Gerarda Sánchez is a 71-year-old woman from the community of Anrabí who lives with her husband, her brother-in-law—who has a hearing and speech disability—and her 16-year-old adopted daughter. Throughout her life, she has been dedicated to caring for her home, serving her family in different ways as a homemaker.
Gerarda first connected with Fundación Pan de Vida through her daughter-in-law, Edilma Pérez, who once shared vegetables grown in her own garden. After seeing them, Gerarda became very interested in learning how she could grow her own food. Motivated by this desire, she received her first garden last year, beginning a new chapter in her life.
Since then, Gerarda has shown herself to be a very active and committed participant. Despite her age, she consistently attends training sessions, learns new techniques, and cares for her garden with dedication. Because of her effort, her garden has grown and strengthened, progressing from a multiplication garden to a basic Life Garden.
The garden has been a great help to her family, especially during times when her husband does not have stable work. In those moments, the vegetables she grows become a source of sustenance, allowing them to feed their household in a dignified way. In addition, Gerarda shares part of her harvest with her daughters and other family members, extending this blessing to those around her.
She shares that she has always enjoyed planting, but in the past she faced difficulties because animals would damage her crops. Today, thanks to having her garden protected with mesh, she is able to plant with peace of mind. “It is a blessing,” she says, as she now sees her efforts protected and her crops growing well.
So far, Gerarda has completed two full harvests and has also received a seed bank. Through this, she is now learning how to produce her own lettuce seeds, taking another step toward making her garden more sustainable.
Today, her story reflects how, regardless of age, it is always possible to learn, grow, and find new ways to provide for one’s family. Through her dedication and perseverance, Gerarda shows that God continues to work in every stage of life, turning small beginnings into meaningful blessings.
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 1:6
