As Hope Education Program students are returning to university and living away from the campus they’ve called home for so many years, they are building new and lasting relationships. One young man, Ari*, recently celebrated his birthday, but due to restrictions, his mentor wasn’t able to be with him in person. Birthdays have always been… Read more
The three young children show a new, contagious confidence when they speak now. Previously, their talking was slow, labored – the children had to work hard to find the right words and put together full sentences. Staff at the partnering children’s home knew they needed assistance, and they needed it quickly. Holistic care for vulnerable… Read more
We all have external senses – vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. For a child with minimal trauma, sensory processing can be easy. They are able to act, and react appropriately and can learn through their senses. Adversely, for a child with significant trauma, their senses are negatively impacted and this creates issues with their… Read more
The girls who live in the Devotion Hope Home circled up in their living room. Their heads bowed, their hands clasped together, they prayed for a new Hope student arriving at their home. The Hope father opened his eyes to take in the scene: the girls in their care were fervent with their prayers for… Read more
“I want to put all the things in my head,” his big, brown eyes were excited and earnest as he shared with Weekendson Moise, Back2Back staff. “I want to learn absolutely everything!” Kirby*, along with the other children served in Haiti, has had two years of unpredictable school schedules. In 2019, the country succumbed to… Read more
A young man looked around the bathroom he would soon share with three other teen boys in his new home. He looked at his soon-to-be Hope Parents and asked quietly, “Is there any way we could put a shelf on the wall to house our toiletries?” Holistic care ensures children and teens from hard places… Read more
The pain Javier* had mentioned earlier to his Hope mom had intensified. He cradled his cheek in his hand and groaned loudly enough for her to notice. “It’s worse, Javier?” she asked with concern. He nodded slowly. She reached out to fellow staff member, Anna McCambridge, who helps with Back2Back’s medical program. Together, they made… Read more
Katharina turned, surprised, as the girl’s laugh rang into the air. It was a sound she hadn’t heard in a long time from one of the girls in her home. Esther* is now a teen, but when she first came in 2012, she was, as Katharina describes her, a “wild and quite happy girl.” “Esther… Read more
After a year of a global pandemic, Back2Back staff recently welcomed four young ladies back “home” to campus! Schools are slowly opening back up for in-person classes across India, which means children are returning to campus to be with each other and the staff who have become like family over the years. At the beginning… Read more
Jose Luis watched Andres* slowly withdraw into himself. The usually vibrant, social young man grew quieter over the weeks of mandated quarantine. With each new cancellation of something he loved, Andres grew more despondent. Mazatlán was feeling the effects of the virus sweeping globally, leaving adults unemployed and children and teens idle. For Andres, music… Read more