What lessons and challenges has CARDI personally offered you?
Since taking over as director of CARDI in 2022, I’ve realized that, although it may seem that those of us who collaborate on the project come to give, in reality we receive. We thought we were coming to transform and conquer the world, to solve other people’s problems, but… in reality, we are the ones who are privileged by CARDI.
These vulnerable people give you so much more; they teach you to value people and their suffering more, they make you aware of pain, something that those of us who are healthy forget and act as if it doesn’t exist.
The daily challenge is to improve our services and be effective for these extremely vulnerable people, mistreated by the social and healthcare systems, who urgently need to find something different amidst their suffering and that of their families. We want to be that different place.
What are the most significant impacts of these two decades of CARDI?
I think there is much to celebrate. CARDI has truly been—and has never stopped striving to be—a home where everyone feels like family, where from the moment you walk through the door you feel a humane atmosphere, a caring approach, and attentive listening. Our beneficiaries know that here they can forget, even for a little while, the suffering and pain they carry.
Also significant over these two decades has been the public’s recognition of CARDI. We have become a guarantor, that is, representatives of society, evaluating and improving the quality, warmth, and treatment of users of the public health system. We have served as a bridge of communication between people and institutions.
In the last decade alone, at least 125,000 people have received assistance at our Center: hygiene and laundry services, day shelter, food… Another 10,000 have received personalized psychological or grief counseling; and 13,000 have participated in workshops, conferences, or diploma programs. These are significant figures; we have had a considerable impact, it speaks volumes about us, and it is our duty to maintain and increase it.
Following the project’s name, what does that complete recovery and reintegration look like?
Health must be understood holistically: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. The Augustinian Recollect Center for Integral Development and Recovery embodies this vision, and this can only be achieved through our staff and volunteers.
Our projects and programs are a reality thanks to our volunteers, the driving force behind every service, gesture, and action. Their constant presence in the hallways, the cafeteria, the pharmacy, and the waiting room is a sign of hope, of helping hands, of open hearts.
CARDI shares this holistic vision of health in its training programs, which aim to be comprehensive. The diplomas in thanatology, logotherapy, and volunteering are designed to provide solid resources for offering compassionate and effective support to those experiencing vulnerability; and the workshops, courses, and conferences offer more practical and/or reflective spaces for a more meaningful life, both personally and socially.
Faced with the challenges of addiction, mental health, and social exclusion, what strategic priorities does CARDI have?
CARDI tries to help in some of these situations, although we can’t reach everyone. There are limitations of space and also of governmental and legal control and evaluation; we have a clear definition of where and in what we can act, and where we cannot.
Our strategy has focused on holistic human development, both through our educational offerings and our support services. People expect empathy, active listening, and understanding from CARDI. Our highly trained therapists know how to provide this. They know how to filter and identify genuine needs in order to then find solutions.
Regarding addictions, we have established an agreement with AA, a specialized institution. They have a dedicated space at CARDI for this specialized support. Regarding social exclusion, we provide personalized care for migrants arriving at the public health system, ensuring they receive the same level of care and feel welcome. We may be able to expand these services in the future; we’ll see.
What reflections does the celebration of this World Health Day bring to your mind?
I hope we can all truly understand what health means. It’s not just the absence of disease, but a state of wholeness, security, and overall well-being. We must take care of ourselves, be considerate of ourselves, and then we can take care of others. If we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we take care of others?
We usually ask those who come to CARDI to love and take care of themselves. Caring for others is exhausting; it’s very easy to worsen already difficult situations, to get sick, to let your spiritual health fail, to let doubts creep in, to get angry with God, to sink.
It is also a time to thank all those who have supported CARDI: volunteers, collaborators, facilitators, and benefactors. Thanks to them, we have reached two decades of serving the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, helping them to feel safe, whole, and fulfilled again, with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
Health is a right for all. The words “salvation” and “health”, in Spanish and Latin Languages, come from the same root. The Church has much to say. The Augustinian Recollect Family has wholeheartedly embraced this project; its communities and ministries have opened their doors to CARDI, providing us with new support and generous, conscientious benefactors.
We encourage our beneficiaries to value their own care, to take care of themselves and prevent any complications so that their task of accompanying their loved ones suffering from the disease is better.
Hopefully, for many more years, we will continue to be an instrument for promoting a culture of comprehensive health in Mexico.
