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!
This blog is a part of an ongoing series on Forward Edge’s Pearl Partners. Check out our highlights on Cuba and Haiti and enjoy this interview with Jane Wathagana. 20 years ago, Jane Wathagana was a successful businesswoman in Kenya, the Director of Animal World Safaris and Elangata Luxury
Villa Esperanza, Managua, Nicaragua My name is Medardo Sánchez. I am 19 years old and I am currently in the 4th year of high school. I want to tell you that before I met Village of Hope, I was thirteen years old and studying third grade of primary school. If
Have you had to cancel or postpone a trip to serve in another country this year? Have you considered repurposing your investment rather than losing it or delaying the opportunity? 1. Repurpose your plan Is there a way to take the plans you have already made and modify them using
In his book, “Empowering Children”, former Forward Edge board member, Dr. Ravi Jayakaran, shares the importance of involving children in the process of their own development. When a community invests its resources in its children, it invests in its own future. Just as Forward Edge values all children and believes
17 yrs. old
Entered the program: March 2023
Fatima lives with her mother in a one-bedroom house built with mud and roofed with thatch. The community has access to electricity and potable water but Fatima’s mother cannot afford to pay for it, so they are not connected to these services. There is lack of good sanitation in the community which poses a health hazard.
Fatima’s family is Muslim. Her father is deceased and her mother sells red pepper in the local market but barely earns a dollar a day. Keeping Fatima in school is challenging and, without assistance, her ability to continue would be affected.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
