Sarita came to HOH, Bolivia after the tragic death of her mother who passed away from cervical cancer in 2013. She left behind 5 children. Shortly after her death, the youngest son, Angel, passed away in a house fire - he was two years old. In his pain the father turned to alcohol and started abusing his daughters. One evening, while cooking dinner for her family, Sarita's intoxicated father, frustrated because she wasn't cooking fast enough, poured gasoline on the open cooking flame. Her face was severely burned. The burns healed well but she will be marked forever.
The daughters were saved from the unsafe and abusive living conditions and were brought to HOH, Bolivia. Marco was placed in another orphanage. One of our board members, Angela Bryan recalls meeting Sarita a few weeks after she moved to the orphanage. "She was very shy and I never saw her smile." recalls Angela. "Thanks to the efforts of our social worker, a few days into our trip Sarita's little brother Marco joined his sisters at the orphanage. I will never forget that moment when they were reunited. Sarita hugged him tight and started weeping ... and then she SMILED - reunited once again with her brother! From that moment on, the healing began. She started talking interacting more with others."
Sarita, the oldest of the siblings, recently stated, "I never wanted to see myself or my brothers and sisters end up living in a canal." This is where street children and the poorest people in Santa Cruz look for shelter at night. The canals hold sewage and excess rainwater. There is a platform under the bridges that connect the streets above them - this is where children sleep at night.
Haven of Hope Orphanage is a much better alternative -
RESCUE.
A place children receive the support of loving staff and sponsors and introduced to their Heavenly Father who never leaves us nor forsakes us -
LOVE.
Where they receive counseling and healing from the traumatic past -
RESTORE.
Where they learn to dream and the opportunities to fulfill those dreams -
EQUIP.
Today, Sarita has high standards for herself and is determined to become a professional with a solid education. Her goal is to be a Kindergarten teacher. She began classes this past August to pursue that dream. She is a hard worker who cares deeply for her younger siblings. She is very protective of them and wants to make sure they will always be provided for.
This is why we exist - to create an environment where these children can flourish.
"He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory."
Isaiah 61:3
