From baby to future doctor
A beautiful mix of happiness and nostalgia is what Dulce María felt when she returned at the age of 19 to the home that had cared for her when she was little. Now, just a few weeks away from starting her medical career, she had decided to volunteer at FHC to “give back some of all the love and care they gave me when I was little.” Dulce wanted to do for others what was once done for her.
When Dulce María was just a few days old, she was abandoned at a hospital in the province of Carchi, in the northern part of Ecuador. A few days later, she was welcomed with open arms at FHC, and a little over two years later, she was adopted into a loving Ecuadorian family.
Although she doesn’t have many memories of the time she spent in the home, her baby book (a special book filled with photos and memories from her time at FHC) has helped her see just how loved and cared for she was. “I turn to it, especially when I feel sad, because I see that happy baby who was loved, who never felt abandoned, but was accepted from the very beginning.”
Years later, when Dulce María was 7, she visited the home for the first time. She fondly remembers how happy she was to finally meet the tías - caregivers she’d only known through photos. “It was so lovely to see some of my little friends from that time too, even though most of them had already left the home.”
Now, returning as an adult, she can’t help but feel deep gratitude and inspiration when she sees the tireless work of the tias. “I see myself in these little children, and I watch the tias care for and love them, and I know I was loved and cared for in the exact same way.” Now, she also deeply appreciates the enormous impact that donors like you have had on her life. “To all the generous people who support FHC, I can only say thank you! Everything you do truly matters! You may not realize it now, but you’re giving these children the chance for a different future. My life is forever changed because of people like you.”
Even though she received endless love from her parents and was embraced by her extended family from the very first moment, Dulce faced challenges at school for being adopted. “The other kids didn’t understand why I didn’t look like my parents, and they teased me about it.” But little by little, with the unwavering support of her mom and dad, she was able to accept and embrace her story. “Now, I’m not ashamed of being adopted. In fact, I see how it made me stronger and more grateful for life. I don’t blame my biological parents for abandoning me; instead, I’ve tried to understand that they must have had a reason, and that it wasn’t my fault. Now I know that the life I have is a second chance.”
Dulce María’s story is just one of many that your kindness has made possible. Thank you for changing her life forever, and for continuing to do the same for all the children who are now part of For His Children. Your unwavering support is giving them the opportunity to have a bright future!
