Reborn to Understand Purpose
In La Guaira, Venezuela, just a few meters from the beach, the Fuente de Vida church currently functions as a collection centre. Daniela Romero, 27, recalls that on the night of Wednesday, June 24, everything changed; a life built over years vanished in an instant.
Daniela was at the church when she felt a tremor that, unlike the usual ones, rapidly escalated. Trying to flee, she lost her balance and became trapped under a door until her father (and pastor of the church) rescued her. Following the collapse of nearby buildings, her family and community immediately prioritised one thing: rescue.
While her father and husband spent the first five days working tirelessly among the rubble to pull out people alive or dead, Daniela, alone at the church, began tending to those seeking refuge. Without knowing what a "collection centre" was, the initiative grew out of love and a desire to help, starting with whatever she had at home: "water, water with oatmeal and sugar, two kilos of rice with a few eggs." Daniela took on roles she didn't know she was capable of: "I had to act as a nurse, I had to treat people, I even had to be a psychologist... we had to receive people here with open wounds." From a young woman in the midst of a tragedy, she transformed into a completely renewed person: “I feel like I was reborn and I am a different person.” Perhaps the things she valued most before are no longer as important. Perhaps what she once overlooked is now what matters most the small details.
In the midst of this emergency, World Vision arrived to support the community. Daniela highlights that the organisation was very analytical when visiting the site: "If they come to the site, they see the need, because I might tell you we need food, but then they notice we don't have a water tank... You as an organisation came with that unique approach of not only thinking about the people's needs, but supporting us as well with things we might not have considered."
During their visits, World Vision delivered water, food, mattresses, power banks, water purification plants, showers, flashlights, blankets, and pillows, supplies that made a massive impact. Daniela shares: "You delivered to us on a Saturday, and by Sunday noon we started distributing things, and at 10:00 PM the line still hadn't stopped." To stretch the aid to reach more people, the team multiplied the deliveries: "If you gave us 200 bags, we turned them into 400, into 600 bags, because we made up to three bags out of one... so it could reach a larger number of families."
Currently, the Fuente de Vida church provides comprehensive support to the affected community:
Food: They prepare and deliver daily breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
Medical Care and Medicine: They facilitate medical care and access to medicine for the people.
Clothing and Footwear: They provide clothes and shoes based on the donations received.
Shelter and Basic Supplies: They assist with tents, tarps, mosquito nets, sleeping pads, blankets, pillows, and personal hygiene items, which are in high demand.
Household Supplies and Tools: They distribute flashlights, hard hats, gloves, construction goggles, and cookware sets to help families restart their daily lives.
Despite the emotional exhaustion and the ongoing panic attacks, Daniela remains motivated. As she puts it: "It all comes down to the fact that people's lives are more important than anything else." Today, alongside her community, she continues working day by day to offer assistance, deliver a message of faith, and be a blessing to those who lost everything.