What if you could make a big difference in the lives of the poor by making a small sacrifice?

1. What if you could make a big difference in the lives of the poor by making a small sacrifice? YOU CAN. Your small sacrifices can help our parish’s sister community in Valle Verde, El Salvador. Our parish leaders and the Global Solidarity Committee invite you to contribute your Lenten sacrifice this year to our partnership with the people of Valle Verde. This year’s contributions go toward purchasing materials for a Library and Reading Center and a Vocational Workshop/ Market. The library will host the Storyteller’s Corner program, which helps improve and increase reading among children. In the Storyteller’s Corner program, the library will regularly receive children’s books and novels. In addition, an educator will routinely visit the community and host activities and lessons to improve literacy within the community (for children and adults). This is a program proven to be effective in many different communities throughout El Salvador. The Vocational Workshop/Market will be built for the women in the community who create handcrafted items in high demand in the nearby tourist destination of Suchitoto. The building will provide adequate space , where they can work, share ideas, teach and display their goods. Do you remember the story of the starfish… A young boy walking the beach one morning noticed an old man picking up a starfish and flinging them into the sea. When he caught up to the man, the boy asked him why he was doing this. The old man explained that starfish stranded on the beach would die if they were left in the morning sun. “But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” the boy exclaimed. “How can your effort make any difference?” The old man looked at the starfish in his hand and threw it into the waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said. This is the second year for Operation Starfish, a Lenten program to remind us that our small sacrifices make a big difference when we use them for one purpose. Our purpose is to collaborate with our friends and partners in Valle Verde in their effort to restore their dignity by providing a literacy program and income opportunities. We do this because our faith leads us to see the face of Christ in the poorest of the poor.

2. By simply contributing $5 each day during the 40 days of Lent, your family would be providing materials for the Library or the Vocational Workshop. That represents a cup of coffee, a movie ticket or an ice cream cone to us, but to families in Valle Verde, it is a way out of poverty. Operation Starfish boxes are in the church gathering area for you. Take one home, decide as a family what you can give, and bring the boxes back Palm Sunday. Members of the Global Solidarity Ministry are available to answer questions after liturgy Sundays during Lent. The figures below convey what your contributions can accomplish: “As often as you did it to one of the least of My brothers and sisters, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40 For more information, contact Lauren Burruto at lmburruto@yahoo.com Operation Starfish is a Food for the Poor program, used with permission.