Leiden is the home base of Vivir Juntos and also the town where Astrid Delleman lived for several years prior to her move to Nicaragua. Two protestant churches in Leiden, (the Leidse Students Ecclesia and the ecumenical community de Regenboog), proposed to its mother church, the Protestantse Gemeente (=Parish) Leiden (PGL), that Ruach’s work in Juigalpa should be nominated as this year’s ‘Holy Communion’ special campaign. PGL accepted the nomination.
Through the Holy Communion special campaign the PGL promotes a more human society in Leiden and surroundings and from its Leiden base also in other places in the world, so this year funds will be raised for Juigalpa. The campaign is coordinated by the Diaconal Centre de Bakkerij (= bakery). This Centre provides a ‘home’ for over 20 civil society organisations and offers hospitality to people of all walks of life, irrespective of their ethnic origin or religion: (see the flyer in Dutch: Folder Avondmaal 2018). Promoting the campaign via de Bakkerij means that Ruach’s work will receive attention among a large section of Leiden people. Of course we have submitted a concrete proposal on what we hope to do with the funds raised, also mentioned in the flyer. I’d like to finish with the final paragraph of the flyer:
Their ambition is our challenge The Ruach Foundation does not lack ambition. In a very creative manner they manage time and again to involve an increasing number of people for the care and support of (young) adults who live with intellectual disabilities in Juigalpa, Nicaragua. Their plans altogether would cost around € 5.000,-. Maybe we can join forces to meet the challenge of raising a bit more than that amount to provide this project some extra financial security for the near future.