an

Fondation

pour les Enfants

de l’Équateur 4409, rue St-Hubert, Montréal, QC H2J 2X1

Tél. 514-525-4920

RosalieCadron@videotron.ca www.fondation.enfants.equateur.org

NEWSLETTER

Autumn 2010

There is no lack of activity and unexpected events at the Mission

The Mission of Pascuales is always swarming with activities and unforeseen happenings. It is

through this daily bubbling of activity that the Mission can continue, which was one of the major concerns of the foundresses. The sisters will be returning to Canada in 2011 because of their age and for health reasons. It was therefore necessary to put in place future leadership at the level of the administration and management. Today, in this bulletin you will read about recent events, some of which are linked to future development. A large part of this bulletin is dedicated to the Women’s Center. Most of the participants are mothers and their personal development is essential for them personally and also for their family! We hope that our benefactors will be interested in their development to which they have a right. Their testimonies will convince you of the seriousness of their efforts. As we write to you, we are conscious of your active participation in the realization of this project. It is, in some way, your project through your donations, your interest and your support in so many ways. To date, the Mission is totally funded by Quebec and you must not underestimate the value of your support. This bulletin will be our only contact with you before the beautiful feast of Christmas and the New Year. We hope that you will be able to look back at the year that has gone by with a sense of gratitude for the blessings received and with deep confidence in the New Year. We will celebrate the birth of the Liberator who came to tell us over and over again that God is Love, only Love, and that he is very close to our daily life experience. Christmas may be a good time to interest one person in your surrounding to make a donation or to sponsor a mother or a child and in so doing, to experience, themselves, unexpected joy. Sister Marie-Thérèse Bourque President.

Word from the President,

MERRY CHISTMAS

And

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Our Christmas tree at The Montreal

Museum of Fines Arts in 2009.

THE FUTURE AND THE MANAGEMENT OF THE WORK

The fact that the sisters will be leaving in 2011 has required a reshuffle in the management and administration of the Mission. As you know, the Mission was incorporated under the name Corporation of the Misericordia Sisters of Pascuales in 2002.

The number of members on the Administrative Council has been increased to 10 members, to meet the requirements of government authorities. Four of the members are women and all of them are well

known for their values and their social commitment. The two works of the Mission: the Women’s Centre and the Educational Daycare are completely run by reliable and competent

Ecuadorian staff. A woman who served as assistant directress to Sr. Jeannine Vallières for three years has been acting as General Director for the last two years. The fact that the sisters will be leaving does not change anything to the commitment of the Misericordia Sisters of Montreal and of the Foundation. Close cooperation has already been established with the

new administrators. (The President and two other members came to meet us in mid-October).

Photo taken at the time of the visit of the Ecuadorians. From left to right Sr. Bernadette Gauthier, Sr. Rachel Demers, Sr. Jeannine Vallières, María Lorena Núñez. Standing: Mr. André Franche, Sr. Lucie Lebeau, Mr. Germán Martínez, Mr. Agustin Barrios, Sr. Marie-Thérèse Bourque M. Yves Poiré and Mr. Rafael González..

CANADIAN MARINES IN PASCUALES! The Misericordia Mission, now known as the Rosalie Cadron Mission, is becoming known in

several Canadian provinces! You find this surprising? This is because of an amusing and unexpected event. Lately, the Canadian

Ambassador in Quito, the Capital of Ecuador, called the Mission saying that a Canadian ship was moored at the port of Guayaquil for a

few days and that the marines wanted to do humanitarian work. The offer was accepted since the road around the Infantile

Development Centre has been soaked in mud and water for several months and the City which had been notified had promised to do

the repair work in 2011! So, the Canadian Embassy called the city and asked if we could borrow some equipment. The city

representative felt slighted and decided to immediately send workers and heavy equipment and the work was started that very week-

end. Consequently, the marines had no more work to do. Suddenly, sixty marines arrived in three large bus loads! There was no time to

lose so we presented them with cans of paint and paintbrushes and the walls of the Mission and of the St. John the Baptist School, in

dire need of repair work, were quickly freshened. The marines came from different Canadian provinces and were delighted to meet our

daycare students who put on a little sketch for them! Mr. Andrew Shisko, the Ambassador was also present with his assistant. He was

pleasantly surprised to see the work that the Canadians were doing in Ecuador. We had been given a wonderful opportunity to make the

“work” known! (See photos)

MOTHER ROSALIE CENTER FOR WOMEN (First part)

Historical account (taken from the 2001 spring bulletin)

In 1994, we visited a slum area close to the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, namely Pascuales. Fr.

