The Hope Effect

Changing how the world cares for orphans.

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Santa Rosa, Honduras – Fully Funded!

Big news! Thanks to you, our project in Santa Rosa, Honduras, is FULLY FUNDED!

We first told you about our work in Santa Rosa earlier this year. Along with our partner organization Legacy of Hope Foundation, we are providing family-style care for children in times of transition as they await a more permanent solution.

We knew our awesome supporters (that’s you!) would show up in a big way to care for the children of Santa Rosa. What we didn’t know is that you would reach our fundraising goal so quickly…18 months earlier than expected! Amazing!

You are making an incredible difference in the lives of so many children! A few months ago, we told you about Samuel and his journey to a forever family. Now, we’d like to share two additional stories of children whose lives you’re changing.

Mario’s Story

Mario came to our transition home when he was only a few days old. He was abandoned almost immediately after birth, and he was found covered in ant bites and other marks. Because of his heartbreaking condition, Mario was admitted to the hospital to receive medical care.

Shortly after that, DINAF (the equivalent of CPS in Honduras) confirmed that nobody was going to come forward for Mario. That meant he would be going through the abandonment process and would be eligible for adoption. Because of that, he was placed in our transition home to wait for an adoptive family.

Mario is now three months old, and we are so excited to say he is thriving and growing! He’s reaching new milestones and recently began rolling over. At his young age, the family-style care he is receiving is so important physically and developmentally. Because Mario has been in a family environment, he will be able to bond more quickly with his adoptive family.

We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Mario!

Cristofer’s Story

Cristofer has a very different story, but one that also illustrates the importance of family-style care. He is five years old and has been living in the transition home for more than a year. Cristofer is awaiting a foster family.

Cristofer’s parents are unable to care for him, so he needs a permanent home. But because of his circumstances, he is not eligible for adoption. While we search for a long-term foster family for him, he’s being well cared for in our family-style transition home.

As of now, Cristofer has been in this family-style environment for more than a year. He’s been receiving quality education, nutritious meals, and excellent psychological and medical care.

Thanks to you, Cristofer is the experiencing the love, support, and stability of a family. And we know that when he finds his foster family, he’ll already understand what it means to be loved and valued.

Thank You!

You are making such a difference in the lives of children like Mario and Cristofer! Thank you for your support and generosity…you make all of this possible.

We look forward to continuing our work in Santa Rosa, Honduras, and providing you additional updates along the way. Thank you for changing the way the world cares for orphans!

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Samuel’s Journey: From Orphanage to Forever Family

Samuel sat quietly as he processed the news. He looked through pictures of his new home, and his eyes grew wide. The moment was finally here, and it was starting to feel real.

About seven months earlier, Samuel had come into our transition home in Santa Rosa, Honduras, where we work with our partner organization Legacy of Hope Foundation to provide family-style care for children awaiting a more permanent solution. Samuel had spent most of his childhood in a poorly-run orphanage, leaving him with many effects of institutional care – including great loss and trauma.

When Samuel was just a small child, a family came to volunteer in the orphanage where he was living. The family met and interacted with many of the children, but they felt an instant connection with Samuel. In this moment, they began to pursue him – to bring him into their family. They began the long journey to make sure Samuel knew he was loved and valued by a forever family…even if he had yet to fully comprehend what those words meant.

After a time, Samuel came to live in our transition home. We are grateful that our Legacy of Hope partners were able to work closely with his adoptive parents to help Samuel begin to build a relationship with his forever family. During those seven months, Samuel created a life-book which helped him connect his past to his present and future. And because of the family-style environment of the transition home, he began to understand what it meant to be in a family.

Samuel slowly let his guard down and learned to trust. He was able to connect with his adoptive parents while waiting for the adoption to be finalized, and he started to understand that he would one day share their last name. Even on the hardest days – like when court dates were changed and there were missing signatures on paperwork – Samuel knew his family loved him and would be there for him.

A few weeks ago, Samuel went to live with his forever family. The night before he left the transition home, he had his favorite meal and made chocolate cupcakes. It was a celebration – a celebration of him, his adoption, and his new family.

Today, The Hope Effect and Legacy of Hope celebrate with Samuel’s adoptive family as they are finally able to hold and cherish this little boy – their son. Today, we celebrate the stories of all the children our transition home has served. Siblings who have been able to stay together after being removed from their family, teen girls who have been able to care for their babies and learn what it means to be a mother, and abandoned babies who have been placed into safe and loving families.

And today, we celebrate you – the incredible, generous people who make this all possible! You are changing the lives of children…children like Samuel, and so many others. We are incredibly thankful for your partnership and support. You are doing great things. You are changing the way the world cares for orphans!

*This post was co-written with our partners at Legacy of Hope.