Finding Her Name: Sofia’s story

Authorities guessed the baby girl was around five months old when she was abandoned at a hospital. There was no note, no documentation, and no explanation of who she was or why she had been left.

She was admitted into an infant care institution in Chihuahua, Mexico, with nothing but a tag that read “Abandoned Girl.” At such a young age, this baby girl was left with nothing. No family. No name. No identity. 

And many children that go into an institution are also left with uncertainty about their future. Many children like Sofia spend years growing up in an orphanage, never knowing the love of a family. 

This baby girl needed hope for her future. She needed a family to open their hearts and welcome her into their home.  

A Love Worth The Risk

Soraya and Enrique were trained and certified to provide family-style care by our team in Chihuahua. They had previously fostered a baby for a few months and found it incredibly hard to part ways with the child when the time came. 

They were still healing from the previous separation when they received the call about this abandoned baby girl. Although they weren’t sure about bringing in another child so soon, their hearts were moved when they learned her story. 

“What is her name?”

That was the first question Soraya and Enrique asked. When they were told she didn’t have a name, they had one answer. 

“Well, I guess we need to change that.”

Soraya and Enrique only had one condition when they brought her into their home: they would get to choose a name for the baby girl.

Finding Her Name

Soon, beautiful baby Sofia was placed in their care. She was no longer nameless and abandoned – she was part of a family. She was loved and cared for, nurtured and cherished.

Sofia spent the next 18 months with Soraya and Enrique. She learned to walk and speak in their home as part of a loving family. She had brothers and sisters who loved her. And in addition to being welcomed into Soraya and Enrique’s immediate family, Sofia was embraced by their extended family, friends and entire community. 

Over those 18 months, Sofia went from an abandoned baby to a joyous, social, fearless child. And she bonded with Soraya, Enrique, and their whole family, giving back as much love as she received. 

A Future With A Forever Family

Earlier this year, Sofia was adopted. When it came time to say goodbye, her foster family decided to honor her by getting matching tattoos that would remind them of her. It’s clear that Sofia changed their lives as much as they changed hers. 

Thank you for making this possible. Because of you, Sofia spent critical years of her life in a loving family rather than an institution. Instead of the “Abandoned Girl” growing up in an orphanage, she was a cherished part of a family. And in addition to her name, she found her forever family. 

Give Hope This GivingTuesday

Your generosity and support changed Sofia's life! And in just a few weeks, there’s an opportunity for you to once again see how giving hope has a big effect.

December 1 is GivingTuesday, a global day of generosity. We invite you to partner to help more children like Sofia find families. This year, funds raised on GivingTuesday will help us expand into our next location and continue to pioneer family-style orphan care!

Just can't wait until December 1? If you’d like to participate now, our donation site is up and running!

Thank you for your continued generosity and partnership. Together, we are changing the way the world cares for orphans!