Translated by Helga Leija

"The poor have learned to wait. They endure the frustration of denied opportunities, standing upright, sustained by a hope that flickers like an incandescent flame at the center of their existence," writes Sr. Begoña Costillo. She reflects on the patient waiting of those seeking financial assistance at the Monastery of the Incarnation in Lima, Peru, contrasting it with the structured and time-oriented life of the Catholic sisters.

On the eve of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Sr. Nadieska Almeida from Cuba reflects on Mary's role as protector and source of hope for Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Mary has accompanied our history,’ she writes.

Sr. Amaya Hernandez's religious life has been immersed in the Augustinian charism, a guide of order and love that has led her toward true peace and the discovery of her identity and mission, even amid uncertainty.

Haste and anxiety dehumanize us and prevent us from getting closer to God. Practicing patience reminds us to stop and take a deep breath to be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy and present each day.

On the "sixth day, the day before the Sabbath," writes Sr. Magda Bennásar, "we are invited to 'ascend' the mountain with fellow community members, mirroring Jesus' journey with his disciples."

Sr. Begoña Costillo narrates her encounter with a woman and her children, who live in a small wooden room on the roof of a building. In the midst of precariousness, she discovers the divine presence and resilience of a mother who relies on God to overcome adversity. 

GSR has become a close-knit and expansive community where we feel like sisters, united in weaving the dream of a shared prophetic mission and a passion for communicating life in all its dimensions.

Sr. Marlene Quispe Tenorio reflects on the inner journey and the experience of encountering the divine presence in everyday life. It's a journey of freedom that profoundly changes her life and impacts the lives of those she encounters. "This Lenten season has been incredibly moving for me," she shares, "as I truly feel like a child of God, liberated and free."

In today's reality, the traditional model of consecrated life tied to an institution is obsolete," writes Sr. Magda Bennásar. "The ministry model of the past is in urgent need of updating." 

How do congregations cope with the changes and the decline in vocations? Sr. Dora Tupil shares her experience of the closure of houses and projects of her congregation, the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

At the U.S.-Mexico border, Dominican nuns and Salesian laywomen go beyond breakfasts, providing essential support to migrants in Tijuana. 

Sr. Carmen Notario compares the desecration that some individuals have done today of the body, mind and spirit of so many women, men, girls and boys, and the desecration of the temple of Jerusalem in the time of Jesus.

The creative movement of dance has allowed Daylenis Lara Rodriguez to rediscover how to connect with her deepest self during her novitiate, and in that process she has experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit.

During a visit to a prison in Peru, Sr. Begoña Costillo discovered how the Gospel came to life behind bars and offered hope and liberation to those who seek conversion, healing and redemption. 

Through the story of young Magdalena Gomez Gregorio and her family — witnesses to adversity and unexpected support during the August 2019 immigrant raid at food processing plants in Morton, Mississippi — Sr. María Elena Méndez reveals in her column for GSR an inspiring story of how courage can transform pain into a beacon of hope and unity.