If you ever toured the Refugio for even an hour, you probably walked away knowing that Madre Chuy and her laundry room was its heart. And perhaps, like me, you may have an empty spot in your own heart knowing our lives and those of the children are no longer being touched by this humble, hardworking woman who has recently left the Refugio to live once again with her dear friend Madre Marcella in the Guadalajara area.
Of the many hours I volunteered,there were only a few times that she asked for anything. Once was for a strand of Christmas lights for the little tree she and the children had decorated, and another was for scissors to trim the children’s hair. Lastly, she once asked for thread to make much needed repairs on some clothing…..I can still see the look of delight on her face when I arrived with a container of 24 different colors!
She was always very resourceful. Once when my husband was picking up debris, he cut his finger on a fragment of glass. She asked Elena to get her an onion, from which she removed a thin piece of skin and applied it directly to the cut. It worked like magic to stop the bleeding, and as a veterinarian, my husband was very impressed!