...
Rena is a tough woman. She doesn't talk much, looks troubled, and normally has a serious face. I remember my first interactions with her were quite short. I would say Hello, she would say Hi, and that was the end of it. Sometimes I would dare to ask something, she'd respond yes, no, or something...
My community sisters and I decided to stop by the social block to see one of our dear friends Margarita. When we arrived, we realized that we had forgotten her apartment number so we waited by the door to see if someone could open the door and let us in. After waiting for five minutes,...
By Sofia S., on Mission in Argentina To even begin to understand the meaning of hope, I must cling to the ones who are my masters, the children in our alley. One of my masters is 5-year-old neighbor, Grace. God knocks at the window as this 5-year-old little girl, asking, “What are you doing? Can I come...
This year’s Con-Solatio Christmas party wasn’t the first I’d attended, and I certainly hope it won’t be the last. The afternoon began in an ample basement filled with festive adornments. Sofas, lounge chairs, and other seats surrounded a cute makeshift stage; there would be a talent show....
We have one friend named Marta who is from Paraguay. Both her husband and son have passed away, and her only other daughter doesn't speak to her very much. She lives alone with her dog Luna, and hardly leaves her house. Her home is very simple and doesn't have much lighting. I remember the first...
We needed bread for breakfast one day, so I let the others know that I was heading the little sale stand down the street to buy some bread, where Ramona works. It was hard for me to gain any sort of trust from Ramona to really form a friendship, but little by little, we have...
Arriving for Thanksgiving dinner at Con-solatio in Brooklyn one felt welcomed even before reaching the front door. Father Paul was there, reaching out and greeting us as we arrived. Once inside, the young mission volunteers extended another warm welcome. We smelled food cooking in the kitchen, saw the warm glow of the rooms, and heard...
