Using One's Life

It was 1991. Colombia was still reverberating from the ongoing war between the government and the rebels. Hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were caught in the crossfire. Many died or were injured in the process. Many others escaped their villages and homes to seek refuge and safety. With nothing on their backs, they fled to other parts of the country. Most settled on vacant hilltops where they build makeshift homes made of broken tree limbs and other debris they found in the area. In these shantytowns, as they were called, lived many elderly people. The majority of them, some in their eighty’s and ninety’s, were sick, alone and poverty stricken. Abandoned by their families and their government, these poor souls were left to fend for themselves.

In a northern shantytown in Bucaramanga, an angel was born. His name is Alvero. Born in 1981 to a loving and supportive parents, Alvero experienced poverty all around him. Unable to afford school, Alvero spent much of his day in the streets. At the tender age of eight, while walking in the street, Alvero came across an emaciated woman eating dog feces and cigarette butts. When he asked where why she was eating these awful things, she replied because she was hungry. His heart broke into a million pieces. There and then he knew that he could never allow another human being to suffer this kind of humiliation.

With absolute purpose and focus, Alvero rounded up several other neighborhood children and enlisted them in his mission, to care for the elderly in their community. By the age of nine, Alvero had developed a complete social infrastructure that would provide for the overall well being of these individuals. He would start early in the morning, hopping on a bus that would take him into the nearest town. In town, he would go to the various fish, fruits, vegetables, and bakery goods vendors and request donations for his older people. Over time, the vendors got to know him and would have their contributions ready for pickup. Putting all of the goods in a bag that is almost as tall as he was, Alvero would get back on the bus and return to his home.

At his home, which was the headquarters for these guardian angels, Alvero met with his little protégés to begin the packaging and distribution of the goods he brought back. In groups of two’s, each group had its own delivery route. While this began with a desire to provide food for the elderly, Alvero quickly realized that they had many more needs than food, the most important of which is love. Isolated, helpless, feeble and dependent, until Alvero’s intervention, many of them experienced a complete lack of human contact. As he and the others got to know them better, he began to see the impact of his touch, his loving, encouraging words and his commitment had on their overall well-being.

His love and devotion for them grew. He not only brought them food, he also began to care for every one of their needs. To the sick, he would bring medicine; for the destitute he raised money to pay their rent or utility bills; for the homeless he would find homes. The children fed, bathed and dressed the paralyzed ones. Additionally, every Sunday the stronger ones were invited to his home where they would play music and learn to dance. This angel and his cohorts brought warmth, dignity, and love to these once abandoned people.

As the angels group was expanding, in order to demonstrate accountability and integrity, the group chose a board of trusties as well as a president and a vice president. All contributions were documented and accounted for. These angels’ ages ranged from five to ten years old. Alvero demanded total commitment from his angels. Lateness or absences were not tolerated.