I’m Sister Graciela. I’m a Mother Sister serving at the daycare and at Girlstown, Chalco, Mexico at Villa de las Niñas.
I’m originally from Tlacotepec, Morelos, Mexico. I am a proud graduate of the Sisters of Mary Girlstown. As a Sister of Mary, I have had the opportunity to serve in many roles. Because of this, I fully understand that we are all children of God, regardless of borders.
Before coming to our daycare, these little children were often left alone at home or with neighbors, sometimes even with strangers, while their parents, who are mostly single mothers, struggled to find work to make ends meet. In the daycare, the children are safe, fed, and educated while receiving unconditional motherly love. I find great joy in watching the children while they play. I enjoy seeing them happy and having fun. I am also moved by their fervent prayers and their songs at Mass. Something I admire about the children I care for is that they’re very optimistic; they joke and encourage each other while encouraging me too.
The best thing about being a Sister of Mary is that many life problems, which seem to grant young people no future or hope, are overcome in every respect. When seeing the young people’s total change and such positive results, there is such great satisfaction that I say to myself, “my late nights and work are worth it, and thank God that He heard my prayers”.
When we help a child, we help an entire family, and that family, in turn, influences their community. A child who is given the opportunity to study is boundless; they’re liberated from the pressures of poverty that hold them back. Not only that, but they become a link in the chain of doing incremental good. Thank you for your support. You are in my prayers.