By MJ Zelaya-

Silvia, age 8, has always been known for being very intelligent and energetic — ever since she was a toddler, in fact. At school she excels in her PE classes (we had noticed she was very good at sports). She loves running, jumping, and the challenge of athletics. That gave us the idea to enroll her in a football (“soccer” in the U.S.) clinic during the last school break, from October to December. She did very well!

In October, we were able to arrange a scholarship at the Tennis Club of Guatemala, located only 5 km from our home. Silvia was very excited to start learning a new sport!

Dr. Castro plays tennis often and had previously arranged a tennis clinic for our children. He encouraged Silvia in her new endeavor and even donated a racket for her. She was beyond of excited!

Since then, Silvia trains every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon for one hour. Her coach, Virbes Pascual, who teaches children from 8 to 12 years old at the club, said, “Silvia is a very skilled and athletic girl. She has very good coordination for this sport and easily handles the requirement of our practices. I’m sure that Silvia could become a competitive player in the future if she had the proper support.”

Silvia says that she likes tennis, but still enjoys other sports like soccer and basketball. Tennis allows her to run a lot and hit the ball hard, and that why it’s her favorite. She says her coach is a very good person — very patient and friendly.

Thanks to the support of many sponsors, our home is able to provide further education and opportunities for our children. Silvia has a chance to master effort, persistence, and perseverance, qualities that will help her achieve future goals. It’s what any parent would want for his/her child, and we are so pleased we can offer it to Silvia.