La Posada Providencia client, Ruben, who is from Cuba, displays his art.

Hundreds of clients come through La Posada’s doors each year. Many of them possess distinct gifts of talents and skills. In the past 25 years, we have assisted dancers, singers, former Olympian trainers, carpenters and electricians, engineers, drivers, professional artists, acrobats, chefs, and many more. Recently, we welcomed another artist. His name is Ruben. He grew up in Cuba and considers himself an artist since he was a young boy.

Ruben arrived at La Posada after being discharged from the hospital where he had emergency surgery due to an ulcer. He was brought to our shelter so he could have a safe place to recover and proceed with his legal case. Being aware that he would be staying at our shelter for some weeks, Ruben decided that he would use his talents to give back to La Posada.

For the past two weeks, Ruben has painted beautiful images of outdoor sceneries on clay pots. The client-crafted art will be sold during our annual Hands & Hearts brunch and auction fundraiser held on from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the TSTC Cultural Arts Center in Harlingen, TX. In addition to his clay pots, Ruben is working on a portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This portrait will also be sold at our event.

Ruben expressed his feelings of gratitude for all the help La Posada has provided him.

“I don’t know what I would have done if it weren’t for La Posada,” he said. “Everyone here has been very kind to me and the other clients. We live here as a family.”

Ruben has now fully recovered and is ready to continue his journey. He plans to travel to El Paso to be reunited with his family. God bless you, Ruben and thank you for sharing your gift with us.