Maria is a 28-year-old Colombian woman and mother of two young children: Dylan, 6 years old, and Yosuar, 2. Her life took a drastic turn when she was forced to flee Colombia due to the armed conflict, as criminal groups were trying to recruit her ex-partner. This led her to make the difficult decision to leave everything behind in search of safety for her family.
They arrived in Ecuador in 2022 with the hope of a fresh start. However, it has been a time of many challenges for her, as shortly after their arrival, her partner abandoned her, leaving her alone with the responsibility of caring for her children. To move forward, Maria started selling sweets on the streets of La Carolina. Although this work has allowed her to earn some money, the income is not enough to cover all her family’s basic needs. She often finds herself struggling to put food on the table and, even more challenging, to provide her children with what they need for healthy development.
Maria’s economic situation is very complicated. She lives in a humble, almost empty home. She does not have a proper bed, so she and her children sleep on a thin mattress on the floor. The mattress is so small that it doesn’t allow them to rest comfortably, which affects their physical and emotional health. The lack of a kitchen and refrigerator is also a constant obstacle. Often, Maria is forced to cook with whatever she can, in very limited conditions, and has no way to store food properly.
Given these visible needs, Pan de Vida sought to restore these basic rights and alleviate Maria’s daily burden and worry. We have provided her with food kits to help meet her nutritional needs. Additionally, we have offered free medical care for Maria and her children, which has been essential for preventing illnesses and ensuring their well-being through regular medical check-ups. We also gave the children school supplies to help them continue their education and prevent their studies from being limited by a lack of resources.
As Pan de Vida, we not only seek to alleviate these material needs but also to help people improve their quality of life. We firmly believe in the importance of accompanying individuals in their transformation process, not just at a material level, but also spiritually. For this reason, we strive to ensure that each person has the opportunity to know, approach, and experience the love of God through His word, which has brought Maria comfort in moments of despair and has strengthened her confidence in a better future for her and her children.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
