Volunteer Delivery Drivers

The Humanitarian Service Project

Senior Citizen Project

Nicolas & Mery

Receiving Groceries Since 2005

Monthly deliveries include:

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 our seniors have been through a great deal in their long lives. They have been through wars and depressions, good times and bad, and they all have stories they can tell about their experiences. Many of them have lived through historic times in their lives which have shaped who they are and how they view the world. Your sponsored senior Nicolas and his wife, Mery, have been through a great deal together! At 77 and 63 respectively, Nicolas and Mery have enjoyed 43 years of marriage, but have many difficulties they must face each day. We are so thankful to you for helping us to bring the greatly needed nutrition and supplements they had sadly gone without into their lives, and we wanted to share some of this couples’ history with you.
 

          Understanding a bit about the history of the turbulent region they grew up in helps us to understand the relief and gratitude Nicolas and Mery feel since our monthly delivery of vital nourishment has come into their lives. The region that is today Bolivia was colonized by Spanish conquistador Hernando Pizzaro in 1538. For nearly three hundred years, until official independence in 1825, native peoples lived in deplorable conditions and were forced to work in the silver mines that helped to fund their own captivity.
 

         Beginning just forty years after independence, the people of the newly formed country of Bolivia struggled with both internal and external challenges. Border disputes with Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay took many lives and much territory. Several violent military coups and revolutions in the early 20th century resulted in the deaths of many thousands more. The revolutions brought great changes to the country, both positive and negative. The system of forced labor was abolished and labor unions were established by the 1930s and all adults were granted the right to vote. However, all universities were closed for a time and the development of social services and improvement of health conditions was put on the back burner by corrupt governments focused more on preserving their own power than on improving the lives of its citizens. In 1998, the country had only one doctor for every 3,000 residents and the infant mortality rate remains among the highest on the continent. A social insurance plan does exist, but provides benefits to less than half the population.
 

         Neither Nicholas nor Mery had easy lives in their early years. Both grew up surrounded by the incredible beauty of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia but also the devastating effects of a poverty so deep that even today it remains one of the poorest countries in South America. They first met at a church in La Paz, but Mery thought Nicolas was too old for her, being nearly 15 years her senior. A few years later, Mery’s sister had a date with her boyfriend to go to a soccer game. Her sister was not yet ready for the date, and begged Mery to talk to the boyfriend for a while. When Mery went out to talk with him, she found the boyfriend had brought a friend – Nicolas! The next day, when Mery came home from her job as a legal secretary and registrar, Nicolas was sitting on her couch talking with her mother! Mery still thought Nicolas was too old for her and avoided him for nearly three months. She eventually gave in because she told us he was so patient and kind. Two months later they were married.
 

          The marriage produced three children. The first daughter now lives in Geneva, Illinois, and is the only source of financial income for the couple through the babysitting they do for their grandchildren. A second daughter still lives in La Paz, Bolivia, but lives alone with very limited income herself. Nicolas and Mery worry about her often. The couple’s only son tragically passed away after losing his battle with cancer several years ago. Both Nicolas and Mery still have brothers and sisters living in Bolivia. Nicolas worked as an engineer and economist throughout their marriage, while Mery kept the job interacting with people as a public registrar and raised the children. They tried to stay out of the turmoil surrounding politics in their country and focus on their family and each other. Although Nicolas worked very hard and had many employees under him, as an independent contractor he did not receive any government benefits when he retired.
 

          The couple began coming to this country in 1991 for a few months at a time to stay with their daughter; first when she was in college in Iowa and later with her husband in Geneva, IL. Nicolas & Mery moved here permanently in 1997. Mery works on her English as often as she can with her youngest grandson and last February passed her citizenship test. They are looking into requesting citizenship with age consideration for Nicolas as his English is not yet good enough to pass the test. The couple also practices English byreading the Bible every night and working puzzle books together. They also enjoy playing cards, walking, watching television, going to church and eating dinner with their friends. Mery also loves to cook, knit, and share information about her country with others.
 

          Nicolas and Mery are not eligible for Social Security and so have virtually no income except for $200 a week that Mery receives for babysitting her grandchildren. Nicolas suffers from neuralgia, poor eyesight, and is very frail, but helps with the cooking and cleaning as much as he can.
 

          Fortunately, Nicolas and Mery know that HSP will make sure there is always food in their cupboards. Mery told us that they love the variety and the freshness of the produce we deliver and that our service has come at a time when it seemed so hopeless and dark – not being young anymore to earn the money they needed to provide what we are so blessed to have daily. We feel privileged to have been able to bring the security and comfort of a monthly delivery that includes five fresh fruits, six fresh vegetables, 7 frozen meats, non-perishable goods, paper products and Secret Pal gifts.

     Things to remember about Nicolas & Mery:

• Nicolas’s Birthday is February 3, 1929.

• Mery’s Birthday is March 3, 1933.

• Their favorite colors are blue and beige.

• Their favorite flowers are roses and carnations.

• They love to practice English by reading the Bible and doing crossword puzzles.