The experiences we have in life often determine the direction we choose to take. For Rogelio, a year at Mercy Home changed everything.
Before coming here, Rogelio had difficulty with his relationships at home, and he often struggled to make decisions that were good for his well-being.
But at Mercy Home, he learned tools for improving his personal and relationship skills, while also being exposed to educational and career opportunities that he otherwise never would have had.
“When I came to Mercy Home, I was immature,” Rogelio said. “But I knew I had to paint a bigger picture for myself.”
Through deep self-reflection and determination to change the quality of his life, Rogelio committed himself to making changes and stepping out of his comfort zone.
“I needed to work on myself more,” Rogelio said. “I needed to build my self-esteem and confidence.”
When Rogelio joined his Mercy Home peers on a camping trip, for example, he was challenged to hike a trail blindfolded. Even though he was scared, he took on the challenge. It showed him anything was possible if he put his mind to it.
After the trip, Rogelio wanted to see what else he could do. Mercy Home connected him to a soccer club in Chicago.
“I tried out, made the team, and now I’m playing in the club as a striker,” Rogelio said.
“I needed to work on myself more…I needed to build my self-esteem and confidence.”
– Rogelio
Rogelio also gained employment at Mercy Home and took advantage of the job skills training our Home provides.
“I received help preparing for my interview, Rogelio said. “I sat down with somebody and did a mock interview. It was a good life lesson because now I know what to do in an interview. They taught me good work etiquette and what to do and not do on the job.”
Rogelio also volunteered for many service projects with our coworkers and the other kids. And even though he is back with his family after a year at the Home, he continues to serve the community.
“The summer that I left Mercy Home, I wanted to keep myself busy, so I did a lot of volunteering,” Rogelio said. “I accumulated around 1,200 hours volunteering for events in my neighborhood.”
Rogelio is now a sophomore in high school and is a part of the After School Matters Program, where he is learning about camera work, interviewing, radio equipment, and audio editing. He also gets to operate cameras and record local artists—and he’s absolutely loving the opportunity.
The life-changing experiences and opportunities Rogelio had would not have been possible without Mercy Home and generous friends like you.
“Mercy Home opened a lot of doors for me,” Rogelio said. “It got me out of my comfort zone and gave me more opportunities to go places.”
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