For parents living on less than $2 a day, these emergency visits are normally fraught with fears of debt or treatment that is too expensive to pursue. These fears are warranted unless, like Ivan, you are a sponsored kid. He shared with our team that, because of Children of Promise, he was not only able to see a doctor but also undergo hip surgery. Without this procedure, he would have dealt with chronic pain for years, but now Ivan is back on the move, playing futbol with his friends.

Sickness can be very scary for kids. Around the world, families make great sacrifices so their children can get care for the simplest things. Families of brothers, Thiago and Isaias, are thankful for the program when facing the unknown. Thiago shared with our team in Paraguay that his brother was waking every night feverish and distressed. He would cry from the pain in his abdomen. For many kids growing up in poverty, these are pains they must learn to live with when healthcare is out of reach. However, as a sponsored child, there was hope for Isaias.

Through the program, Isais and his family were able to get to a hospital where they discovered a hernia. After treatment, Isaias is recovering and doing much better. While we’ve seen cases like this all around the world, it was different hearing it from a child’s perspective. Thiago’s love and concern for Isaias were clear to everyone on our team, along with the relief that Children of Promise was there to help in their time of need.

LA VIDA ABUNDANTE

This trip to South America was another example of the multiplying effect of the Children of Promise program. When you empower one child, you are making wholeness possible. But when that child becomes a leader, wholeness is multiplied. All around the world, kids are continuing their journey towards wholeness and paying it forward. Thousands of kids like Thiago and Isaias are running towards wholeness despite the many challenges of their context. When the currency fails. When injuries happen. When crop yields are weak. In the face of challenges, kids are living la vida abundante, the abundant life. Your generosity is allowing kids to persevere and become leaders for the next generation, creating an even bigger ripple effect. A relentless wave of wholeness to rival even the power of Iguazú Falls. Thank you for being a part of this wave of change. In a world filled with negativity, you are choosing the good, and on behalf of families in Argentina and Paraguay we say, muchas gracias!