Hope and Healing: Guadalupe’s Story

At The Hope Effect, we often hear stories of painful childhoods. Orphaned and vulnerable children come from hard places, and although the circumstances are all unique, there is always trauma involved when a child is growing up without a family.

But we are so grateful that because of you, we can provide hope for these children. Thanks to you, lives are being transformed. Children like Guadalupe are finding healing through the love of a family.

Guadalupe’s Story

As a young girl in Chihuahua, Mexico, Guadalupe’s childhood was unstable and traumatic. She was the middle child of five siblings, and her mother was a single parent. To make ends meet, Guadalupe’s mother began making dangerous – and abusive – choices.  

When Guadalupe was only nine years old, her mother began trafficking her to bring in extra money. Guadalupe endured years of physical and emotional abuse. And when she was twelve, her mother began looking for opportunities to traffic Guadalupe’s nine-year-old sister.

A Cry for Help

Guadalupe was emotionally trapped, psychologically hurt, and unable to cry for help. Thankfully, her younger sister talked to her teacher, who alerted authorities. Their mother was soon arrested and charged with trafficking her children. Without a parent or other adult guardian, Guadalupe and her siblings were placed in different institutions. 

Guadalupe was incredibly hurt and scarred by her past. Alone in the institution, she began to act out. Without the proper support and counseling, she wasn’t equipped to make good choices or overcome challenges. 

Guadalupe was headed down a dangerous path that, unfortunately, is not uncommon for children in institutions. And as a teenager, the odds were against her. Many families hesitate to welcome an older child into their homes, preferring babies or younger children.

Hope and Healing

But her story does not end there! Our team in Chihuahua placed Guadalupe in family-style care with a wonderful and loving couple. This amazing family was ready and willing to love her, build her up, and open the door to new opportunities. They began to show her what’s possible through the love of a family. 

Guadalupe’s life began to change. Her battle is far from over, as she is still working through the painful memories of her past. But now, she has a family – people she can run to for love, support, and encouragement. 

Incredibly, Guadalupe entered nursing school when she was just 16 years old! She is doing amazingly well – exceeding every expectation and maintaining above-average grades. She also has a deep sense of purpose. 

“I want to help my brothers and sisters,” Guadalupe said recently. “I wish to help children and people…just like I was helped when I needed it.”

Giving Hope Has A Big Effect

What an amazing example of how giving hope has a big effect! Your generosity is changing Guadalupe’s life. Thank you for being a part of her journey toward healing. And in just a few days, you can make even more of a difference around the world!

December 1 is GivingTuesday, a global day of generosity. We invite you to partner with us to help more children like Guadalupe find families. This GivingTuesday, we are aiming to raise $75,000 to help achieve our goal of placing 200 orphaned and vulnerable children in families by the end of next year. 

 And on GivingTuesday, you can double the impact of your gift! An amazingly generous team of donors has agreed to match every gift dollar for dollar…up to $37,500! If we can meet the entire matching gift, we’ll reach our goal…which is incredible! 

We’d be honored if you would partner with us on December 1st to help more children find families. And if you just can’t wait, you can jump in early! Our GivingTuesday site is live now (and don’t worry, your donation will still be matched).

 Thank you for your continued support and generosity – you make all of this possible! Your gift of hope has a big effect…and together, we are changing the way the world cares for orphans!