Open Arms and Open Hearts: Renata's Story

We love to celebrate when children from hard places find loving families. And these days, we're celebrating a lot in Sonora, Mexico! 

Last month, a baby boy in the state of Sonora became the first child to be placed into family-style care. He was welcomed into the arms of a loving family without ever seeing the inside of an orphanage. And that was only the beginning!

We are continuing to recruit and train families to provide family-style care in Sonora. We're so excited to see more and more families opening their hearts to orphaned and vulnerable children.

In fact, over the last few weeks, two more children have been welcomed into family-style care! One of them, a young girl named Renata, is now in a stable environment with a loving family for the first time in her life. 

Renata's Story

Seven-year-old Renata has spent most of her life in an orphanage. Her parents struggled to maintain custody of her and her siblings. As a result, Renata moved several times to various states in Mexico...and she was in and out of orphanages in each location. 

Renata's experience is not unusual, as many children in orphanages have not necessarily lost their parents. Often times, circumstances prevent the parents from being able to care for their kids. And without a stable home environment, these vulnerable children may end up in institutional care.

In Renata's case, the government eventually severed the rights of her parents. At that time, she was once again living in a government-run orphanage...this time in Hermosillo, the capital city of Sonora. 

Until recently, Renata's only option would have been to remain in the orphanage. But thanks to your support and generosity, her life is forever changed.

A Different Path

A few weeks ago, Renata became the second child in the state of Sonora to enter loving family-style care. She was so happy to meet her foster family...including her new big sister!

We are thrilled to say Renata is thriving in her new environment. She is learning, laughing, and loving - and we are celebrating the positive changes in this beautiful girl. 

Although it's a big adjustment, Renata is learning what it means to be part of a family. Thank you for your partnership...you make this possible. We look forward to providing you more updates as Renata's journey continues. 

And for now, we are thankful that she is running to her family with open arms, as they receive her with open hearts.