Everywhere in the world,
we can observe
and be touched
by acts of kindness.
People from all walks of
life, faiths, and cultures
extend themselves
beyond the call of duty
to help others
unconditionally.
Through their noble deeds,
humanity as a whole
is elevated.
To commend
virtuous actions and
encourage more people
to be inspired
by their examples,
Supreme Master
Ching Hai
has lovingly created
a series of awards,
including the Shining
World Leadership
Award, Shining World
Compassion Award,
Shining World Hero and
Heroine Awards, Shining
World Honesty Award,
Shining World Protection
Award, Shining World
Intelligence Award,
and Shining World
Inventor Award,
to recognize some
of the most exemplary,
generous, caring,
and courageous people
who walk amongst us.
Mrs. Gaudalupe
Arizpe De La Vega,
who lives
in El Paso, Texas, USA,
travels across the border
to Juarez, Mexico
multiple times a week
to visit the unique hospital
she created
more than 30 years ago.
Beautiful to see a family!
Hospital de la Familia
provides
quality medical care
for all people regardless
of their ability to pay.
It has never
turned anyone away
and has been a place of
hope and refuge in a city
affected by poverty,
the illegal drug trade,
crime and violence.
Miraculously and thankfully,
the hospital and its staff
have remained unharmed
throughout the years.
One day.
One day old. Wow.
So what can you tell us,
your experience about
Hospital de la Familia?
It’s fine here. My wife
is feeling good here.
I knew about a lady
that came from the south
with nine children,
pregnant with
the tenth child.
The husband
went to El Paso
and he never came back.
She was sick and depressed.
Her nine children
were crying
because they were hungry.
She didn’t want
to bring another child to
suffer like the other nine.
When the woman tried
to abort her child violently
in her home, she was
hospitalized then jailed.
Mrs. De La Vega
visited her in jail
to help her
and understand her act
of desperation, realizing
with deep sympathy
the need to provide
information and social
support for such women.
I think it was a very strong,
deep-rooted desire
of equality and justice,
to give other people
the opportunities
that they could have
if they could have been
more lucky in life and
get another opportunity
of education, for instance.
With others of like mind,
Mrs. De La Vega
founded the Hospital
de la Familia.
The hospital is funded
by FEMAP-SADEC
(Mexican Federation
of Private Associations),
and SADEC (Health and
Community Development
of Ciudad Juarez),
non-profit institutions
that Mrs. De La Vega
co-founded.
I think
that health is the main
of the human rights.
If you don’t have health
you don’t have life and
you don’t have nothing.
So you have to have health
in order to be empowered.
Since 1995,
I have been the director
of the hospitals.
Implementing
the institution’s activities
has been a pleasure for me,
and I have tried
to bring that enthusiasm
to the people
who work at this hospital,
a little over 100 doctors,
more than 130 nurses
who work
in the three medical units
that we have here
in Ciudad Juarez.
We have four babies
that have been with us
like two or three months.
But when they were born,
they were like 800 grams,
and one of them
was 1 kilogram.
They had severe
breathing problems,
we took a long way
to start feeding them.
Seeing these babies
since they were born,
and looking at them
how they have been
improving, and now
we started feeding them,
it’s great.
We are working in Juarez
to achieve
through research,
through education,
through programs
of health, and also
economic development,
through micro-enterprises,
providing loans
to the people so they can
improve their lives this way.
Being among these women
and their desire
to succeed,
it's just amazing.
Their resilience,
their creativity,
their determination.
I see them
solving their solutions
and all they needed
was a little bit of help.
We have
a number of programs
that are implemented
in the community,
programs, for example,
that enhance
the development
of the children.
In order to
facilitate the support
of the community
and economic projects,
the FEMAP Foundation
was established
in El Paso, Texas, USA
by Mrs. De La Vega
and Ms. Adair Margo.
A lot of times we think
only the wealthy
give to the poor,
but here, everybody gives
what they can,
through volunteerism,
through looking after
their neighbor’s health.
And in a city
that is racked by
so much violence now,
people don’t see light here.
That’s why it’s wonderful
you all here
and the title of your
[Association’s] award,
“Shining World.”
This is a shining beacon
of light in the middle
of Ciudad Juarez.
I am a health promoter
in the community.
And we go to help people.
Why do you do all this?
For love of the community.
The fact of the matter is,
if you met
these nursing students,
they’re all not from Mexico.
They are El Pasoans ones
who come here.
There are people
who seek healthcare here
who aren’t insured
and can’t have it
in the United States.
So we help each other
across the border.
Love drives
the organization, really.
Every day that
I come to the hospital,
I see that things
are being done.
You see the changes
in people.
A lady that comes crying
to the hospital because
she has a very sick child,
and then she goes out
smiling and saying,
“Thank you,
we are all right.”
That gives meaning
to my life.
I believe that human beings
are the maximum
expression of excellence
in the universe.
And if we can
through our efforts
help one person,
to change the life
of one person,
that gives meaning
to our lives.
We will see life
in a different side.
Supreme Master Ching Hai
honored
Mrs. De La Vega
with the Shining World
Compassion Award,
along with US$30,000
to further her noble work.
