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 and dire housing conditions. Instead of just focusing on daily survival, Berenice often pondered a different way. She was determined to not follow in the footsteps of many of her peers, and knew God had big plans for her.
The pivotal point in Berenice’s life came through Forward Edge’s Trigo y Miel program, which opened wide the doors of education to her. Although Berenice was once subject to extreme poverty, the Trigo program along with her sponsors gave her the gift of hope: to rewrite her future, dream bigger than before, and be equipped with resources to take action. On July 24th, 2021, she realized one of her personal dreams and graduated from college (the first in her family to do so) with a degree in Tourism Business Administration!
In our experience, seeing how God weaves miraculous stories of hope in the lives of the children in our programs is deeply encouraging. Berenice is the first to recognize and credit God’s loving hand, provision and grace by bringing her to Trigo y Miel, where she was fed spiritually and first connected with her sponsors. Berenice’s sponsors have been able to encourage and pray for her throughout her time in the program and her educational journey. Berenice’s sponsor, Amy, was even able to travel from New York to attend Berenice’s graduation (pictured together below), she shares, “It is a blessing to see how God used us to make a life impact on Berenice thousands of miles away.”
Throughout her education, Berenice faced adversity in the form of health issues and financial hardships, but it was in this process that she began to know how deeply loved and cared for she truly is, not only in the eyes of her sponsors, but by God Himself. After her graduation, Berenice shared, “I am full, for the great blessings of God and for having taken one more step in my life. I am happy to be able to share that moment with my loved ones. I will never forget what each person contributed to this stage of my life.”
Amy’s prayer for Berenice is, “That her faith continues to grow strong in the Lord. That she would be patient, wait on the Lord and walk through the doors He leads her through.”
We strive for a similar future for all impoverished children in Oaxaca and around the world: that they know their inherent worth, are given the resources to overcome poverty, and thrive in God’s plan for their lives. Congratulations on your huge achievement Berenice!
by Joseph Anfuso I had no idea in the spring of 1980 that a two-day trip to Nicaragua would not only change the trajectory of my life, but cause me to reimagine Jesus’ commission in Mark 16:15: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” At
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.
One of the greatest joys a child receives is a letter from his or her sponsor. Sponsored children usually save all of the letters they receive and read them over and over again, they are such a source of encouragement and love for them. Writing to your sponsored child is
I’m home from a life-changing mission trip. Now what? A short-term mission trip is an intense experience, in more ways than one. In the space of a week to 10 days, you’re immersed with a new group of people, develop a routine and learn new tasks and skills. You’ve also
10 yrs. old
Entered the program: October 2025
Sara lives with her parents and three siblings in a small village. Their home was built by their father and they have a garden that they harvest to help provide food for the family. Sara’s father is a construction worker and her mother tends the home and the garden, and takes care of the family.
Her brothers, Florent and Mitat, are also in the Cornerstone program.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
