Venezuela absolutely does not want any help. The economy is collapsing and rule of law is under serious threat, but to the government of President Nicolás Maduro, accepting any aid is a sign of weakness.

Yet help is coming. Secretly, ingeniously, bit by bit it is getting through. Sometimes sent in mislabeled boxes or hidden in the pouches of diplomatic officials, everything from first-aid kits to baby formula is being brought into the country, according to an Associated Press report. One group has managed to send more than 200 tons of donated items during the past three years.

By necessity, they are small efforts, but they speak to something much bigger. The desire to help others in need cannot simply be shut down – even when a government might wish it could be.