1. Fondation
NEWSLETTER
pour les Enfants
de l’Équateur Spring 2011
4409, rue St-Hubert, Montréal, QC H2J 2X1 Tél. 514-525-4920 rosaliecadron@videotron.ca
Word from the President,
Winter is now behind us and spring is filled with promises of new life, new
energy and projects to realise.
The bulletin is falling in step. We will share with you the sense of wonder of
two women Anamaria Gomez Upegui and Céline Tremblay from Québec
who visited the Mission in Ecuador recently. Anamaria, a Columbian
married a Quebecker and visited the Mission for the first time. Céline
Tremblay, a nurse lived in Columbia for many years.
You will read about a little 8 year-old Canadian who took the initiative to
save his pennies to help poor children in Ecuador.
Finally, you will see a few photos worth a “thousand words”.
I wish you a bright springtime and a may Easter… the greatest liturgical
Celebration of the year… fill you with profound joy no one can take from
you.
Marie-Thérèse Bourque, s.m.
Youngsters such as Dimitri have to be
taken seriously. They are sensitive and
generous. If we give them the opportunity,
they commit themselves in surprising ways!
Rather than buying a miniature car or
costly gadgets, if we encourage youngsters
to sponsor children who are hungry or who
cannot go to school because they have no
money, we would be expressing confidence
in them and they would experience
profound joy!
Think about it
DOING “LITTLE THINGS”
It is a great challenge to do little “things” in an “EXTRA-ORDINARY” way. This was the emotion that overwhelmed me back in
September 2010 when I returned from Compostella. However, I now had to find my specific mission.
At the beginning of October, the members of the Misericordia family and collaborators of the work gathered for the annual
feast day of the Sisters of Misericordia. It is there that I met Ecuadorian members of the Mission of Pascuales, Guayaquil.
While I heard them speak about the needs, an idea kept coming to my mind. What if it would be possible to offer workshops
on love and sexuality to help single mothers, their children and the teachers of the Infantile Development Center (IDC).
This was a start! But how could I realize this crazy idea? I began by talking about this project to Sister Marie-Thérèse and
Anamaria of the Foundation for the Children of Ecuador. Each one had a big smile and encouraged me to pursue my dream.
From that moment on, things began to happen. I was put in contact with Sister Jeannine in Pascuales and for the next few
months, we prepared workshops using French and Spanish documents of reference....................................... See overleaf
In Ecuador, the school year has just begun. Have you thought of renewing your
commitment as a sponsor? This year, the ten children you see in the photo will not be
able to go to school because they have no sponsors… Thank you on their behalf!
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

2. THE THREE FOUNDING SISTERS RETURN
Age and fatigue is putting a stop to the activities of the three sisters in the
mission field. Aged 86, 82 and 79, after 13 years of living in hot humid
weather ranging from 36 to 42 degrees during the whole year and non-stop
commitment 7 days a week… they deserve a rest. Yes, they will be taking a
rest, but they will not completely retire as they will continue to offer their
support to the people through the various communications.
Since the day the Mission was founded, the sisters had planned on returning
to Quebec once it would be established on a solid base. They set up an
Administrative Council made up of Ecuadorians and appointed a general
director for the 2 works: the Women’s Center and the Infantile Development
Center. There is a faithful core group and the personnel are well trained. We Women’s Center, Group of prayer
are hopeful that the work will last through the efforts of the large Misericordia Children’s Center
family – all of whom are Ecuadorian.
The Foundation for the Children of Ecuador and the Misericordia Sisters will
continue to offer their collaboration as long as necessary.
The Quebec sponsors are an essential part of the Mission and sponsorship for
schooling is a jewel of the work! The future of this slum area depends on
literacy programs and schooling at least to the High School level and the
people of Quebec are the ones who have established this program and
maintained it. In general, the work depends on our benefactors and the
people you may interest in your own surrounding.

May you be given Easter Joy in abundance and may this joy be with you
throughout the year
. Marie-Thérèse, president
DOING “LITTLE THINGS” (cont.)
