Carolina’s family never had much money. Growing up, she was used to going without things—new clothes, school supplies, even meals sometimes. She got used to squeezing into the same winter jacket year after year, even when the sleeves became too short and she could barely close the buttons. She didn’t even mind having to sleep in that jacket when her family couldn’t afford to turn on the heat. 

For a long time, this just seemed normal to Carolina. With her father out of the picture, her mother always struggled to make ends meet. And growing up in a poor neighborhood meant that everyone around her was in a similar position. Carolina really wasn’t even aware that life could be any different. But everything changed when Carolina’s mom lost her job. 

If money had been tight before, it was nonexistent now. All too often, she would come home from school and find the pantry empty. This wasn’t like before when she and her mother would have a few lean days between paychecks—there was very rarely food in the house. And even though it was the coldest part of the year, the heat was always shut off in the apartment. Carolina’s mom was so depressed about losing her job that she could barely get out of bed. She just didn’t seem to have the energy to take care of Carolina anymore. It was very hard for her to see her mother so upset, but she didn’t know how to possibly make her feel better. Carolina began to dread going home.  

After school, she would wander around her neighborhood, only slipping back inside when she got too tired to keep walking around. The stress of the situation was beginning to take a toll on Carolina. Once an above-average student, Carolina’s grades plummeted. She stopped doing her homework entirely. What was going on at home weighed so heavily on her mind that she found it impossible to think about anything else. Carolina’s teacher became concerned about the sudden change in her behavior.  

When she held Carolina behind one day, she asked her if there was anything going on that Carolina wanted to talk about. Carolina didn’t plan on letting her teacher know about the troubles at home, but the story came out anyway. Carolina’s teacher knew she had to figure out a way to help, and immediately thought of Mercy Home. She told Carolina that it was a place where she never had to worry about whether it would be warm throughout the winter, or that there would be enough food to eat. Instead, Carolina could simply focus on the things a kid should be focused on, like school. There was no question in Carolina’s mind—she wanted to move in right away!  

Now that Carolina has been at Mercy Home for several months, her excitement has only grown. She immediately began to blossom at Mercy Home. Her grades are better than they ever were, and she has made many great friendships with the other girls. Seeing incredible transformations like Carolina’s is something I give thanks for each day. I am truly grateful for your prayerful support of our kids. 

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.