Neha, a Hindi word meaning love, is a quiet girl with soft, brown eyes, who watches intently as people talk and laugh around her. Receiving a smile from her is a gift – it happens slowly and is always intentional; her smile is something to be savored. At fourteen, Neha lives with nine “sisters” around… Read more
Shailaja is a girl coming into her own. Shailaja is a young girl from a hard place, and when she arrived at the Hope Campus, she was quiet and kept to herself. Over time, she is beginning to use her voice in positive and friendly ways. She is a jokester who can, more often than… Read more
Madhu’s eyes glitter when he grins. He laughs musically, the corners of his eyes crinkling, as he speaks eagerly to whomever is around. He pulls people in naturally, without even realizing his capabilities. So it is no surprise he would return to his home village over the long break from school and begin to share… Read more
On a recent prayer walk with a mission team, a Back2Back case-worker asked a mother living in the Bonfil community how they could pray for her and her family specifically. In unexpected honesty, she shared concern of one of her sons becoming involved in drug use. Bonfil, an urban community in Cancun, is one gripped… Read more
The white-walled classroom holds desks with blue seats and small pieces of wood for note taking. To students who attend everyday, it is simply another room allowing them to further their education. To the children of Del Norte, the bright room with the projection screen whispered of future endeavors, of dreams realized, of a new… Read more
Ravi’s small arms wrap tightly around the two-liter, plastic bottle as he carefully walks across campus toward the flowers. He steps carefully, delicately almost, so as not to let a drop of water drip on the dusty ground. He walks toward Adam’s house first, and then he waters the circular planters with colorful flowers in… Read more
If you would have asked Nazmin a year ago if she was looking forward to graduating, she might have told you it wasn’t happening. You see, just one year ago, Nazmin was struggling to make ends meet in school. She simply didn’t feel the drive to press into her studies and finish well, but she… Read more
Sofia whips down the slide in the Cancun sun and lets her laughter ring through the air as she runs to the open window looking into the kitchen. Glasses of cool, clear, clean water sit on the ledge of the window, beckoning to be consumed; Sofia obliges. As she tips the glass nearly vertical to… Read more
A cloud of colorful dust was rising from the crowd that was forming a conga line just outside the palapa hut.
There was complete silence as the children swirled paint brushes over paper, pouring out their feelings in vibrant yellows, purples and blues. It was a typical day at the Back2Back Community Center of Tres Reyes – where given the choice between play and paint – the children choose art every time. For children who struggle to express their feelings, art can be a beautiful tool to help them grow and heal.