|
7 selections of fresh vegetables
6 selections of
fresh fruits
7 varieties of
frozen meats
5 bags of
non-perishables
1 bag of paper
products and personal care items
Gifts from a Secret Pal
|
|
Many of the needy seniors in our Senior Citizen
Project live their long days in sadness and loneliness. With few people to
interact with and constant hardships to face they start to feel more and
more hopeless in their situations. This can be especially exacerbated by
extraneous circumstances, for example, the inability to speak English. One
senior, your sponsored senior Bertha, comes to mind. At 72 years old, Bertha
speaks very little English. The language barrier between herself and her
neighbors means she has little communication with the outside world. When we
met Bertha in 2002, we believed we could make a difference in her life. We
are thankful to you for your help in bringing comfort to her troubled life.
We would like to share some information on Bertha with you so you may come
to know her better.
Born and raised in
Honduras as the oldest of 4 children, Bertha has fond memories of her close
knit family. Eventually, however, she decided to strike out on her own. She
was married young and she and her husband moved to America seeking a better
life. The two had six children together, but their happiness would not
always last. As time went on the couple grew apart and they were eventually
divorced. Now, Bertha has almost no contact with most of her children, who
live in several different parts of the country, or her siblings, who all
still live in Honduras.
Bertha lives with her
daughter and mentally challenged grandson, all in a small, one-bedroom
apartment. The three of them all live off of Bertha’s meager social security
payment of $500 a month. Compounding their problems are Bertha’s numerous
health problems, which include arthritis, high blood pressure, cataracts and
high cholesterol. Perhaps worst of all, Bertha suffers from clinical
depression and must take medication to keep her moods stable. She becomes
lonely very easy because she has no neighbors who speak Spanish.
Fortunately, Bertha and
her small family unit don’t have to worry about where their next meal will
come from. Bertha says she loves receiving her delivery of groceries and
fresh produce each month from HSP. We are also happy that we were able to
find a delivery day driver for her who speaks Spanish and enjoys visiting
with Bertha to alleviate some of her loneliness. Now, more comfortable in
her existence, she enjoys tending a garden and crocheting to pass the time.
We are happy that we have been able to bring some solace to her life. Thanks
to you, we can continue to be a beacon of light in her life!
Things to Remember about Bertha:
-
Bertha’s birthday is May 13, 1934.
-
She enjoys watching Spanish language soap operas.
-
She loves jigsaw puzzles.
-
Her income is only $500 a month.
|
