Thanks to life

Today we are approaching Ecuador. A Spanish proverb says: "It is well-born to be grateful!

Sandra would like to thank God, life, the sisters, and the people who have made it possible for her family to overcome the illness........

My name is SANDRA LUCIA

Six months ago our lives took a 360-degree turn. In March, humanity was faced with an unprecedented challenge with the arrival of COIVID 19.

We have been filled with fears, uncertainties, anger, stress, despair and more. But we have also realised that it is not only diseases of the body that beset us, but also diseases of the soul, lack of empathy, selfishness, injustice, economic inequality and more.

45 days ago, together with my mother, sister, nephew (baby) and children, I experienced what I am sure many families in Ecuador and the world must go through and feel when they begin to have flu-like symptoms, stomach pain, fever and general malaise. I felt very scared, desperate and desperate looking for a way to access a free swab test, because in Ecuador this test is quite expensive. When I found out the positive test results for my family and myself, my fears became more acute, as my mother was responsible for the care of my grandparents, two elderly adults who not many days before had been living and sharing space, food and affection with us.

The experience of having been carriers of this virus has not been the best, we did not find medical attention easily in state hospitals, at that time there were so many people that all public and private health centres were collapsed, medicines were out of stock, which made it difficult to buy them, luckily despite everything, life is wise and very generous with me and my family.

My family's principles of life have always been generosity, solidarity, love for others and others, and in this experience of living again I was able to feel these three things with an intensity that I had not felt before, even when I have put these values into practice.

I want to thank life for my beautiful maternal and paternal family, they gave me each of their strengths, day by day they showed me their affection in different ways, thank life for giving me many aunts-in-law who are around the world, the daily prayers of the Carmelite Missionary Sisters accompanied me, the fact of being aware of the schedule of each country where they are doing their work, made me think and feel that I had a prayer 24 hours a day generating in me a lot of hope. Thanks also to the sisters of the Provincial Council for the gift of the presence of my "ñaña" (aunt) Susy, who has been watching over us and especially taking care of my dear grandparents.

To be grateful for the extended family, that which one has the possibility of finding along the way, those we call friends who every day gave me a message, a call, their willingness to collaborate in whatever they could according to their possibilities, to thank very specially the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, psychologists, cleaning staff, food, laboratory, X-rays and security of the Mobile Hospital Bicentenario for their accompaniment during my stay, Special thanks to the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, psychologists, cleaning, food, laboratory, X-ray and security staff of the Bicentenary Mobile Hospital for their support during my stay there, and finally to my partner in life who together with my children are the strong root of my tree of life.

To say goodbye to all of you, I would like to share with you the lyrics of a song by Monsignor Leónidas Proaño. I think this song perfectly describes everything I felt when I received the energy, the love, the prayers, the care and the accompaniment during this process.

A THOUSAND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR LIFE

SOLIDARITY Bishop Leonidas Proaño

 Keep your ears open at all times

to the cry of the pain of others

and listen to their call for help

is solidarity (3) 

2. Keeping a watchful eye

and eyes stretched out over the sea,

in search of a shipwrecked person in distress

is solidarity (3) 

3. Owning the suffering

of the brother here and the brother there,

make the anguish of the poor our own

is solidarity (3) 

4. To become the voice of the humble,

uncover injustice and evil,

denounce the unjust and the wicked

is solidarity (3) 

5. Becoming a messenger yourself

of the sincere and fraternal embrace

that some peoples send to other peoples

is solidarity (3)

6. Sharing the dangers in the struggle

to live in justice and freedom

 risking even life and limb in love

is solidarity (3) 

7. To give up one's life for love

is the greatest test of friendship

is to live and die for Jesus Christ

is solidarity (3)