Vida Humana International (VHI), HLI's Hispanic Division, serves Spanish speaking people in the U.S., Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain. Through its affiliates and collaborators VHI coordinates and participates in national, regional and international conferences and pro life training for leaders, distributes educational materials, offers research information and advice on pro life strategies, as well as radio and tv programs. VHI has affiliates in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Puerto Rico. VHI has built a network for the purpose of closer collaboration and assistance, throughout all the Hispanic countries.

Battling Export of Funds for the Culture of Death in L.A.

Millions of US dollars travel to Latin America to extend the culture of death. Organizations like UNFPA (United Nations Fund for Population Activities), IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) and other NGO's like MEXFAM (IPPF's Mexico affiliate), PROFAMILIA (IPPF's Colombia affiliate), and many others, promote contraceptives, abortion, sterilization campaigns, etc. through immoral medical services euphemistically called "reproductive health programs".

CFFC (Catholics for a Free Choice in the U.S.) donates U.S. tax dollars to the anti-life/family movement in Hispanic countries, through local organizations affiliated and funded by them. CFFC has printed a training manual in Spanish on "How to talk about induced abortion", for distribution to leaders in the Hispanic countries. In the manual the truth about the dignity of human life and family values are distorted and falsified with mottos like: "Girls and boys shouldn't be the punished for having sexual relations." (Page 14, "Cómo hablar del aborto inducido.")

VHI has made informing affiliates, collaborators and the general public on how these organizations manipulate and finance the culture of death in Latin America, a priority. VHI's website, its weekly news services, its newsletter and other printed materials, etc. warn about strategies that anti-life organizations follow, so that pro-life/family leaders can counteract them.

Some of the main activities carried out by our affiliates:

Argentina

HLI has an affiliated organization in Argentina, Asociación Pro Familia in Buenos Aires. After attending the training offered by the Aid to Women Network in Mexico (a program by VHI in conjunction with the Crisis Pregnancy Centers - CPC's- in Mexico), Asociación Pro Familia was able to re-organize its CPC counseling service and open an office.

Our Pro Familia affiliate was instrumental in fighting anti-life legislation, such as the Sexual Health and Responsible Parenthood Project. And, it united efforts with the very well-known Liga de Amas de Casa (The worldwide Housewife's League), to present a lawsuit against the Reproductive Health Law approved by the government, which it affirms is unconstitutional, because abortion is illegal in Argentina.

Belize

Margaret Robinson, our representative in Belize, wrote us: "Thanks to the training at the workshop you invited me to last march on Crisis Pregnancy Centers, and to God's grace, we are happy to announce the opening of ‘Helping Hands Pregnancy Counseling Center' here in Belize. Our Pastor, Fr. Anthony Blount blessed the center on December 28th, the feast of the Holy Innnocents and we officially opened the center on January 2, 2001. Many generous Belizeans, our American volunteer teachers at Mt. Carmel High School and the students in our Pro-Life Club have made this first step to serve mothers in danger of abortion possible".

Brazil

Our affiliate in Brazil, PROVIDAFAMILIA, issued the second printing of the Portuguese translation of "Facts of Life". The book is being widely distributed and read in that country.

Colombia

Fundación Cultura de la Vida Humana, HLI's affiliate in Colombia, is spreading its wings and has already established eight chapters throughout the country. It held the First National Training Sessions for the Creation of CPC's and is working closely with the Archdiocese of Bogotá to offer pre and post-abortion counseling for mothers, with the implementation of new programs similar to the US NCCB's Respect Life and Project Rachel programs. Fundación is giving spiritual formation to ex-prostitutes in rehabilitation at the HLI sponsored Magdalene Center in Bogota, and has recently printed the translation one of its volunteers did of Dr. J.C.Willke's book "Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide", which is now being sold in the U.S. and Latin America. Fundación also participated in a public forum before the Colombian Senate (which was broadcast throughout the country), to denounce the terrible sex-education program that was implemented by the Ministry of Education in all the schools in Colombia, including Catholic schools. It also organized a Pro-life Leader's Conference for influential leaders from Colombia's social, economic and political arenas.

The work of HLI's affiliate in Colombia is now more important than ever. International Planned Parenthood Federation appointed a Colombian woman as president of its Western Hemisphere Region. PROFAMILIA of Colombia, is the second largest IPPF affiliate in the world.

Costa Rica

ADEVI, HLI's affiliate in Costa Rica, headed a successful effort to ban in-vitro fertilization in Costa Rica. Vida Humana Internacional made the arrangements for a U.S. doctor, Dr. Martha Garza ( who used to do in-vitro fertilization and is now pro-life), to go before Costa Rica's constitutional court to testify against in-vitro and as to the humanity of the unborn. Costa Rica is the first country in the world where the Constitutional Court has declared in-vitro fertilization unconstitutional. The judges evaluated scientific studies and they now agree that unborn human beings should have the right to life from conception. As a result of this decision, abortion, the death penalty, euthanasia and all other attacks on human life are prohibited.

