Familia Tovar – A Small Contribution to a Large Effort

Familia Tovar

ADVOCATE: Slade Gurr (12/23/17)

December 23, 2018

If you have not yet watched this facebook review on Venezuela, please do so. If the link doesn’t work it can be found on my facebook page.

Several weeks ago I received a request from a friend, Omar Tovar, for assistance in relocating his family. At the time he was asking for help in raising funds to travel to Chili. I had just sent some money to another family and had to turn him away. I have been reluctant to help any families that required separation of the father, while the family stayed in Venezuela. This has been a large concern for me, as I have a hard time believing that as bad as things are, and as difficult as it is to get money or resources into Venezuela, it will most likely be even more difficult with the breadwinner gone. 

That being said, I was reluctant to help Omar for this reason as well. After having received some additional assistance from my family and friends, I reached back out to Omar and got an update on his situation. He said that he has managed to collect and save $1500 through several donations from other North American friends. $1,500 is enough for him to get to Chili. The rest of the family would require an additional $7,500. Omar is unable to save money in Venezuela but can save if he travels to Chili alone, where he will stay at the home of a former mission companion. He said he is very blessed because he has an opportunity to work, but he makes about $30 a month, and if he stays in Venezuela, he will never be able to save the money to get his family out of Venezuela. The reality of him having to leave the family in Venezuela is sobering. Omar is currently saving US Dollars by having the money deposited in his childhood friends US Bank Account. He will be able to use his friends US bank account to purchase the needed tickets to get himself to Chili where he can start to work and save to bring his family with him. I am able to use some of the money provided by this group to help him get his family to Chili sooner. A contribution to his US bank account will be made in an effort to help get his family to Chili, although it will still likely be several months before he is able to relocate them. 

I will update further as other communications come back. Again, I think you all for your willingness to help these families.

January 1st, 2018

I deposited a small sum into the US bank account of a family friend of Omar’s. He indicated that he received the money and he intends to put it towards his savings to get his family out of Venezuela. He has enough to travel to chili alone and start working. This donation to his family will allow him to get them out of Venezuela sooner but is only a small part of the total he needs. He has started on a path that will allow him to get them out of Venezuela on his own. This was a nice boost for his family, but very small compared to what he needs and is getting from his other resources. 

January 28, 2018

This was a small portion of the contribution that was made to Omar by his family and friends. I wish we could have contributed more but we were helping several other families at the time, and this was the most we could alocate. This is the post that was written recently by a mission companion of his : 

The day has finally come! Omar arrived in Chile today, thanks to your contributions! Here is an excerpt from a message he sent me Friday night. (translated poorly, but maintaining the meaning):

“It took me about a week to travel from my home to Bogotá, getting on one bus, then another, and another. I finally arrived at a hotel close to the airport where I was able to shower and clean myself up. I finally went to the airport and they were able to print my ticket for me. Now I am back at the hotel and waiting for the flight early tomorrow morning.

“My friend, I am speechless with emotion from all the little miracles that carried he here through my wanderings. I know, without a doubt, that God has been with me, guiding the plans for this trip, and through the discomfort of the bus travel (he is a big dude and the busses are overcrowded and decrepit), but these little inconveniences are worth it because I am doing it for my family. Thank you, my friend. Thank you for making this possible. I say thank you to all the people that helped me. 

Thank you all!

I thank you too, because I really couldn’t help him on my own. We have set him up with the money to cover his flight and enough to get him well on his way to either a 2nd ticket or to take care of the finances while he is gone as he establishes himself. This will likely be my final update.

I am glad that he is one step closer to improving the lives of his family members.