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This Thanksgiving, in the poor communities of Panama, where Sister Nena Heramil, M.M. is on mission, the people will celebrate, and give thanks for what they have despite their hard lives. And because of YOUR generosity, they will have more to be thankful for this year.

Sister Nena’s work is challenging, but rewarding. It includes working with volunteers to distribute food, provide health care, help those who are homeless or living in inadequate housing, and teach marketable skills.

She also visits families in need of housing. Through her involvement with this, she has learned women lack marketable or employable skills in a culture that is marked by gender inequality. Sister helped create a program that teaches women to design and create trembleques-traditional hair ornaments made from beads and other trinkets. There is a good market for this and women can teach the craft to others.

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One woman, Gladys has made a special impression on Sister Nena who was a student in the trembleque crafting class:

People like Gladys, and others who benefit from the work of Sister Nena and her colleagues, become “carriers” who spread hope, faith, wisdom and knowledge to those they meet, creating a far more significant effect in the community. This is what makes a Maryknoll mission a success, and this is what you enable through your generosity!

Thank you so much for taking real action and making a real sacrifice to build better lives for people who have so much to offer and are just waiting for the chance to become helpers themselves.