By Chelsie Puterbaugh, Back2Back US Staff
We were on our way to Salvation Army Children’s Home with Ruby, one of the children we serve in Mazatlan, Mexico. It was the day of her quincenera and Ruby was nervous. We felt compelled to stop to pray before we pulled into the compound. Ruby wanted prayer for her family – she really wished they could be with her on her special day. As we prayed, she began to cry – she was nervous and excited, but most of all she missed her siblings. It had been two years since she last saw them and more than anything she wished they could be with her on this occasion.
We pulled into the children’s home and helped Ruby out for all to see. A staff member was holding her hand and Ruby began to sob in his arms saying, “No puedo, no puedo” (“I can’t, I can’t). Little did I know, when she got out of the car her siblings were standing there, waiting to embrace Ruby. She rushed down the aisle to embrace them.
They hugged each other and sobbed. It was a huge surprise and Ruby was overjoyed. We found out later that staff had coordinated to have them bring her three siblings from the government-run children’s home where they live to Mazatlan for the festivities. We were thankful that Ruby was surrounded by people she loved on such an important day.
Ruby with her siblings at her quincenera