The FHA ambassadors work in a wide range of projects all over the world supporting homeless people. Father Luis Camarena CM describes the work carried out in Guatemala City, in the shelter “I was a stranger”.
As a result of the commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the Vincentian Charisma in Guatemala, and as part of the 2017 Vincentian Week, the temporary home “I Was a Stranger” was created in the Saint Vincent de Paul parish in Guatemala City. Located in the zone 7 of the city, the temporary home fosters people living on the streets, especially alcoholics, migrants and people who have nowhere else to sleep.
On 11th December 2017, the shelter started in one of the parish halls, which has been refurbished little by little as decently as possible. The home has capacity for 25-30 people sleeping. Also, and as part of the same project, in January 2018 we opened the parish kitchen soup, where between 30 to 50 homeless people get food every day.
The goal of the shelter is to help people to return to society, to their homes and working lives. But above all, to support them to feel human beings again, who are valued and who recover their dignity as people.
All this process is accompanied with therapies, medicines and psychological and spiritual support. The parish community members keep the project going, and we also receive some external donations.
Father Luis Camarena Poveda CM
FHA Ambassador