Following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, killing 6,125 people and leaving nearly 1,400 still reported missing, Alex Vásquez Ocampo, Communications Officer for the Province of Colombia–Venezuela and GSIF Latin America, offers an update following his recent visit to Caracas.

The Good Shepherd mission has been present in Venezuela for more than a century and continues today through Fondation ‘El Buen Pastor’, which supports the empowerment, inclusion, and community development of women experiencing vulnerability. At le Centro Esperanza in Caracas, Venezuela, where women and their families ordinarily receive formation, psychosocial and spiritual support, this work has shifted – since the earthquakes – toward urgent relief, including shelter, essential supplies, emotional support, and outreach in La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit.

Our response has taken the form of simple but life-giving gestures: a bottle of water, a bowl of hot soup, a cold drink, or a personal hygiene kit placed directly into the hands of those who need it most. Beyond this material assistance, we have also offered words of encouragement and an embrace in the spirit of the Good Shepherd—the kind of embrace that brings comfort and reaches deep into the heart. Sisters, partners-in-mission, and volunteers, together with GSIF pour l'Amérique, have joined forces to accompany those most deeply affected by the earthquakes.

It has been a difficult and painful experience, but also one marked by hope for a people who, now more than ever, need the solidarity and support of others.

In Caracas, the earthquake has directly affected members of Centro Esperanza’s ministry and community. Four of our volunteer partners-in-mission sustained significant damage to their apartments, which now require major repairs. Although the lack of alternative accommodation has forced them to return home, the most serious damage is not structural, but emotional.

Fear has become part of everyday life. Our volunteers speak of sleepless nights, of family members sleeping together to ease their anxiety, and of a paralyzing fear of being left alone. This vulnerability is especially evident in two of our partners-in-mission who live on the 19^e and 31^e floors and say they do not yet feel ready to return. The community house has become their temporary home, providing the sense of safety that their own apartments cannot yet offer.

Faithful to the charism of the Good Shepherd, Centro Esperanza has continued its work. Its response is unfolding in two essential areas.

The first is the continued distribution of food and personal hygiene supplies to families affected by the disaster who are now living in tents on the streets. Our partners-in-mission have worked tirelessly. They arrive early each morning and take part in the day’s activities, showing the dedication, hard work, and faithfulness that keep the center operating.

The second recognizes that invisible wounds often take the longest to heal. Group therapy sessions have begun with our psychologist, providing safe and supportive spaces for the women accompanied by the mission. These sessions are complemented by an ongoing ministry of listening and spiritual accompaniment.

In the face of overwhelming suffering, people ask the painful question: “What more must we endure in this country?» Human words fall short. As sisters and partners-in-mission, our greatest daily challenge is to make God’s presence tangible by remaining close and offering an embrace that provides comfort and reassurance. More than material assistance, people are searching for a safe place where they can express their emotions and know that someone is listening.

Amid this complex reality, generosity has become one of the clearest expressions of God’s love. Every prayer offered and every outstretched hand enables us to bring relief and comfort to the communities that have been hardest hit.

The generous support of local communities, benefactors, and dedicated partners-in-mission reminds us that we are one body in mission and that, even when the earth beneath us is shaken, hope can remain firm.

Venezuelan broadcaster Globovisión interviews Sr. Daisy Zoleida as our sisters and partners-in-mission prepare meals and support people displaced by the earthquakes.