The meeting, via Internet, was held on Friday, January 6, 2017, coinciding with the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Vincentian Family. It was the first opportunity we, the national presidents of Famvin Central America had to meet with one of the international leaders of the Vincentian Family; and the common denominator was the openness, availability and high sense of belonging.

The following is the email received from Alicia Duhne, thanking for the shared opportunity and the memory received, with some modifications for reasons of context and publication.

Thank you very much for sending this review … It is admirable that Carlos has taken so many notes and done so well the narrative of the meeting.

For my part, I just want to thank you and the group, for inviting me and Maru to this meeting.

Also to congratulate you for this initiative to meet through this channel. It is wonderful how you have bonded together despite the distance and difficulties that sometimes arise to achieve good communication. My congratulations!

I am sure that in this way you will have very good fruits … “The union is the force,” is the saying. So I dream of having a very united Vincentian Family, where generational differences are seen more as a strength than a difficulty, and where love between us and, above all, to God reigns in each one of us.

Receive a fraternal embrace of your sister in Christ and St. Vincent,

Alicia

Response of the FamVin National Presidents Team:

Dear Alice and other members of the Vincentian Family in Central America:

I hope that you will find courage in this beginning of 2017, a special year to remember how the initiatives that led to unleashing so many signs of love and mercy during 400 years began, since Saint Vincent de Paul wanted to respond in a effectively and affectively to concrete problems in their place and time.

St. Vincent saw an opportunity in problems and crises. Today, the world suffers from great crises and problems, but at the same time we are many people in the world that know Vincent’s inspiration inviting us to follow Jesus in that spirit of service. However, good intentions are not enough and I am sure that every member of the Vincentian Family wants to serve and share, but doing so without a plan, without goals, without a guide, can be exhausting and even frustrating.

That is the reason of the invitation to continue uniting ties, uniting wills, uniting hearts, arms, minds, feet and hands, together to fight for an organized service to continue improving our service, as people and children of God that we are.

Being communicated will help us share the good practices we have developed in each group, headquarters, city or region. Seeing ourselves in brotherhood and not in competition, will motivate us to give a good testimony of Christian fraternity and, thus, hopes will become abundant fruits.

Thank you very much Alicia for your words; we hope that we can continue to unite collaborative relationships among the various branches in the various countries.

Blessings to all, and that the Mighty Virgin continue to illuminate our walk, our struggles and hopes.

Answer from the International President A.I.C.

Thank you very much for these announcements …

I should especially like to congratulate you on your leadership style … You foster changes and growth. You allow groups to grow and act for themselves, staying behind, letting them act for themselves. I see that, as a result, this has led to a good management in Central America, covering so many initiatives which would otherwise be impossible.

I am very grateful for your example and I ask God that we can always be docile to the spirit of Christ and Saint Vincent.

Receive a fraternal embrace with all my affection and gratitude,

Alicia