Cape Verde Church Celebrates International Day of Older Persons
To celebrate the International Day of the Older Persons on 1 October 2022, the Church of the Nazarene in Ribeira Brava, São Nicolau Island, Cape Verde, in partnership with the city council, honoured the elderly of that community.
In a presentation on health in the 21st century, emotional and spiritual guidance was given to the participants. Through the involvement of the employees of Ribeira Brava’s Health Centre, volunteers from the Red Cross, young people who have recently completed training in cosmetology and a group named “fazê bô dia sab” (“make your day a good day“), the elderly were pampered, making their day full of joy and new experiences.
At this event, about 80 seniors from the Ribeira Brava community and many other churches were able to participate in this fun day. Participants said it was a unique experience that brought a bright spot to seniors’ day.
Parallel to this celebration, the Church of the Nazarene in Ribeira Brava inaugurated a nursing home for the elderly called AMAR (Antónia Margarida Andrade Ramalho‘s, named after a woman who greatly contributed to the Lord’s work in Ribeira Brava). The local Nazarene pastor, Rev. Josué Monteiro, believes that this nursing home will be an instrument to offer a better quality of life to seniors, as well as an open door to win many souls for Christ.
During the opening ceremony, the mayor praised the project and promised support from the local authority through cooperation.
The AMAR Nursing Home will welcome five elderly residents and more than 15 elderly people daily, offering food and health care. The Rev Monteiro expects real engagement from the Cape Verde Northern District and the Africa Region in this pioneering project.
Believing that the elderly should be one of the priorities of the Church, Rev Monteiro warns that we should not be tempted to forget them, but to always remember that what we have today is the legacy of each one of them.
