Mass <\/a>in the chapel. Liturgical seasons and activities are celebrated with the Mercedarian community and many families accompany. Faith and the Mercedarian charism sustain the house. \u201cThe sisters are the ones who taught us how to do our work,\u201d says Loli. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut life at Astier is not only inside the center. The residents visit universities, institutes and companies. They give testimonials, explain who they are, break down prejudices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also have an auditorium where there are performances, music, dance, always promoting friendship and good relations: \u201cWe seek to create spaces in which the atmosphere is as cordial, pleasant and fun as possible. Here we sing, dance and do everything\u201d, describes Loli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When a new woman arrives - often because her parents have aged and can no longer care for her - the initial fear usually dissipates quickly. \u201cExperience tells us that they find relationships with equals, a world to discover,\u201d says Borja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An extension of the family<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Loli's work, although it is rather \u201cpractical\u201d, often also has to do with \u201cwiping away many tears\u201d as taught by Father Zegr\u00ed. She is passionate and dedicated to the task, and does not want her retirement time to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When she speaks, her eyes water: \u201cToday I wouldn't change this job for the world. She recalls that she sent in her resume without knowing anything about disability. Now Astier is not only her job, it is also her refuge: \u201dMany times I come here with worries... but when I walk through that door, I forget everything\u201c.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She says that the residents detect her mood with surprising finesse: \u201cIf I come in with a bad face, they immediately ask me what's wrong with me. Some recognize her footsteps in the corridor and call out her name before they see her. A kind of sixth sense that is part of these \u201dextraordinary abilities\u201c.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has learned a lesson that he repeats almost as an examination of conscience: to do good at the right time. He recalls a deceased resident to whom he was unable to grant a small favor on the last day. \u201cYou always have to do things at the time because later it may be too late.\u201d At Astier, tears are wiped away, yes, but more joy is received than given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Loli, the inmates are part of her family: \u201cI love them like my family, I really do, because of course I know them and they know me,\u201d she says, and emphasizes how they have taught her to value every moment and to be a better person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Courage and humor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Charo is 72 years old and has lived in Astier since she was 18. She arrived just as the house was moving to Alcal\u00e1. She is blind due to a stroke. She used to scrub stairs from end to end; now she knits with an astonishing precision: \u201cEveryone tells me that it looks like I'm doing it by machine\u201d. Her new condition made her develop new manual and memory skills but, above all, a positive attitude towards life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She remembers how, when she was young, they helped the younger ones: bathing them when there were no showers, dressing them, making beds if there was time: \u201cThis house we have managed with my companions who are in heaven and with the sisters. After losing her sight she developed tactile memory and an amazing ability to order colors in her head. \u201dIn my life there are many important things: my cane and my illusion,\u201c she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is the one who always says \u2018yes\u2019 to all activities: she has been a guide on tours of the city, she has been filmed for documentaries and always goes out when there are events. She is the natural ambassador of the house. At Christmas and summer she goes with her brothers and nephews; the family is always there. \u201cFor me, Astier is like being at home. I don't miss anything here. There are people who have nowhere to shelter; for me this place is welcoming.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked about his joy, he laughs and answers: \u201cThat's my character. With difficulties you have to have courage and humor. And he offers practical advice for those who lose their sight: \u201dDon't lose your memory, your sense of touch, your intelligence or your joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Extraordinary capabilities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The cultural change in Astier is also noticeable in the environments. With the latest renovation, the \u2018Villa Delta\u2019 involved them. \u201cWhat would you like your home to be like?\u201d, we asked the residents, says Borja. Each was encouraged to personalize her room and take care of it. Not as something decorative, but as an affirmation of identity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years, disability was taboo. Today these women visit companies, universities, parishes. They show themselves without complexes. The Foundation also works on external communication so that families and institutions get to know the model and adapt it. Social integration is a daily practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe most disadvantaged are God's favorites,\u201d Loli reminds us. Here that phrase translates into health care, psychological support and spiritual accompaniment, guided by strong professional leadership. It's about being family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Foundation has received recognition without seeking it. Professionals in the sector have stated, \u201cWhat I have seen here I don't usually see anywhere else.\u201d The person-centered model is beginning to be replicated. The knowledge generated serves other centers and families seeking guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In times that measure value in productivity, Astier insists on something more radical: every life, with or without disability, has infinite value. And when it is given space to unfold, extraordinary capacities flourish - to a great extent.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cCentro de mujeres con capacidades extraordinarias\u201d, se autodefine la Fundaci\u00f3n Astier en su p\u00e1gina web, y es algo que no est\u00e1 alejado de la realidad. Al llegar a esta casa, nos invade una enorme calidez, que r\u00e1pidamente diluye el fr\u00edo exterior. Saludos que se adelantan y abrazos que no piden permiso. Una cara nueva es […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1436,"featured_media":59410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,42,44],"tags":[1335,574,619],"class_list":["post-59404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-actualidad","category-experiencias","category-iniciativas","tag-discapacidad","tag-espana","tag-mujer"],"yoast_head":"\n
Fundaci\u00f3n Astier: el centro de las mujeres que siempre sonr\u00eden<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n