NEWS
February 2022
Dear Friends and Helpers,
As we are all aware, Covid has put restrictions on activities. We were unable to have our Pasta Dinner and no Mission trip to Guayaquil, Ecuador. We continued to help our Sister Annie Credidio, BVM and Damien House and our new mission, Una Sola Fuerza in Duran.
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We assisted Damien House with funds for renovations and installation of a transformer and electrical work following a fire in the fuse box.
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New roof, ceilings and renovations, painting most of the men’s section of the hospital.
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Donors provided funds for our new RN, Carlos, to work on his Masters in Nursing while working at Damien House. Note: with both Sr Annie and Doctor Martinez out with Covid, Carlos continued full medical care for all of the residents and supervised the nursing staff with great compassion. Carlos was a former Hansen’s patient here at Damien House, and when he decided to become a nurse himself, our donors supported him and provided tuition funds.
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We provided funds for former patient, Mariuxi, with tuition and internet for her to continue online college classes as she lives in the countryside near Babahoyo. A new patient at Damien needs college tuition assistance.
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We have assisted Sr Annie and Damien House in all of these areas. Our hope for the future is to continue sending funds to finish the roof and ceiling renovations, provide a new water connection to the City, ongoing educational assistance to Hansen’s patients, assist with any new needs and funds for food and medicine.
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We started assisting Una Sola Fuerza community in Duran with Sisters Fanny and Gladys when our mission school Julio Matevello closed. They help the elderly with food and medicine which volunteers deliver weekly. They have a community organic garden and teach nutrition so parents can feed their families better.
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The Sisters teach sewing and hired a carpenter to teach woodworking (We’ve seen pictures of dressers and cabinets they have made).
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They hired a teacher part-time to help 25 students, who were not going to school for many reasons, get up to grade level so they can go to the public schools. They are working with minimum supplies and resources for teacher and students.
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We sent funds to assist in all these areas and hope in the future we can provide scholarships for all of the students for all the supplies needed for school and feed them daily, more funds for the food and medicine for the elderly, a water filtering project as well as water storage facility as water is now trucked into the area inconsistently.
Yes, FHMB has been able to make a significant difference in the lives of many in Ecuador: and it’s all because of you. If any of these areas speak to your heart, please consider a gift.
All of us at FHMB are volunteers—nobody is paid, and our overhead is little-to-nothing, so 98.5% of your funds go straight to their intended target.
On the one hand, it has been a challenging year for all of us, but on the other, we have it so much better than the poor of Ecuador.
We have two upcoming fundraisers:
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One Day Jewelry Fundraiser: Sunday, February 13, 2022 in the Coffee Courtyard after the morning Masses at Saint Brigid Church.
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Our Pasta Dinner is back! Wednesday, May 16th, 2022 from 4-8 PM at Saint Brigid Church.
More information on how to donate can be found on our website: SUPPORT US | fhmb (friendsofhmb.org). You can also send a check to the address at the bottom of the page. And of course, you can always just contact one of us. Thank you again for all your support, and for taking the time to read this.
May God bless you always.
In love and gratitude,
Betty Matteson, Katie Brown, and the Board of Directors of FHMB.
Board of Directors
Katie Brown Kathy MacCarthy Marianna Moran
Patrick Burke Mike MacCarthy Robert J. Mulcahy
Jerry Legare Betty Matteson Sr Mary O’Connor
Inspired by the teaching of Jesus and the call to have a preferential love of the poor, Friends & Helpers of Madre Berenice was organized to provide help and support to the missionaries of Ecuador. Assistance is given by acquiring healthcare and educational supplies, clothing, and funds to supplement selected education and health services. Members witness to the love of God by visiting and getting to know and serve the people personally.
We are a charitable organization under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3)
Tax ID 20-8115700
FHMB, PO Box 9739, San Diego, CA 92169