Cuba

After five years of hard pastoral work and innumerable sacrifices, Pro-Vida Cuba (PVC), a lay ministry of the Catholic Church, fulfilled its dream of organizing its First National Encounter At the Feet of Our Lady in Cuba. The Encounter took place 25-28 November 1999 with VHI's help, at the retreat house of El Cobre, a few yards from the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity, Patroness of Cuba. The Encounter was endorsed and co-sponsored by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba. About 70 pro-life/family leaders gathered from the 14 dioceses of Cuba where PVC is present, as did leaders of different pastoral movements of the Catholic Church on the island. The Encounter was also honored by the presence of His Excellency Héctor Peña, bishop of Holguín and president of the Bishops Family Commission.

Several pro-life leaders from VHI in the U.S. and from other countries, responded to PVC's invitation and traveled to Cuba to take part in the Encounter. They shared their experiences, gave talks and offered their moral support to this historical event of the Catholic Church and the pro-life movement in Cuba.

Mexico

The Red de Ayuda a la Mujer (Aid to Women Network) was established through collaboration between Vida Humana Internacional and the CAMs (Centros de Ayuda a la Mujer), a nework of crisis pregnancy centers in Mexico. The Network is now VHI's affiliate in that country. VHI and the Network organized training sessions in Mexico, Paraguay and Colombia. As a result, new centers have opened in Colombia, Belize and Paraguay, and efforts are underway to open centers in other Latin American countries.

Nicaragua

Over 100,000 people participated in the March for Life, to demand that the law allowing therapeutic abortion be overturned. The president of Nicaragua and his wife were among the marching supporters. The president declared : "Let all the nation know that the president, the First Lady and all [the president's] officials, want to rescue those respect-for-life principles which were taught to us by our parents and grandparents". He added that his stand is "Yes to life and no to death", referring to induced abortion. The event was organized by the Archdiocese of Managua and HLI's Nicaragua affiliate, ANPROVIDA.

Panama

At the request of the archbishop of Panama City, Most Reverend Jose Dimas Cedeño, Vida Humana Internacional (VHI) and Fundación Ofrece un Hogar, HLI's affiliate in Panama, organized the Second International Conference in Defense of Life and Family in Panama, October 15-17, 1999. The Panamanian bishops gave their support to the event and the Panamanian Episcopal Conference extended a special invitation to attend. The Apostolic Nuncio of Panama, Msgr. Bruno Musaro, officially inaugurated the conference with a solemn mass, concelebrated by the Archbishop of Panama, Msgr. Jose Dimas Cedeño and the Bishop of Darien, Msgr. Romulo Emiliani.

VHI's executive director, Magaly Llaguno, traveled to Panama to provide assistance. She gave talks at the conference and training sessions. EWTN made arrangements to have a number of the talks audio and videotaped to be broadcast on WEWN's Worldwide Catholic Radio Station and EWTN's Spanish TV signal for Latin America.

Paraguay

Vida Humana Internacional (VHI) and its Paraguay affiliate, SEAVI (Servicio Amor y Vida) in collaboration with FEDAVIFA (a recently created alliance of pro-life/family groups in Paraguay), hosted an international conference that educated and motivated hundreds of attendees on pro-life/family issues, and many more via radio and television interviews. The conference, which was called "Vida Humana Internacional—Por la Vida y la Familia," took place at the National University in Asuncion and had the full support of the Paraguayan bishops through the Archdiocesan Family Life Pastoral.

Following the conference, the Aid to Women Network organized the Second International Training for Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs).

The conference was greatly covered by the media and for the first time in Paraguay, two of VHI's videos on abortion were aired on secular television. This event had an enormous impact at the national level and took place at a very opportune time. A "reproductive health" (euphemism for the promotion of contraception, sterilization and abortion) program is being promoted throughout the country.

Puerto Rico

Centro San José, HLI's affiliate in Puerto Rico, has geared its efforts to counteract the sex-ed programs implemented in the schools. They travel throughout the country giving presentations at schools and have a TV program that airs on the Catholic TV Station. Luis Cardinal Aponte Martinez gave the group the opportunity to have that tv program.

Spain

Asociacion Evangelium Vitae, HLI's Spain affiliate, received the official approval of the Archdiocese of Madrid from H.E. Antonio Maria Cardinal Rouco Varela, March 13. The Asociacion is a channel for the evangelization of society in Spain, in union with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. It sponsors pro-life vigils and educates on life/family issues.

