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Faith

Salt & Light

Friends of Chimbote and ACAF are built on our faith. We
firmly believe "each and every human being is created
in the image and likeness of God." As God wants all of
His creation to flourish, we use each and every action to
empower people to live life to their fullest.

The ACAF staff who work with people struggling in
extreme poverty know first hand, this work is difficult.
There are daily setbacks and tragedy amidst the greatest
" You are the light of successes. A few weeks ago we learned one of the women we supported in our Better
of the world. A town Home Better Life program was diagnosed with stage four cancer and is terminally ill. As
her health is deteriorating quickly, her already difficult life has been made even more
built on a hill cannot unbearable.
be hidden. Neither do The team on the ground that worked so compassionately with this young woman and her
people light a lamp and family took the news very hard, as we all did, including the visitor group that built her a

put it under a bowl. home in May.
Instead they put it on In the same instant, our faith was deepened to a new level when several women living
in the community, who are enrolled in one of ACAF's year long leadership courses, took
its stand, and it gives action.
light to everyone in This group of women wrapped their loving arms around
the house. In the same the suffering woman and provided her with food, water,

way, let your light shine childcare and companionship. They even scraped
together money for her sister to travel a long distance
before others, so that and help provide extra support.
they may see your good We asked the women about their passion to care for

deeds and glorify your their neighbor and they cited three words: faith, love
and solidarity.
Father in heaven." To be able to articulate the motivation for their actions
Matthew 5:13-16
with such clarity is directly out of Matthew's Gospel
(Matthew 5:13-16), specifically, the salt and the light.
We are blessed to have concrete examples, such as this, of the image and likeness of God
being unveiled in the communities we serve.

As Friends of Chimbote and ACAF continue to learn and grow, we have been blessed
to welcome Sister Nadine into the heart of our work in Chimbote. Sister Nadine is a
Peruvian Carmelite Sister serving the Chimbote community. She serves as our chaplain
providing spiritual guidance to the ACAF team on an ongoing basis.
"We are the tool that God uses to continually mix in the good of life into the despair,"
was the quote Sister Nadine used at our FoC and ACAF retreat in October. She gave
us each a small spoon used to symbolize the need to continue to serve by mixing or
"doing" something to improve the world. Her work supporting the baptisms and
Masses is done with great joy and a serene spirit of peace. Her constant action in
service to the poor is the "mixing" she inspires the ACAF and FoC team to do daily.
The ACAF team faces the challenges of extreme poverty on a daily basis. The despair
and suffering they see while serving others challenges one's faith. Sister Nadine's
witness, presence and leadership helps keep us connected joyfully and hopefully to
our faith.

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