Watch Her Rise Above

  Meet Fani. This sweet-natured, affectionate little beauty has just captured my heart this past month. I met Fani at the end of April during a women's conference in Candelaria. Her grandma asked me to pray for her; she was in a great deal of pain due to a severe kidney infection. Fani just sat there sobbing as I prayed over her. We were able to get her some free medical care through a special event in the New Song Clinic. (To read more on this story, read: De-tangling a Tangled Mess).

    Since that first evening, I have been spending more and more time with sweet little Fani. I sat with her on my lap through a few church services. I played with her all afternoon during our clinic day. I sat in the yard with her and her family talking about their lives and Fani's dreams for the future. I walked through her home that contained almost nothing and reeked of urine. I have been observing the depth of the family's poverty and just allowing my heart to break for this beautiful girl. She lives in extreme poverty. Her mom is young and uneducated, without the resources or knowledge of how to care for her children. She is being taught to beg to survive. And yet I see in this little lady a strength to rise above all that tries to hold her down.

    As I sat that afternoon in her yard, I began to ask Fani about her dreams for the future. Her family begins to list off things that she could possibly be: teacher, nurse, etc. Fani looks up at me with her beautiful smile and bright eyes and says quietly, "No. I don't want to be any of those things. I want to be an accountant. I really like math!"

    Just this week, I found out from our partners at Educate Nica that Fani has been sponsored for education. My heart just rejoiced! This girl has such a resiliency in her. I believe with my whole heart that she will rise above the poverty that surrounds her and will see her dreams become a reality. Sponsorship will give her access to the resources that she needs to become who she desires to be. This program is not about handing out backpacks or uniforms it is about empowering kids who already have greatness inside of them to live out their dreams. My hope is to see these children become cycle breakers in their family and community so that by the time they have children sponsorship isn't even necessary because they have the resources needed to provide for their own children's education.

    If you would like to help another child break out of the poverty that fills their villages and dream for a better future, visit www.educatenica.org. Also, if you are interested in helping some of our most-needy children, please consider sponsoring one of the following: Allan Reyes, Carla Guzman, Pedro Gonzalez(SPONSORED), Nataly Arroyo(SPONSORED), Juli Garcia(SPONSORED), Alison Mendoza, or Anyel Velasquez.