Other Conferences and Training VHI Participated in and/or Organized

VHI participated in the II International Conference on Love, Life and the Family in Guadalajara, Mexico. VHI and Pro Vida Guadalajara organized it, at the request of Cardinal Sandoval Iñiguez. VHI designed the program, gave talks during the conference and at two local Catholic universities. VHI also donated over a hundred pounds of educational materials (including videos), provided training sessions to committed leaders and participated in press conferences, as well as a radio program and interviews by secular and Catholic media.

VHI's Internet Website

VHI receives an average of 290,000 visits per month in its Spanish language website. In the month of March hits went up to an all time high : 857,000 in just one month- over 27,000 hits a day! VHI gets countless e-mails in response to the excellent materials it has in its website. It responded to hundreds of requests for information, counsel, comments and suggestions.

Media

VHI launched its Spanish language free Weekly Electronic News, which is being sent to approximately 1,600 e-mail subscribers, including the Catholic news agencies, Latin American bishops, Dioceses in Latin America and Spain, priests, religious, pro- life/family leaders and Hispanic media outlets.

VHI's weekly radio program "Defiende la vida" ("Defend Life") is still being transmitted to Latin America, Hispanics in the U.S. and to other countries through WEWN World Catholic Radio (Mother Angelica's short wave radio station), which has a potential audience of over 80 million people. The programs are recorded in a little one room studio a VHI's offices and feature interviews with pro life leaders, priests, affiliates, physicians, scientists, theologians, and many more. Talks from VHI's conferences by famous pro life speakers are also being transmitted weekly via WEWN. VHI's 13 part series on abortion is still being broadcast. Requests are being received from different countries, which are chaneled to EWTN. Through its media outlets and its website, VHI is educating countless thousands who cannot attend its conferences, on pro-life/family issues.

During year 2000, VHI's participation in TV and radio debates increased considerably. That year issues like the RU-486 being approved by FDA, euthanasia and homosexual marriage being approved in Holland, and the presidential campaign in the U.S. deciding a political philosophy on human life issues (that would influence millions of people in the U.S. and Latin America), brought a number of invitations for interviews and debates on radio and TV program, including International Spanish TV Telemundo: "America En Vivo", Radio Caracol (Miami), Radio WQBA (Miami), Radio Unica 1210AM (Miami). VHI was also interviewed by TV Channel 6 News Report, Spanish language BBC of London, Radio Unión (Venezuela), Radio Paz (Miami), and others.

New Chapel

Miami Auxiliary Bishop Gilberto Fernandez inaugurated VHI's Miami office in December, 1999. Recently the chapel was inaugurated with a mass. The altar, tabernacle, liturgical books, perpetual light, cross, via crucis, chairs, liturgical altar cloths, and other necessaries were donated. Other Masses are now being celebrated when Latin American priests (from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Argentina, etc. or other priests), visit VHI's office. Permission is being requested to have Our Lord in the Eucharist permanently at the chapel, and arrangements are being made for Mass to be celebrated every week by a Chaplain assigned. VHI will then start adoration during 30 minutes everyday.

Educational Materials and Campaigns

VHI distributed hundreds of pounds of educational materials to affiliates, crisis pregnancy centers, Hispanic pro -life groups, local churches, schools, etc. and it hosted a number of exhibits at various events like parish conferences, and at the Catholic Marketing Network. VHI printed a new brochure on domestic violence, prepared a manual on how to help the victims and did a radio series which was broadcast by WEWN and is being offered as part of a packet on that subject. Another brochure on domestic violence (addressed to the abuser) is being prepared.

VHI did the translation of a new brochure on euthanasia and another one on deaths from illegal abortion, which were recently printed by Hayes Publishing Co. VHI received free in return, 10,000 copies.

Helping homosexuals lead chaste lives

VHI is promoting the founding of Courage chapters in Latin America. The need to start a pastoral to homosexuals within the pro-life/family groups and especially within the Catholic Church in Latin America, is pressing and urgent. Homosexual activists have already established a world-wide network which even has a website offering information about " advances" made by that movement in the Hispanic countries and in other countries. E-mails have been received at VHI's offices from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, as well as other countries, by individuals wanting to organize Courage chapters. VHI has started making the arrangements for the first conference on homosexuality in Latin America, and coordinating the efforts with its Costa Rica affiliate ADEVI, which already has a program to help homosexuals lead chaste lives. The conference will take place with the collaboration of Courage leaders in the U.S.

On Line Counseling

VHI and PROVIDA Hermosillo (Mexico) are collaborating in the creation of special services which will be offered via the Internet, to women in a crisis pregnancy. VHI's website now includes a special section where women considering abortion can find an on line counselor in their own country and a wealth of information on the development of the baby, abortion and its consequences, where to get help, etc. The counselors are experienced Hispanic volunteers, from various countries, including the U.S.

VHI is working on re-designing its website and launching a new entry page, as well as this section in English.

Please consider sending us a generous donation, so this most important and urgent work will continue!