We are donating half of all proceeds from the sale of our online course, A Year to Awaken Your Soul, to charitable initiatives; most immediately, to the Vera family.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE DIRECTLY TO THE VERA FAMILY.
Recently, one of our Weekly Message subscribers, a man named Rafael Vera, reached out to us for help. When we learned about the dire situation he and his family are facing, we agreed to do all we can.
We are asking you to join us.
Rafael is a psychotherapist and professor and his wife is a preschool teacher, also with a masters degree. They had a wonderful life in Venezuela with good jobs, a nice home, and great kids. Then, the leadership of Venezuela made drastic changes that have plummeted the country, and the Vera family, into poverty and starvation. Today, Rafael and his son Aaron are refugees, separated from the rest of their family while they try to establish a new home for them all.
Last week Rafael and Aaron made the long journey from Barcelona, Venezuela to Guayaquil, Ecuador and are seeking housing and employment in their new country.
Rafael and his son Aaron before the Venezuelan economy collapsed.
Rafael and Aaron at the Ecuadorian border. As you can see, they’ve lost a lot of weight from lack of food.
A Letter from Rafael
We asked Rafael to explain his situation for you. Here’s what he shared with us yesterday:
“My wife and I have 4 children, 2 sons (they are adults, the 2nd one came with me to Ecuador) and 2 daughters (teenagers they are studying, one at college, the other in high school) My wife is a preschool teacher she has a masters degree too.
We were a middle class family: a house in Barcelona, two cars, a country house. I was a teacher and psychotherapist at various institutions. My wife is a teacher in a downtown preschool. We get 5 dollars a month and everything costs the same like in other countries. It isn’t possible to live with that amount of money.
We buy what food we can. Not so much. We all are very thin. There are programs that supply food sometimes, last year three times.
I came to Ecuador with my second son Aaron, we aspire to bring our family here to Guayaquil.
I came here with my papers, my son only his ID card.
A house for rent here is about US$250 and to eat a week is at least $100.
We want to thank everyone for their concern. We want everyone to know that what is happening in Venezuela is very serious. It is not a crisis, it is a humanitarian tragedy. Those who have power there are trying to hurt the United States. They are murderers without morals or feelings. Please tell everyone.”
Next Steps
We would like to raise at least $1000 through course sales and direct donations to the Vera family.
When you purchase the course, we will forward funds to the family. And, you can send money directly to Rafael and Aaron via PayPal.
Please join us in the joy of helping others who are in real need. Let’s help bring this family together!
Thank you for your support.
Rich Blessings, Jack and Stacey
Updates
31 March 2018 Update: We are pleased to inform you that Rafael has found employment in Guayaquil this week and now has the means to make a living. It will still take some time for him to earn the funding necessary for a stable diet, reliable housing, and to bring the rest of his family to join him and Aaron. Please continue to support the reunification of this family.
14 April 2018 Update: This week we are happy to report that the well-being of the Vera family is improved now thanks to Rafael quickly finding work and the help of a few generous donors in this community.
Here’s what Rafael shared with us on Wednesday:
“Dear Jack and Stacey, my son and I are slowly recovering. We have already begun to collect our salary, although it has only served to move us to a room in a house in the city center. We have bought some things needed to prepare food and have also been able to send a little to our family in Venezuela. Today it is 22 days since we arrived in Guayaquil and we are still living with limitations. However, I can tell you that we have faith and hope. There have been very good people like you who have helped us and that is why we are on the right track. I want to thank you for the help you have given us and to all our friends in the Soul Self Living community. We receive it from our hearts. Many blessings to you and those you love. Amen”
6 November 2018 Update: Almost there! A better job and place to live. Time to reunite this family!
“Dear Jack and Stacey, I moved to a small house that I rented in a humble neighborhood. I’m almost 2 months into my job and things are going better. Next week my family, my wife and my two daughters come. That is another challenge. They will do the same route as me on a bus. I’m putting money aside for that but it has been hard for me, there are $ 500 for the three tickets, but I have faith to do it. Soon we will be together to start a new life. Thanks for your support. Receive thousands of blessings. Hugs friends.”
We are continuing our fundraising efforts to support the Vera family with half of the proceeds from A Year to Awaken Your Soul as well as direct donations and we would love for our community (you!) to help us raise the funds necessary to bring the rest of the family to Ecuador.
This is a tangible way to contribute to a world united. Will you please consider making a contribution?
Hello dear Jack and Stacy. Receive many blessings, thank you for your great support. On this Easter, first time away from my family. Today I was doing activities for my work that my bosses had asked me for. I have been talking to many people here and I have found good-hearted people. We almost found a small apartment to move, we asked for 352 for a month guarantee and a month in advance. That will give us to start with our plan to settle and soon to bring our family. Many thanks also to all those who have shown solidarity with us, receive thousands of blessings. Amen.
Wonderful, Rafael! We are honored to be part of your support team and truly happy that you are finding a way forward. Blessings to you and your family.
Dear Jack and Stacey,
My son and I have been progressing little by little and we are making efforts to save money so that we can bring our family together with us soon. Recently I heard that the situation in Venezuela has worsened and hunger is hitting everyone. I hope that the international community can intervene to resolve this situation and that it will soon be over. We raise prayers for that to be so.
Where we are is a very large city with many contrasts, you can see the difference between what we live in Venezuela where buying a pound of rice is a big effort because the cost is very high with respect to the income of the family.
We have a lot of faith and hope to be able to meet soon with our family, but we hope that the whole country can finally get out of this nightmare in which a criminal gang has kidnapped him.
Thank you to the entire Soul Self Living community for praying for us and supporting us. Blessings.
Rafael Vera
Love and Blessings to you and your family, Rafael. Thank you for keeping us all informed. We are holding the vision of your family reunited and prosperous and your home country at peace, and we will continue to do all we can to support your reunion.
Thank you my dear friends. Blessings.