Argentina: Community and hope in the big city

"At La Casona, you can have loads of fun, make new friends and learn something new every day." (Ana, aged 12)

Pastor Paula Fogel describes the La Casona congregation in a district of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires: “The congregation and the community centre of the Evangelical Church of La Plata in Florencio Varela have been in existence for almost 40 years. It follows an approach to congregational work that we find extremely valuable in today’s world. We believe it is important for people to come together to counteract isolation and loneliness, and that everyone can find a place here.”

Belén (25), a workshop leader at the parish centre, adds : “For me, it’s a lovely place where I can meet the boys and girls, get to know their stories and spend time with them. We teach them things, but we also learn from them – so it’s a real exchange.
Many of the children spend a lot of time at home alone with their mobile phones because they have no one to listen to them. At La Casona, they find a team that listens to them, cares for them and waits for them. This motivates them to want to come, to share their thoughts and to feel part of a community.”

Your donation helps to support this kind of people-centred community work in Buenos Aires, bringing people together and offering many children, young people and families a sense of community and encouragement for their daily lives.