Finding Hope In Everyday Moments: César’s Story
At just three years old, César was alone. Abandoned by his biological family, he was placed in an orphanage in Sonora, Mexico. For the next year, no family members visited him.
While the orphanage staff cared for César as best they could, even the most well-intentioned institution is no substitute for a family. César missed out on countless small but vital moments that shape a child’s life. He longed for the love, support, and individual attention that only a family can provide.
Thankfully, one year ago, César’s life took a hopeful turn. He was welcomed into the arms of a compassionate foster family, and everything began to change.
Immediate Progress
César’s foster family immediately tried to make him feel safe and comfortable in his new home. Overall, he adjusted well, and his foster family noticed significant improvements right away.
When he first arrived, he was underweight and below the height for his age range. He had trouble eating and wouldn’t try new or different foods. However, César’s foster family patiently worked with him, and eventually he began to enjoy a wider variety of foods. As a result, he began to put on weight and grew several inches!
As César began to bond with and trust his foster family, he made tremendous progress in his emotional development. Initially, he didn’t understand that certain behaviors were risky or dangerous. He would regularly approach strangers on the street because he didn’t previously identify a difference between the adults in his life. But as he learned he was secure and accepted in his foster family, he stopped approaching strangers. He began to identify his foster parents as his “safe” people.
Everyday Moments
As César spent more time with his foster family, it became clear that the everyday moments were significant in his life.
César became extremely close with Daniel, his youngest foster brother. They loved playing together and engaging in friendly competition as they invented games. Together with Daniel, César discovered a love for dancing and singing.
And thanks to his foster family, a simple everday object became one of César’s most prized possessions. César’s foster parents gave him a flashlight to make him feel safe and comfortable as he slept. He could turn it on if he needed something, and he knew his family would help him out.
After several months, the government of Sonora located César’s great-aunt, who wanted to care for César. When he went to live his his relative, he was able to take the flashlight with him as a reminder of his foster family’s love for him—and as a promise that he will always be safe, valued, and cherished.
Thank you for changing César’s life through the love of a family.
This GivingTuesday, Hope Starts At Home
Tuesday, December 3, marks GivingTuesday—a global movement of generosity that inspires people around the world to give back and create meaningful change.
Last year, your incredible support broke records and made history as our biggest fundraising day yet. This year, we have a goal of $200,000 to impact the lives of more orphaned and vulnerable children.
Here’s the best part: every gift on GivingTuesday will go twice as far! Thanks to a generous group of donors, every dollar will be matched, up to $100,000.
There’s no need to wait—our GivingTuesday donation site is already live! All contributions, even early ones, will be matched dollar for dollar.
Thank you for being a part of this life-changing movement. Together, we’re changing the way the world cares for orphans…because hope starts at home.