{"id":15549,"date":"2026-07-31T17:04:04","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T15:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/?p=15549"},"modified":"2026-08-04T17:45:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T15:45:11","slug":"centro-esperanza-stands-with-communities-after-venezuela-earthquakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/centro-esperanza-stands-with-communities-after-venezuela-earthquakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Venezuela: Centro Esperanza Stands with Communities After the Earthquakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, killing 6,125 people and leaving nearly 1,400 still reported missing, Alex V\u00e1squez Ocampo<\/strong>, Communications Officer for the Province of Colombia\u2013Venezuela and GSIF Latin America, offers an update following his recent visit to Caracas.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Good Shepherd mission has been present in Venezuela for more than a century and continues today through Fondation \u2018El Buen Pastor\u2019<\/a>, which supports the empowerment, inclusion, and community development of women experiencing vulnerability. At le Centro Esperanza<\/strong> in Caracas, Venezuela, where women and their families ordinarily receive formation, psychosocial and spiritual support, this work has shifted \u2013 since the earthquakes \u2013 toward urgent relief, including shelter, essential supplies, emotional support, and outreach in La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Our sisters and partners distribute hot soup to those in need.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u2014the kind of embrace that brings comfort and reaches deep into the heart. Sisters, partners-in-mission, and volunteers, together with GSIF pour l'Am\u00e9rique<\/a>, have joined forces to accompany those most deeply affected by the earthquakes.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Earthquake damage in Venezuela\u2019s coastal state of La Guaira.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Caracas, the earthquake has directly affected members of Centro Esperanza\u2019s ministry and community. Four of our volunteer partners-in-mission sustained significant damage<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

Fear has become part of everyday life. Our volunteers speak of sleepless nights<\/strong>, 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 19e<\/sup> and 31e<\/sup> 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.<\/p>\n

Faithful to the charism of the Good Shepherd, Centro Esperanza has continued its work. Its response is unfolding in two essential areas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Volunteers at Centro Esperanza prepare food and personal hygiene supply kits.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first is the continued distribution of food and personal hygiene supplies<\/strong> 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\u2019s activities, showing the dedication, hard work, and faithfulness that keep the center operating.<\/p>\n

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Our psychologist accompanies women affected by the earthquake in a group therapy session.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The second recognizes that invisible wounds often take the longest to heal. Group therapy sessions<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

In the face of overwhelming suffering, people ask the painful question: \u201cWhat more must we endure in this country?<\/em>\u00bb Human words fall short<\/strong>. As sisters and partners-in-mission, our greatest daily challenge is to make God\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Amid this complex reality, generosity has become one of the clearest expressions of God\u2019s love. Every prayer offered and every outstretched hand enables us to bring relief and comfort to the communities that have been hardest hit.<\/p>\n

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<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Entrevista.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Venezuelan broadcaster Globovisi\u00f3n interviews Sr. Daisy Zoleida as our sisters and partners-in-mission prepare meals and support people displaced by the earthquakes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, killing 6,125 people and leaving nearly 1,400 still reported missing, Alex V\u00e1squez Ocampo, Communications Officer for the Province of Colombia\u2013Venezuela and GSIF Latin America, offers an update following his recent visit to Caracas. The Good Shepherd mission has been present in Venezuela for more […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15551,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[66,124,91],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombia","category-gsif-latin-america","category-venezuela"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-07-30-at-7.53.11-AM_ed.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15549"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15565,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15549\/revisions\/15565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15551"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olcgs.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}