Imagine a child, seven years old, living in a garbage dump and watching both her mother and father die slowly of AIDS-related illnesses.
This was reality for Erminia before she joined Forward Edge’s program for at-risk girls in Nicaragua called Village of Hope.
If Erminia had continued to grow up living in the dump, she likely would have had a teenage pregnancy (one in four girls do in Nicaragua). That could have happened through rape, a drug-induced mistake, or even forced prostitution—all things not uncommon among girls living in the dump.
One thing is almost certain: if Erminia had stayed in the dump, she would have dropped out of school, married a much older man to relieve the economic burden for her parents, and borne her first child before the age of 15. Depressed, uneducated, and undervalued, she would have been another link in the endless chain of heartbreaking poverty.
She came to under the care of our Nicaragua Directors at the Village of Hope, Wilbert Alvarado and Gloria Sequeira. One of the first things Wilbert and Gloria did was tend to Erminia’s medical needs and test her blood to see if she had contracted HIV from either of her parents; thank God she hadn’t.
Erminia’s new life at the Village of Hope came with regular nutritious meals, safe drinking water, clean clothes, professional counseling, and the chance to go to a first-rate Christian school.
Today, nine years later, Erminia’s life is completely transformed. She is physically and emotionally healthy; flourishing in her school work; and growing in her relationship with Christ. She now dreams of being a doctor someday so she can, in her words, “help others with more problems than mine.”
There is a specific moment in Erminia’s story that profoundly illustrates why we do what we do together through Forward Edge. It was when Erminia went to the hospital to visit her mother for the last time.
As Erminia held her mother’s hand and said goodbye, her mother told her in a weak, defeated voice, “You’re going to be an orphan now.”
“No I’m not,” Erminia replied. “I have Papa Wilbert and Mama Gloria.”
The amount of suffering among children in this world is great—sometimes overwhelming to think about—but as Mother Teresa once said, “If you can’t feed 100 people, then feed just one.” For that one, our help means the world.
Berenice was used to seeing the same narrative play out around her growing up: a life marked by poverty, wealth inequality, and barriers to education. Most families in her area in Oaxaca, Mexico have traditionally come from smaller villages in search of a better life and are facing severe unemployment
In the heart of Kenya, where many children face the daily struggle of hunger, a simple meal can be life-changing. At Forward Edge, we’re not just filling plates—we’re filling lives with hope, strength, and opportunity. Our programs in Kenya provide nourishing meals that empower children to focus in school, grow in their faith, and dream of a brighter future. Discover how something as simple as a meal is transforming lives and bringing lasting change to communities across Kenya.
In Cuba, where basic food staples are often scarce, the power of prayer and small acts of kindness have brought hope to families in need. From a miraculous provision of rice to a life-changing gift of fresh produce for Walter and his children, we’ve witnessed God’s love in action. Discover how a simple head of lettuce became a sign of divine provision, and how faith continues to transform lives in our Cuba program.
Bold Obedience In life, some moments stand out as divine interventions, where God’s hand is unmistakably at work. Mission trips are often such moments, where lives intersect with purpose, and hearts are transformed in ways beyond measure. Jilese’s recent journey to Oaxaca, Mexico, serves as a testament to this truth.
10 yrs. old
Entered the Program: April 2022
Mitchell lives with her mother and little sister in a one-room rented house made of wood with a dirt floor. They do not have access to electricity and they borrow water from their neighbors. They have an outdoor kitchen and use firewood for cooking and they share a communal pit latrine that is in poor condition.
Mitchell and her sister used to live with their grandmother after their parents were unable to care for them. Their father’s alcohol addiction and abuse of their mother led to their ultimate separation, and through the Women's Empowerment program at Mama Beth, their mother has been encouraged and assisted to care for and support her children. She has great financial need and Mama Beth's has given her a job to help make ends meet.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
