Samuel

Samuel, age three

This is Samuel. If he were your child, you would most likely wash his clothes, feed him adequately and tuck him into bed at night. You would educate him, raise him to be a young man who contributes to the world and you would hope that all of your dreams for him come true.
His mother feels the same way, but her outlook is shaded by the fact that she already lost a 14 year old son, as well as a husband. Her son is lost in every sense of the word….he has not been seen or heard from since he tried to cross the border. He is presumed to be dead.
The loss of her husband left Catarina alone in her household to raise her remaining four children. With no running water, no furniture, a leaking roof and inadequate food supplies, she is described by our facilitator as “completely distraught and exhausted.”
Samuel is the “man of the household” at age three.

Catarina’s “kitchen”

He is too young to understand, but Samuel’s outlook just got brighter. Finding Freedom through Friendship is sending food monthly, and we have send funds for a bed for him to sleep in so he will no longer be on the floor at night. His sisters are back in school. There is renewed hope for a brighter future.