Inspired by faith and social commitment, ten women of Saint Dominic They decided to come together 55 years ago to, together, knock on the doors of companies and institutions and sow the seed of hope in the land of the populous sector of Buenos Airesin Herrerain Santo Domingo Oeste, with the founding of the Educational Center “God’s Hour“.
Josefa María PouEllis de Muñoz, Carmen de Gómez, Gracita de Viyella, Francina de Álvarez, Margot de Auffant, Nelly de Ricart, Olga de Bonilla, Anuncita de Núñez, Rossy de Moore and Rosario de Armenteros, ladies of the Holy Trinity Parish and moved by a deep social sensitivity, they decided to act by managing resources for the construction site.
A trip to Colombia was the inspiration of some of the ladies when they learned about a social aid project called “God’s Minute“and once in the country they found fertile ground in the apostolate of the father Láutico García.
The volunteers visited several times a week a very poor neighborhood called The West Esperilla, where they distributed clothesfood, medicine, as well as hygiene education and culture, but they also attended to spiritual needs such as catechism, to a group of about 30 families.
Later, they acted motivated by the Spanish nun Santa Carmen Salleis Baranguerasfounder of the congregation Missionary Conceptionists of the Teaching that said: “As long as there is children and young people to educate and values to transmit, the difficulties will not matter.” This is how the project began, which today has an enrollment of 1,192 studentsfrom six months of age until the end of secondary school.
Contribution from the UASD
The founders achieved that the Autonomous University of Saint Dominic (UASD) donated the land where the center operates today and focused on three fundamental axes: educationhealth and decent homes for those families, who, by then, lived on the outskirts of the city.
“The same ladies organized activities in the National theaterwhich they brought foreign artistscompanies that usually gave the donation for the maintenance of the construction site until 2014, when this center, due to economic situations, entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Education and it became a convention school. It is no longer called a school, but Educational Center “The Hour of God”“says its director Sor Cristina Rodriguez.
The center came to have a medical dispensarya dental instituteanother ophthalmologist, a laboratory and everything has been disappearing, there is barely a doctor from the Ministry of Public Health who assists children in any eventuality.
Resource needs
The lack of resources has been an element and, although the congregation is in charge of direction, the teachers are paid by the Ministry of Educationbut some of the teachers practically work for love, with salaries of 14,000 or 15,000 pesos per month. Some are not even named by Minerd.
Furthermore, the center demands cleaning staff and support, because the existing ones are between 70 and even 80 years old and do not have the strength to do the hygiene tasks and other services.
It also requires the gate repairwaterproofing, instruments for music class such as saxophone, trumpet and the acoustic room of the classroom so as not to affect others students while they receive class. Only in music class as a complementary subject is there 61 students.
It has extracurricular activitiessuch as music, painting, football, volleyball, basketball, painting, as well as a dance school folklore that directs Josefina Miniño.
Sister Cristina says that, with the little they receive, it is not enough to cover expenses, because the students only pay 8.50 pesos a month, even though they receive extended batch and they are supplied breakfast and lunch. Children from six months old to high school enter at 7:30 in the morning and leave at 3:45.
“Thank God there are no problems with the feedingalthough the amount that is paid to the suppliers is little, but well, thank God the company has been faithful in that regard. Ministry. There is no problem there then. Here we eat almost daily 1,000 people in that dining room and very good food. So, we can’t complain. And we have a team that cooks very well, we are missing some people in the kitchen too,” said the nun.
The voices that confirm the impact
In the hallways you feel the trust of the students. Aymar Camila, who has studied at the center since kindergarten, affirms that what she has learned the most is values: respect, empathy and honesty. She dreams of being a businesswoman.
Ezekielwho has been at school for seven years, highlights that “really” is taught here. Not only content, but camaraderie, discipline and solidarity. want to study Medicine.
“I have felt love from the first day“, says.
Evan Rosariofor its part, explains precisely the Advent wreatha sample of the spiritual component that accompanies the education integral of the center.
A construction site who has given more than he has received
The La Obra de Dios Educational Center is an institution that grew from the faiththe solidarity and the tireless work of women visionaries. Today it continues to be an educational and social pillar in Buenos Aires of Herreraeven facing deficiencies that require urgent attention.
But beyond infrastructure or budgets, it remains standing thanks to a conviction: the education transforms lives and community whole.
The four nuns who carry the center on their shoulders do not want to let it die and require solidarity help as in the beginning to continue contributing to the education of thousands of children, adolescents and young people from poor homes who want to prepare to serve their family and the country.
The Association
Although not with the influence of its beginning, there is the God’s Hour Association which is responsible for monitoring the center to continue with the mission to educate.
“Every year we thank God for the presence of those women who pushed forward this construction sitewho gave their lives so that this construction site be true, because they were women really dedicated to this mission,” says Sister Cristina Rodríguez.
Although most have already died, the legacy remains in the minds and hearts of the witnesses, but above all in the children and young people that were prepared in the center with values and that today they are servants of society, men women of good.
He states that he financial support It was very important because they were in charge of paying the staffbut they also managed donations as part of its mission to serve the poorest, to teach people how to fish instead of giving them the fish.