What happened while in Pascuales for two weeks? We held three workshops for single
mothers, teenagers and a few grand-mothers. The workshops were carried out with
respect, openness, mutual confidence and in an atmosphere of great simplicity. We held
several informal meetings with the teachers of the IDC. The issue of sexual abuse of
children was often mentioned during our discussions. Finally, Anamaria and I had very
constructive discussions with the members of the new administrative council set up by the
sisters.
In ending, we earnestly believe that there will be a follow-up! I thank all those who have
expressed their confidence in this “madness” and who helped me to meet this challenge. I
would never have been able to bring it to fruition without the support and daily acts of
love, tenderness and welcome of Sisters Jeannine, Rose-Aimée and Céline. Heartfelt thanks
to Anamaria, a wonderful accomplice and attentive confidante. I learned that the way we
do “small things” is what gives weight to generosity, love and especially life… what more!
Céline Tremblay-Franche
Nurse, Co-operator with SUCO in Columbia 1970-1980
AN OASIS CALLED “Rosalie Cadron”
I am still in love with what I saw at the Pascales Mission! Four Sisters from Québec (Sr. Rose-Aimée (86), Sr. Marie-Thérèse (84), Sr. Céline (79)
were successful in sowing hope, respect, compassion and tenderness in a slum area where the poverty among women and children is striking!
The Misericordia Sisters created an oasis called “Rosalie Cadron Mission”. It is an oasis of beauty because the Mission building is beautiful and
discreet. It is an oasis of goodness in this village of more than 80,000 people. There the people learned that they could receive help and be
loved, they also learned that there were other ways in which people could speak to them. Amazing! I did not have to go there to fall in love with
the WORK, of course… but when I did see it on the spot, I saw the grandeur and true dimension of the actions carried out by the Sisters. They
have done tremendous work! It is impossible to calculate how many people have been affected by their presence.
In the village of Pascuales, there are many “dead ends”… each person has their own. Each person has been abused by someone else… and the
Mission established by the Sisters has been a lantern in the darkness through the Women’s Centre and the Infantile Development Centre. I am
not only referring to the religious point of view as such but rather that of justice and equity. The women there were disillusioned by society
where men have all the rights but no responsibilities… the abuse of women begins in childhood, and even by their own mother, because she too
had been abused thus creating vicious circles of endless abuse without knowing that they have rights. The Women’s Centre, which has offered
training in legal rights and courses in micro enterprise, cooking, embroidery, crafts, bodily care, opened the doors for success and greater
autonomy. At the Center, the women receive human warmth and this enables them to see a light to their “dead-end”. The Infantile Development
Center is filled with the poorest of the poor. The word respect did not exist in their vocabulary…. However, because they are treated with respect,
the children are transformed into seeds of hope. The sisters live the charisma of compassion, tenderness and mercy for all, especially for single
mothers, heads of families… the poorest of the poor.
The charisma of Mother Rosalie is being lived and is very much alive. It has been well transmitted to the people for almost 14 years. It is up to all
of us to make it last!
PS. SINCERE THANKS to Sr. Rose-Aimée, Sr Jeannine and Sr. Céline for your warm welcome, your generosity and especially for your humanity!
THANK YOU Céline Tremblay-France! I really enjoyed going on this trip with you! Anamaría Gómez-Upegui FEÉ
With a $20.00 or more donation you will receive a year-long Foundation Have you thought of including a donation to your
favourite charitable organization in your will? You do not
Membership Card as well as a Tax Receipt. Please join us! have to be wealthy to do so.
www.unheritageapartager.org. When preparing your
We invite you to view the film “Rosalie Cadron Mission” on YouTube. It was produced by estate planning and your will, it is important that you begin
Jérôme Cotte http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlSP0sa3X1s by looking after the needs of your family and your relatives
and then you may choose to express your solidarity and
love for the mission of the Foundation for the Children of
A huge thank you for your generous response to Ecuador. By this gesture of the heart, you will leave your
inheritors one of the values you considered important in
our Autumn 2010 Newsletter your life.” AF. FEÉ
TO EXPRESS SOLIDARITY IS TO BUILD PEACE