“On my way home,” recounts Ofelia who is from a small district of Valencia, the third largest city of Venezuela, “I saw a couple going home on foot. I slowed down and asked if they wanted a ride. Exhausted and breathless, they got into the car immediately. After getting their breath back they told me that they had awoken very early to go and buy flour and other basic foodstuffs for their kids, but the queue was so long that when their turn came, there was nothing left. Disappointed, they told themselves that the only thing they would return home with was a big headache since they had not had breakfast or lunch.” These painful and unfortunately recurring situations often go unanswered since even Ofelia had nothing to give them. Her purse was empty and she was jobless. The widespread lack of means of livelihood pushed the Focolare community in Venezuela to help one another in all ways. For example, the ladies offer one another hairstyling services and mend old clothes to give to those in need, so as to be neat and orderly despite their poverty, and testify also visibly to the evangelical love they try to live amongst them. “One day,” the head of a family recounted, “I went to buy some food, but there was nothing available and it seemed like everything had disappeared. On doing our rounds I spotted some foruro or toasted maize. We generally do not eat this, but we recalled that one of our friend’s family ate it, and I thought that it was better than nothing. In the afternoon, passing by their home, I dropped by to ask whether they had eaten lunch. The wife said “no, not even breakfast. We have no money and my husband has weakened due to hunger.” I told her that they couldn’t go to bed without eating something, and ran to take the foruro I had bought. That evening for me was really joyful since they were able to have dinner, even if only with just foruro. One day, Laura was stopped by a woman who confided her worries since she could not find the medicine for her hypertension. She herself instead managed to get the drugs through acquaintances from abroad.  In times like this, it would be prudent to keep these items for oneself, also because you never know whether you will be able to procure them again. But in the Gospel Jesus said «give and you will receive, and without thinking twice, opened her bag and gave her a whole blister pack of pills. In this country’s difficult situation, the visit of Cecilia di Lascio (21-25 May) Argentinean, and regional coordinator of the Political Movement for Unity, was really timely. In Caracas, she had an interesting meeting with 75 people who wanted to commit themselves for the common good, and among whom were various young people: in the hall of the National Assembly she presented the ideal of unity to a group of people who were interested in politics, and before leaving the country held a meeting with a group of university professors on how to educate the youth according to the paradigm of fraternity in the various disciplines of knowledge and human activities. Two important events were also held in the encounter with Dr. Lombardi, of the Cecilio Acosta University, and a meeting with the RUEF (University network of studies on Fraternity) commission. All this contributed to acquiring greater comprehension of the political process taking place in the country. “We have to focus on equity, the central objective and start off from the paradigm of fraternity,” Dr Lascio affirmed in her various speeches. “In this difficult situation I firmly believe in the importance of working together for the common good.”