A Special Guide

We can still touch people in small ways no matter what nationality, colour, religion or language they speak. Love can break down any barrier.

Our family travels a fair bit. We decided to go to Colombia which was opening up to tourists after many years of the drug cartel making it quite dangerous for people to travel. We found Alex Rocha a local guide. He was a special person. He lived in the poorest neighbourhood and he stated that after finding God he was able to change his life.

Most young kids in that neighbourhood are drawn to drugs or selling them. He decided to go to university, studied English, got a job, saved up and began the Alex Rocha Centre. Reading about his story made me realise how grateful we were to have a life that we were born into.

We decided that we would like to visit his centre and see what he did for the kids living in that slum. Alex Rocha gives these children a safe place, teaches them English, gives them a chance to learn music, makes sure they have snacks and most of all, have fun in a safe place. He takes them on outings, gives them clothes that people and tourists donate and teaches them skills to make sure they are able to get jobs later on in life.

After that visit, I have always sought out a guide that does good in their community and I make sure that I spend one day out of our vacations doing some good and empowering the people we meet along the way. Change is possible if you want it. We can still touch people in small ways no matter what nationality, colour, religion or language they speak. Love can break down any barrier. At the end of the day we all belong to one race, the human race.

Annette Fernandez: I consider myself a person who belongs to the human race and I TRY to live by Mother Teresa’s words “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” I love traveling and meeting people from different cultures who do great work in their communities. In my professional life, I work with women who have addiction and mental health challenges and who are homeless or live below the poverty line.

We invite you to share a story about yourself or another person, reflecting on the question: “How has gratefulness shifted a moment, an experience, or a lifetime?”

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