Josephine Peña comes from a remote village, seven hours away. Bringing his daughter for surgery was the first time the father has left his village in seven years. The father’s only earnings come for 3 months out of the year, when he plants and picks coffee. The rest of the year he grows pinto beans and corn on a lot smaller than the size of the room we were in. To complicate matters further, the mother of the children left the family, leaving the father with 3 kids to take care of on his own.
The father and daughter were accompanied by the local priest, who had spent the last year and a half trying to get them help. As he told the story, the priest broke down in tears. He cried because there are no resources available to help, and he loves the people he works with. He describes his mission as “trying to help those who have been ‘forgotten’” – like Josephine.
The first time the priest came to Josephine’s house, she hid from him. We then learned that she had not been out of the house for the first four years of her life because of the way she looked. Josephine has refused to go to school and be in first grade because the kids would make fun of her.
Today Josephine comes here to repair the cleft in her lip. Today her life changes.
The father and daughter were accompanied by the local priest, who had spent the last year and a half trying to get them help. As he told the story, the priest broke down in tears. He cried because there are no resources available to help, and he loves the people he works with. He describes his mission as “trying to help those who have been ‘forgotten’” – like Josephine.
The first time the priest came to Josephine’s house, she hid from him. We then learned that she had not been out of the house for the first four years of her life because of the way she looked. Josephine has refused to go to school and be in first grade because the kids would make fun of her.
Today Josephine comes here to repair the cleft in her lip. Today her life changes.
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