Citlally, a student in Monterrey’s Hope Program for the last year, has been praying for her little sister, Paola, now 15. She’s at a point she needs to make a decision about her next steps.
Together, they grew up in Del Norte Children’s Home along with their seven other siblings. Recently, their mom decided to remove her other children from the home and Paola began to feel the torn between the choices she was being offered. Move home, quit school and care for her younger siblings, or move into a Hope house and invest in her own future.
“Paola wanted to continue to study,” explains Rocio and Asael, her Hope Parents. “She knew returning to her childhood home would limit her opportunities. At this point, the professional team really stepped in and were eventually able to help Paola’s mother see this was the best option for her daughter.”
As of August 23rd, Paola has been in the Hope Program for four days. Her elder sister, Citlally, is right there with her, helping to make the transition easier.
As Paola becomes accustomed to a new way of living and her new family, Rocio and Asael are patiently pursuing her heart, desiring to connect with her and offer her a sense of security and safety she’s not always felt.
“Paola can be quiet and reserved. But we occasionally get glimmers of who she is, as a growing young woman, and who she will come to be, with love and support,” says Asael, Paola’s Hope mom. We are excited to have the privilege of loving her, helping her grow, and allowing her to see who she is in a God who is writing the bigger story.”
Paola may be new to her living arrangements and family, but she understands the path before her – she sees her life moving towards something different.
Paola states confidently, “Because I am here, because of this opportunity, I am going to finish my schooling, go as far as I can go. I will graduate from middle school, then high school and maybe even college.”
The adults surrounding Paola now hope for her even more than she can imagine for herself. They hope she finishes school, but also that she experiences emotional healing, and learns to take responsibility and have healthy relationships. They hope she grows spiritually and gains communication skills. The list is long and the need for prayer critical.
As she lowers her face towards folded hands in prayer before dinner, Paola relishes the safety she is surrounded with. Content with where she sits and with what lies before her, Paola looks expectantly towards the hope-filled promise that is her future.