Can you imagine living on a budget of one dollar a day per person in your family? What would you eat? What happens when you need a doctor? By Arwen McGilvra- In Guatemala, nearly 8 million people live in rural areas, and of those, 57% live in poverty, which means they have a budget of about one...
By Heather Radu- You can feel it in the air … School is back in full swing. The big yellow buses are on the road, high school sports are in the paper, and no matter your age or stage in life you’re probably being invited to see children perform in all kinds of activities. As I got my own children...
By MJ Zelaya- Until recently, our children didn’t have the opportunity to get an education in a school that wasn’t public. Guatemala public schools can be overcrowded, and the education is sub-par. Now, thanks to El Shaddai Christian School and some generous donors, more and more of our kids are...
By Arwen McGilvra- Lorena is the Supervisor of House 6 at Dorie’s Promise. Coming from a big family, the third of six siblings, she understands what it takes to love and support the children in our home. She started working at Dorie’s Promise in 2005, and, as she puts it, “I came to Dorie’s...
By Arwen McGilvra- We’d like you to meet one of the adorable babies in our home. Sandi is a very active little girl who is just beginning to take her first steps. You can see her around the home pulling her little stride-ride toy. She smiles all the time and is a very friendly and kind baby....
Poverty. It’s ugly. So ugly, in fact, that we shield ourselves from it. In the U.S., a person making less than $11,344 a year falls into the poverty category. Yet in Guatemala, the average income is around $2,800*. Poverty is rampant in Guatemala; it’s one of the poorest countries in...
By Bradley Burck- Sitting in a crowded restaurant on Father’s Day, I heard my cell phone ping — a new email had just arrived. It was Sunday and I was surrounded by family, enjoying a day meant to celebrate fatherhood, so I was not about to look at it. But at that moment, I heard a little voice in...
By Bradley Burck- You need to have a look at the pictures of what we’ve done to the backyard. After years of trying to grow grass and failing, we brought in landscaping professionals. The results – FANTASTIC! Have a look at these pictures. Abel who has spent a lot of time over the years watering...
We have many great staff members on our team. It would be impossible to do what we do — serve the children in our home and the community around us — without them. Alejandra Diaz is the Director of Dorie’s Promise and has been part of the team for more than eight years. If you’ve met her, you know...
Dulce is a very special child to us — she was born premature, so we have been closely watching her growth. There has been an incredible progress in Dulce’s health, thanks to the care of the special mothers and special attention from our doctor. She is a fighter — she has been fighting to survive...
By Claudia Roncal- Today, I want to give you a report on the educational programs in which our children at Dorie’s Promise are involved. These programs cover three main areas: Home schooling, Preschool, and our School Support Program. Home Schooling Mirna, our 15-year-old student, is the only...
By Dr. Francisco Castro-Barillas- I want to give you a report on our Health Program at Dorie’s Promise, outlining our achievements in the previous year and our successful support of the care provided to our children. This program has been an invaluable support to Forever Changed and Dorie’s...