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Rosalba’s family story

(We have helped support this family for months and helped them move into a wonderful, safe new home…they are not in our Sponsorship program at this time )

Rosalba the mom and her three precious children, Jeremias 12, Consuela 10 and Celeste 6, live in a small one open room tin shack, in the mountains above Antigua, the dad passed away a few years ago. This small tin container like building, provides somewhat of a shelter for them, the ceiling is covered with black plastic to avoid the rain water to come through, of course there is constant leaking. 

Rosalba is 35, is a loving mother, but suffers from acute diabetes, high blood pressure and malnourishment. She is partially bedridden and needs knee surgery. We hope to start solving all these issues sooner than later through our Sponsorship Program.

Jeremias, the oldest is just 12 years old and has filled in as best as he can as the man of the house, watching over his 2 younger sisters and taking care his mother…he is only in 4th Grade and one of our # 1 goals is to help keep him in school and not start working a job to feed his family.
Consuelo, 10, and being the oldest daughter, is in charge of the cooking for the family. She is also responsible for the housework, laundry, and fetching water from the neighbor’s water source…she attends school.
Celeste, the youngest at 6, has chores as well, she helps her sister with the housework, and also goes to fetch buckets of water…she attends school.

Their home provides some shelter for the family although there is no indoor plumbing or running water. No windows, half of the floor is still dirt and there is a wooden stove which provides heat as well as a cooking area. The ‘home’ has only three beds, one is shared with Rosalba and Celeste. An outhouse sits in the yard near the outside sink. Sandbags filled with dirt provide some buffer from the rains that pour into the entrance of the house.

The poverty is beyond words however the smiles and the hugs that we receive when visiting the family is heartwarming and they remain hopeful.