'12 Days' raises money, donations for families featured

McALLEN - Juanita Elizondo’s arms bristled with goose bumps as a United Way volunteer brought yet another bag of donated gifts into her home.

"Those are the miracles of the Lord," Elizondo, 61, said. "I can feel that so many are praying for my family. I used to think it was only me, but this is a community coming to help and pray.

"I love it," she said. "I love it."

Like Elizondo, 11 other families saw their lives change at the close of 2010.

For the past 10 years, The Monitor has partnered with the United Way of South Texas to help 12 underprivileged and impoverished families share their stories with Rio Grande Valley readers during the Christmas season.

Elizondo and her family have struggled to deal with her daughter Ruth Sarmiento’s battle with cervical cancer — a diagnosis that prevents Sarmiento, 28, from enjoying much of a regular life, including eating solid foods.

"The story brought church members from Brownsville … to come pray in our home," Elizondo said. "(Sarmiento)’s eating now. She wants cups of noodles, juice, everything. Praise God!

"This is the presence of the Holy Spirit working through men," she added.

She and the other "12 Days" participants expressed the same awe in their fellow man: expecting nothing, each family received nearly $2,000 and more gifts than volunteers could easily handle.

Thelma Garza, president of the United Way of South Texas, witnessed the overwhelming support Valley residents offered these coping families.

"It’s a very good feeling," Garza said. "The angst of these people really came through, and we all responded.

"I’ve been doing this for years," she added. "Anonymous individuals did whatever they could to assist these families who never before got a second glance."

Despite a troubled economy, monetary gifts exceeded last year’s donations by thousands. Garza expected even more money to flow in soon and said the amount this year surprised her.

"Most people brought laptops, bikes, clothes," she said. "(But) even five dollars here and there did an amazing amount of charity for our families."

Two days before Christmas, "12 Days" participants went to the United Way office to pick up checks and the donations volunteers could not take to them.

The Morhaim family — who have tried to make life as comfortable as possible for themselves and a son with muscular dystrophy — balked at the large check United Way compiled from hundreds of donations.

"I wasn’t expecting this much at all," Dalys Morhaim said. "We’ll be able to pay a lot of bills…but most of this is going under the tree."

Her six children, mostly young girls, could not contain their excitement and ran around the Christmas tree at the United Way office. Morhaim tried to calm them, but a new start and a better holiday inspired an immobile smile on her face, too.

"Are we all real happy?" she asked her kids.

"Yes! Santa came. He came!" they shouted in reply.

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