I’m on My Way HOME.

“Sofia” shortly after she entered foster care. It may be a cute photo, but she was in the basket because she struggled to stand up and walk without falling down.

Brought by the police to a local hospital, “Sofia” (or “Monse”) entered the child protection system in desperate need of support. She was very behind developmentally - she struggled to walk, couldn’t speak, and she had attachment and emotional regulation problems.

She needed a loving, caring, patient family to step in and care for her until a permanent option could be found, and she needed it ASAP.

If there had been no foster family to care for her, she easily could have ended up in an orphanage or children’s home, as that’s where about 97% of kids entering the child protection system in Guatemala end up.

Thankfully, we had a foster family in our network who was willing, and “Sofia” entered care near the end of January of this year. Since then, she’s been on an incredible journey where she’s found love, safety, healing, and finally, home.

Thanks to her time in foster care, she can now walk, manage her emotions better, and developed strong and healthy attachments with her foster family. While 7 months may seem like a short time, and “Sofia” might not remember much of the experience, her body and mind have been transformed, and so much of her trauma has been overcome.

The Tomás Valdez family along with their two foster daughters and Story’s foster care team.

By the grace of God and through the support of the Tomás Valdez family, the outlook for the REST OF SOFIA’S LIFE has been drastically changed (When you're only 3 years old, the rest of your life is usually a pretty long time!).

I got to witness, up close and personal, what it looked like for her to be in Story’s foster care network.

I got to see how she was embraced and cared for by the Tomás Valdez family, in particular the affection they had for her, and she for them.

I got to watch as she was learning to walk and develop her fine and gross motor skills alongside a professional psychologist.

I got to observe the way that she played with her younger sister as Story Intl hosted visits with her aunt, who eventually agreed to take Sofia into her home alongside her younger sister.

On my last visit with the Tomás Valdez family, we made “elotes locos” (“crazy corn”, or boiled corn on a stick usually served with mayo, ketchup, dry cheese and sometimes hot sauce, mustard, and/or crushed up chips). Angelo and I along with the Tomás Valdez family enjoyed our homemade version of this classic Guatemalan street food, and shortly after Rodolfo (the foster dad) arrived home, we left them to spend the rest of the evening together as a family.

Less than a week later, the local child courts determined that she could go and live alongside her younger sister with their aunt. She went home with them that same day!

Thanks to the diligent work of Story’s Guatemalan professionals, the financial support provided by people like YOU, and the collaboration with the local court, Sofia was able to spend 7 months with a loving family and a place to call HOME while her case was resolved.

Every child needs a place to call HOME - and our team is fighting to make that a reality.

This is “Sofia” the day after she was reunified with her extended family. Just look at that smile!

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