by Alison Rees (in Costa Calida Chronicle, August 2023 and The Almeria Focus, September 2023)
Living Water Church, Mojácar, have partnered with the Vera & District Lion’s Club by donating €1,500 to the San Agustín’s Children’s Home building project in Vera. The Vera & District Lion’s Club have taken on a very large project as major renovations are required at the home. It is estimated that the initial project will require around €20,000 to complete.
Constructed in 1872, and originally a hospital to attend to the sick and the injured who worked in the mines, the building needs considerable attention. One part of the building is managed by the Vera Ayuntamiento via grants and the other part is owned (in a trust) by the family of one of the nuns. The latter part is a ‘listed building’; so there is a limit to what can be done to the building. The Lion’s Club have already rebuilt the kitchen and refurbished and refurnished the children’s bedrooms. Unfortunately there is still much work to be done to the building, as no refurbishment works have previously been done, including to the walls.
The San Agustín’s Children’s Home currently houses 11 children between the ages of 8 to 14 years old. The Children’s Home is run by two nuns who go to great lengths to ensure that the children see this as a loving, caring home. The Ayuntamiento provides funding for food for the children. All other funding for clothing, personal hygiene, etc. has to be accumulated via donations. Much of this is provided for by the Vera & District Lion’s Club, including ensuring the children have wrapped Christmas presents under the Christmas tree in December!
