In this space we want to share with you experiences of life and ecological conversion, accompanied by individuals who are making a significant difference in their community and who, through faith and hope, renew their love for the care of creation in their daily actions.

We want you to meet Sofia Velasco, she is an Ecuadorian girl who loves nature, sociologist and lawyer. She recently obtained her master’s degree in management and development policy from Georgetown University. On the professional side, she works for a company that creates sustainable solutions for the agricultural sector in her country and is an active volunteer for the Global Catholic Climate Movement.

Sofia describes her experience volunteering for GCCM as “kind of cool: chaotic but incredibly rewarding,” she has had the opportunity to meet and work alongside organizations and activists. “This has become a very fulfilling experience that I probably couldn’t get in any other organization,” Sofia said in an interview. 

Joining the Laudato Si’ Animators, in addition to helping her inspire her community and care for creation, allowed her to meet and assist in a local project led by Sister Marianita Lluguisupa of the Order of Providence, which was struggling to operate and help the community.

Getting involved in this case showed her how to listen and be patient, eventually the conflicts were sorted out with God’s help. 

For Sofia there is a before and after GCCM as she has learned that there are many ways to work for the environment, or to implement Laudato Si’ and about the actions of great value that people take.

When trying to share her experience with others, Sofia thinks that at GCCM you can learn about the great impact Catholics have concerning the care of our common home and how to leave an impression even if you are not Catholic. 

As a volunteer, she has done the things she would like to do in her dream job, “I wish I had known about GCCM earlier because the experience I am getting now could have helped me earlier in my career.”

Sofia believes the most important values for volunteering are caring, respect and service, values she identifies with, as well as with Dorothy Day, along with whom she would have liked to volunteer, to further her pursuit of social justice. She believes her quest for social justice enlightened by Catholicism is totally cohesive and sparks a desire to do more and to make the world a better and more just place.