Adapted from text provided by Alex Vásquez Ocampo, Communications Officer for the Province of Colombia–Venezuela and GSIF Latin America
When the ground shook beneath Caracas on June 24, 2026, Sr. Daisy Álvarez and the Centro Esperanza team didn’t hesitate. Within hours, they opened their doors as an emergency shelter, rallied their community, and turned a center built for formation and support into a lifeline for the most vulnerable people around them.
That response has now earned Centro Esperanza—a ministry of the Congregation’s Fundación El Buen Pastor and part of the Venezuelan Conference of Religious (CONVER)—special recognition at the 2026 AVESSOC St. José Gregorio Hernández Awards on October 30, 2026.
Sr. Daisy Álvarez, the center’s coordinator, accepted the honor on behalf of the entire Centro Esperanza family: the sisters, the partners-in-mission, and the volunteers who showed up day after day to distribute food, water, and hygiene kits; to sit with women and families in group therapy; and to offer a listening ear when words alone couldn’t ease the pain.
Organized by the Venezuelan Association of Christian-Oriented Health Services (AVESSOC), the awards marked the first anniversary of the canonization of St. José Gregorio Hernández. They honored people and institutions whose service contributes to community health and well-being. This year’s special recognition acknowledged solidarity with people affected by the earthquakes.
Members of the team were themselves affected. Four volunteer partners-in-mission suffered significant damage to their apartments, and the community house provided temporary accommodation for those who did not feel able to return home. The response grew from a community experiencing the same uncertainty as the people it accompanied.
This award recognizes the tireless dedication of the sisters and partners-in-mission who, faithful to the charism of the Good Shepherd, prepared food, welcomed families, and remained available to people whose recovery involved both material and emotional needs.
In sharing the news, the community reaffirmed its commitment to accompanying people facing hardship, recalling the words of St. Mary Euphrasia: “Love never says, ‘I have done enough.’”
Discover more about the Good Shepherd mission in Colombia and Venezuela here and more about Fundacion El Buen Pastor here.
