With safe spaces and caring staff, siblings are able to stay close
Many of the children who join our home have siblings. Some are older, some are younger, and because of their ages, they don’t always live in the same house at Forever Changed International. But even when they can’t live together, we know how important it is for them to stay connected.
That’s why Ingrid, our social worker, organizes monthly sibling visits where brothers and sisters can spend time together, build relationships, and simply enjoy being with one another.
This month, the activity was especially fun: making crepes for each other. The table was filled with bananas, Nutella, whipped cream, sprinkles, and other toppings. Each child prepared a crepe for their sibling, adding their favorite ingredients and helping each other along the way.
When we asked Ingrid why these meetings matter so much, she shared:
“It’s important for the children to know and build relationships with their siblings. In some cases, they don’t have family outside the home, but they still have each other. They can support one another and lean on each other. Even if the adults in their family failed them, they need to know they’ll always have their siblings, and when they leave the home, they can continue that connection.”
One of the sweetest parts of the afternoon was watching the older siblings help the younger ones. The whipped cream can was brand new, and some of the younger children struggled to use it at first, but their siblings stepped in right away to help.
At the end of the activity, they exchanged the crepes they had made for each other and sat down to eat together. Elizabeth especially loved the sprinkles, and Ximena enjoyed every last bite of hers.
To make the day even more special, Ingrid created chef hats for each child before the activity began. These moments may seem simple, but they matter deeply. They help children feel connected, supported, and loved by the people who know their story best, their siblings.
For many of our children, their siblings are one of the few lasting family connections they have. Your support helps us create safe spaces where those relationships can continue to grow. It allows us to organize sibling visits, provide caring staff to walk alongside them, and create moments where children can simply be brothers and sisters again. Because of your support, these children are not growing up alone. They’re growing up together.
And if you’d ever like to see this impact firsthand, we would love to invite you to visit us and witness what’s happening here in Guatemala. Through a mission trip, you can spend time with our children, meet the team caring for them, and see the difference your support is making in their lives every day.