“Dear Mrs. De La Vega,
It is with great pleasure
and gratitude
that we present to you
the “Shining World
Compassion Award.”
This Award is presented
in recognition
of outstanding
humanitarianism as shown
by your extraordinary,
gracious and noble efforts
to selflessly serve
the community
of Ciudad Juarez
as founder
and administrator of
the Hospital de la Familia.
Established
over 30 years ago
as a simple clinic,
the hospital has flourished
to become a bastion of
hope, light and inspiration
within the city.
You have lovingly
devoted your life to
the well-being of others,
exercising unparalleled
care and self-sacrifice
in order to provide
for the people when
they need it the most.
The staff of
the Hospital de la Familia
represents the true heart
and soul of the city,
providing a sanctuary
of compassion
and tender ministering
to all those who seek it.
Over 900 patients each day
are welcomed
and cared for
within the hospital,
regardless of
their ability to pay for
the highly-skilled services
they receive.
Such exceptional
kindness and generosity
is rare indeed!
Your tireless and
determined spirit of service
has blessed so many.
Thank you
for uplifting our world
with your inspirational
example of love in action.
For selflessly providing
crucial medical services
for the needy
over so many years,
for your noble
and visionary life’s-work,
and for being a dedicated
and noble role model
and loving servant
of the people, we hereby
applaud and celebrate
the compassionate deeds
of Mrs. Guadalupe
Arizpe De La Vega,
Ciudad Juarez Angel
of Mercy.
With Great Honor, Love
and Blessings,
Supreme Master
Ching Hai”
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
(You are welcome.)
It’s so beautiful!
(Yeah, congratulations!)
Supreme Master Ching Hai
would also like
to contribute US$30,000
(Wow!) for your
future endeavors
to helping the needy
with your work.
Thank you very much.
(You are welcome.)
With Supreme Master
Ching Hai’s
US$30,000 contribution,
the FEMAP Foundation
is planning to expand
their high-standard
nursing school, which
also provides opportunities
for students in need.
They came to make
an examination
to all of our students
at state level
with all the schools.
And our students got
the first, the second,
the third
and the fourth places,
that made us very happy.
So they want to come here,
and because we have
a smaller school even if
it’s very good in quality,
so we have to tell them no,
because
we don’t have space.
But now,
thank you for your help
to have a school
for 1,000 nurses!
The tuition is very, very low,
and we have
many scholarships.
And you see the tremendous
transformation
of their lives.
For instance, I fell
last year in December.
They took me
to the hospital
in El Paso, Texas.
The one who received me
in the Providence Hospital
was a nurse,
and he told me,
“Mrs. De LaVega,
I am angry with you.”
And I said, “Why are you
angry with me?”
And he says, “I have my
graduation on December,
and I wanted to be
in a photograph with you
giving my certificate,
and you don’t even
go to the graduation.”
And I say, “Oh my God!”
My daughter
she was crying, she said,
“My mother, do you realize
how many lives
FEMAP has changed?”
And I said,
“Thank you, God, because
we have another life
that was changed here.”
In addition to
receiving the award,
Mrs. De La Vega
was also presented
with gifts, including
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s
lecture DVDs
and music CDs,
her #1 international
bestselling books,
“The Birds in My Life”
and “The Noble Wilds,”
among others.
Mrs. De La Vega wished
to convey her gratefulness
to Supreme Master
Ching Hai.
Thank you
[Supreme Master Ching Hai]
for giving us your help
and your hand
in a moment of crisis that
our city and our people
really need it.
Thank you for
making our world better.
I want to share with you
all the fantastic
experiences of change
that we have had
with all these people,
from darkness to light.
Thank you very much for
making our dream possible.
Usually, people work
only in their dream,
but you
[Supreme Master Ching Hai]
are reaching others
who have dreams,
and that makes you
incredibly generous.
Thank you
for your generosity!
FEMAP co-founders
Mrs. De La Vega
and Ms. Adair Margo
also sent the following
letter of appreciation.
“Dear
Supreme Master Ching Hai:
Thank you for your
generous donation
of US$30,000
that we pledge will be put
to very good use.
For 37 years, FEMAP
has been involved
in the most marginalized
communities
of Ciudad Juarez,
and your gift will help us
continue providing
high-quality healthcare
to the poorest of the poor.
Someday we hope you
will visit one of our two
full-service hospitals –
the Hospital de la Familia
and the Hospital
Santa Maria.
They are places
of light and love in
the midst of the darkness…
Again, mil gracias
(many thanks)
for your support!
With heartfelt gratitude,
Guadalupe De La Vega
and Adair Margo”
Thank you
Mrs. De La Vega,
Ms. Margo
and all at FEMAP and
the Hospital de la Familia
for your vision and
dedication in helping
the most vulnerable people
lead better lives.
May Heaven bless you,
all the staff, groups and
individuals involved in
your expanding mission
of compassion and love.
For more information
about FEMAP and
the Hospital de la Familia,
please visit
www.femap.org
Thank you for your
gracious company
on today’s program.
Coming up next is
Words of Wisdom,
after Noteworthy News.
May your life be blessed
with health and kindness.