A new baby boy from a desperate Venezuelan young girl has been born, bringing a ray of hope and joy to the situation - Photo: Fr Dan Harding
Columban Fr Daniel Harding working in Chile, shares the good news of the birth of a baby boy in very troubling circumstances.
On Monday, a homeless Venezuelan young girl, Brayannis, gave birth to a new healthy baby boy. When Brayannis was seven months pregnant and newly arrived in Chile, she was severely bashed by her drug addict boyfriend (the baby’s father) and abandoned. She was hospitalized and, upon release, had nowhere to live. She tried to get back with the baby’s father, but she ended up alone, sleeping on the streets.
San Columbano Parish took her in and has cared for her ever since. She lived with four other homeless Venezuelan families in parish meeting rooms called Casa Betania. I had to get out of bed well after midnight on a Friday one week ago to drive her to the hospital. It was a false alarm, and she was sent back at 2:30 am.
Two gang members from one drug gang and one gang member from another (who live near us) had just been murdered in a shootout when we arrived at the local public hospital. There were gunshots in the hospital from rival gangs seeking vengeance. Brayannis had to hide in the toilets of the maternity ward until nine carloads of police arrived.
It was a very dangerous situation. One of the parish men accompanying me and I had to remain in our car in the car park.
Temperatures in Santiago are below zero, zero or 1 degree in the mornings, making it very tough for homeless people. A new baby boy from a desperate Venezuelan young girl has been born, bringing a ray of hope and joy to the situation.
Columban Fr Daniel Harding is the parish priest of San Columbano parish, Santiago, Chile.
