2023-11-17 21:57:38
“More than delivering a lunch or a snack, it is turning the dining rooms into spaces for social transformation, contributing our grain of sand for education, emotional support, promoting culture in our children,” says Jorge Martínez, manager of the Cultivando Bienestar and dining room. Reaping Dreams.
Jorge sees in serving others a great sense of vocation that was awakened in his heart since he was a child: “My desire was always to be a priest; I thought this was the way to give people in vulnerable conditions everything.” that life has given me,” he commented.
With studies in Philosophy and Letters, Psychology, Nursing and Theology, he is a man admired in his community. “Volunteering has always been present in my life. Being in the second semester of theology – in my goal to be a priest – I decide not to be one, because now I think that to serve I do not need to have a habit; so, I begin my studies as a gerontologist to help older adults.
And in addition to the service aimed at older people, 6 years ago Jorge created a Foundation that has the same name as the dining room and is located in the Marroquín II neighborhood (Aguablanca District) and is aimed at the child population.
“I am part of the Corazón Contento program; the soup kitchen aims to meet the needs of the boys and girls in this sector, where the mothers are mostly heads of the household and have to work throughout the day; therefore, the children They did not have a hot meal and were left alone after their school day; my two cents is to occupy them in that free time with workshops to reinforce their schoolwork, psychology workshops, crafts, promotion of sports and culture.”
Jorge describes that, in this entire journey of service to the community, the most difficult thing has been the economic factor. “At the beginning of this path I had to sell my laptop, my watches, trust in stores when I had never done so, cook, wash the bathrooms; many things came together and it was not easy, but God’s response has been extraordinary and also “has placed angels such as the Mayor’s Office of Cali, the Archdiocese, the volunteers and Unicatólico in this beautiful work, who have helped me and this beautiful project has been possible.”
“Today I feel joy and satisfaction, because seeing a child eating his warm food and knowing that he is one less child who cannot endure hunger, that he is gaining height and weight, that his self-esteem, his academic condition, his interpersonal relationships have improved is a true happiness”.
Every day, more than 50 children are served in the dining room, a space full of love and solidarity, which honors that beautiful phrase by Mahatma Gandhi which says: “He who does not live to serve, is not useful to live.”
“I think that in this world we all came for something. I was not born to be a father of a family, nor to get married, I came to this world to serve, to help in whatever way I can, and I am clear that until the last minute of my life I am going to do it because just as I give to life, God returns it to me in blessings and satisfaction. My message is that we help by not giving a coin to those who need us on the street, the correct thing would be to look at their need more deeply, look for a care route, dedicate quality time to those who need it” he concluded.
This leader is an example of the commitment of the Corazón Contento Food Security program, carried out by the Mayor’s Office of Cali, because it contributes to the empowerment of communities from the fight against hunger; For Jorge it is clear that behind each plate of food he delivers there is a greater work of building the social fabric.
Zully Anacona Peña
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Publication date 11/17/2023
Last modified 11/17/2023
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