This is What Our Name Really Means

Four years ago we built her family a tiny but waterproof home with a concrete floor. When it was finished, her mother-in-law claimed legal possession and evicted the her from the new house.

Cynthia’s home

Since then, Cynthia and her family have been living in a slum outside of Guatemala City, residing in less than 800 square feet for 9 family members. Finding Freedom volunteers visit her twice a year. We purchase school supplies and shoes for the children and groceries for the family. When she needed hernia surgery, we provided it. When her children were sick we brought medicine. When she despaired of a better future for her children, we encouraged her. And with every visit, we assured this mother of seven that we will not forget her, and that as soon as affordable land becomes available in her area, we will put her on the list for a donated home where she has a door to keep out the chickens, a roof without holes and a yard with proper drainage to keep her children healthier. 
 

She didn’t believe us in the beginning; she had a lifetime of empty promises from her government, from her family, and from life itself. Each baby brought new stresses on an already inadequate income; difficult decisions about what child to educate added to her guilt. By the time we brought Cynthia into our program in 2009, she had had 30 years of false promises and lost hope. She has never had a babysitter, a vacation, a formal job or a support group. Eating in a restaurant, seeing a movie or shopping in a mall are things she can’t even fathom. Every day is the same–washing clothes, stretching meager food resources, negotiating life in the edgy slum conditions, and keeping her children from slipping into the same circumstances she has lived. 

With each visit over the years her worry lines have faded. When we brought her donated clothing (new children’s socks and underwear) she sold them to neighbors and quickly gained a reputation for providing quality items at affordable prices. Her children have adequate school supplies and are now equipped to be competitive in school. She has successfully kept her oldest daughters out of trouble and off the streets. Her sense of self worth, in a country which affords her little, is growing. 
When we visited her last week, she greeted us as friends, calling out our names, receiving us with joy. We have taken the time to invest in this family emotionally and financially, and in keeping with the name of our program, she is Finding Freedom from her worries through our Friendship. 
There are no more words needed. The photos tell the story of hope and anticipation of a better future.