Maurice Roy, the founder of an orphanage in Pascuales, was feeling helpless facing the needs of

single women who have to raise their family by themselves in extreme poverty. There are many

single parents in Pascuales and services are almost nonexistent.

The Misericordia Sisters, whose basic mission is to help single mothers, felt challenged. The four

sisters who first went there were between the ages of 65 and 72. They had little experience in

missionary work but they had a long experience of social commitment and huge hearts.

What concrete project brought them there? At first, they had none. They simply wanted to be in

solidarity with mothers who were trying to survive. They began by gathering them together to share

and to look for avenues that would lead them to greater well-being.

After a few weeks of investigation, several mothers began meeting regularly in the new convent of

the sisters. They spoke about their needs and dreamed of small projects, the first being a bazaar

where they would make a few dollars for a future daycare because they had to work to try “to make

ends meet”.

In 2001, two years after the arrival of the sisters, a modern daycare opened its doors to 30 children

between the ages of 0 to 5 years and a formation center for women was set up where mothers could

put their talents to good use and receive basic technical training.

What is most remarkable is that the personnel are entirely Ecuadorian and that 12 of those who are

hired are exclusively women. Those who will ensure the replacement are well trained! They are

intelligent and talented women. The only thing they needed were favourable conditions to express

themselves. In fact, the sisters only served as catalysts to favour these initiatives.

The sisters also served as intermediaries to obtain donations and grants from the North and the

South. It is through the Foundation that the sisters hope that services will continue to be provided to

the women of Pascuales. Without the Foundation the work would not survive.

(…to be continued...)

 TO EXPRESS SOLIDARITY IS TO BUILD PEACE  

Success story

Success story

“I have 3 children. I have been

attending the Mother Rosalie

Women’s Center for 4 years. It is a

wonderful work. There, I learned

how to make crafts and jewellery

and I am now selling my products

to help my family. I have attended

small business workshops to learn

how to manage my own business

and to pay more attention to my

clients. What I have learned has

helped me to make good revenues.” Sra. Monserrate Macías.

Thank you to the Women’s Centre

“I belong to the Mother Rosalie Prayer Group. I have known

the Misericordia Sisters for six years and have taken painting

and practical nursing courses with them. I have taught my

daughter all I have learned in the painting workshop. In the

practical nursing course, I learned to give needle injections

and I took a first aid course. This was very helpful because

when we had an accident, my daughter survived thanks to

God and the knowledge I had acquired in these courses. I

attended workshops in order to be able to manage my small

store and now, my daughter is in charge of the store. She

attends the Youth Group Hope and solidarity.” Sra Clemencia

López (in her store)

CANADIAN MARINES IN PASCUALES! THANK YOU !!

URGENCY! URGENCY! URGENCY!

The Women’s Centre of the Rosalie Cadron Mission

needs your help in order to hire a skilled person who

will be in charge of development services to help

women find jobs.

The salary in Ecuador is $150 per week.

Who is interested in helping these impoverished

women, also mothers, to be self-sufficient financially?

All contributions are essential and will be greatly

appreciated.

We thank you.

INFO CONCERT (May 2010) We sincerely wish to thank Ms. Claudette Viau, Mr. Yves Garant, organist, Ms. Caroline Chéhadé , violonist and the citizens of Lachine.

After reading this bulletin, I would like to become a friend donor

of the Foundation for the Children of Ecuador

Name :____________________________________________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________________________________________

City : ________________________ Prov.__________________ Postal code : ___________________

Tel.: _______________________ E-mail:_________________________________________________

Here is my contribution:__________________ N.E. : 865366884 RR 0001