I AM NOT LOOKING FOR DISCIPLES, BUT FOR COMMITTED HANDS
This is not a call for charity: it is a letter for committed people
At Hands With Heart, we have carried out more than 85 missions in different hostile and isolated areas. In our quest to reach places where no one else goes, to offer disabled people a minimum of care and respect, I have repeatedly seen misery up close. And I have also seen indifference in response to that misery; hands tucked into pockets while life passes by.
I have seen this reaction too many times, and the repetition causes nothing but fatigue and weariness. I have reached a point where approval, motivational phrases and pats on the back are of no use to me. Nor is it useful to collect likes and followers on social media, because although promotion is necessary, our goal is not limited to reaching more people.
Our goal is to change lives. Our goal is to look at those no one else looks at, to remember those everyone else forgets, and to support those society itself has turned its back on. Our goal is to reach forgotten communities and improve the situation of people with disabilities who, without access to healthcare resources, are often left to fend for themselves. Our goal is to bring a global problem such as disability, which affects both the rich and those who do not have enough to eat, to the forefront.
That is why I say it clearly: I am not looking for disciples, I am looking for committed hands
I am looking for people with the courage and modesty to get their hands dirty, to get down in the mud and not look away when we encounter difficult but real situations. I am not asking for heroes or saints, but for normal people who understand that compassion is not a hashtag, a gesture from a distance, but action on the ground.
Because every time someone looks the other way, there is a child waiting for an opportunity that never comes. And every time we decide not to act, every time we choose to turn away, hope recedes and pain intensifies.
Indifference does not mean leaving things as they are: every time indifference emerges, the situation of these people deteriorates. Their condition is permanent, but their circumstances worsen every time they are denied the help they so desperately need.
So if you have hands, use them. If you have resources, allocate them where they are needed. And if you cannot be there physically, at least do not look away; help can come in many forms, from spreading the word to making a donation.
Because this is about taking action, not applauding. About rolling up your sleeves, not admiring. And about contributing, not just showing up. We don’t want more spectators, but rather the commitment of those who are willing to change things.
If reading this makes you feel passionate, uncomfortable and pushes you to take action; if you are willing to help, and not just observe; if you want your actions to have a real impact… then Hands With Heart is the place for you.
Jorge Aranda
President & Founder
