by: Loyda Sandoval | Guatemala Family Empowerment Facilitator
It was a Saturday afternoon, coming back in the car from a session with her son’s occupational therapist. Suddenly, Flor, with her voice choked with emotion, said to me, “Loyda, I dream of having my own business and continuing my studies…” Her words struck me deeply. How can someone who has faced so many difficulties dream so big? Where does she find the strength to keep going? It made me reflect: do we, who may have had an easier life, lose hope more easily?
Our first meeting with Flor was early last year, during her son’s therapy sessions. I remember a withdrawn woman with few words, but with a gaze that suggested much more than she expressed. Over time, her presence became more constant. She attended each session punctually, demonstrating admirable responsibility and a clear desire for personal growth. The spark I had sensed initially began to shine more brightly.
In a meeting with Flor, while trying to understand her family’s story and connect with her, I discovered the strength of a young single mother who had faced very difficult circumstances. Far from her family and without a paternal model, she had raised her children with unconditional love. Her determination was evident when she decided to leave a relationship with her children’s father that was jeopardizing their safety.
Her attendance at parent school is becoming increasingly regular, along with her desire to learn. I’m noticing a radical change in her. The woman of few words is transforming into someone who connects, shares her experiences, and shows vulnerability to other women. Flor is becoming a resilient and empowered woman who learns by listening to and observing others. Her parenting model is improving significantly, and her personal growth is leading her to make important decisions, such as leaving her job at the tortilla factory, where her efforts were not appreciated.
She now fully dedicates herself to the sewing workshop, a space that has provided her with dignity and new opportunities on economic, social, emotional, spiritual, and personal levels. The ladies in this sewing workshop recently finished three intensive workshops learning to make blouses, t-shirts, and jeans given by INTECAP, a government sponsored program. This is a monumental achievement, especially considering that many of these women have never received any diploma or even completed the sixth grade. The hope is that a local business will now be able to give them piece-work to help supplement their incomes. Although her faith is new, her desire to grow is evident, especially with the intentional relationships she is making in the sewing workshop, being mentored by her teacher in sewing skills and in her spiritual life.
Despite having lived through abuse and extreme poverty, counting every penny to feed her family, Flor radiates a contagious joy and hope. Clinging to her dream of studying and becoming a professional, she seeks a better future for her children. She desires to continue her studies so she can help her sons with their homework and encourage them to finish school. Even in the midst of illness and learning difficulties, she dreams of starting a bakery business with them, leaving the decision to join her on this journey in their hands.
Like a flourishing garden after a harsh winter, we see how God restores families, filling them with life and hope. One family at a time. Flor is a flower that has bloomed amidst adversity, demonstrating that faith is the seed that transforms any circumstance. Her story inspires us to believe that, even in the darkest moments, there is always a light guiding us toward a new dawn.
Flor’s story is a living testament to God’s transformative work. Just like a bud opening to reveal a beautiful flower, she has blossomed through trials. As Philippians 1:6 affirms, God, who began this good work in her, will carry it to completion and make her a beacon of hope for many until Christ returns one day.
This article was originally published in the World Orphans Fall Insight Magazine 2024.