Marycruz. Meshach. Ben. Hertzley. Mukisa.
They’re just names to you now, but over the next two months you’ll get to know them one by one. Five stories, five countries. You’ll get a glimpse into what it’s like growing up in a developing nation, the challenges they face and the goals they reach for. Ranging in age from an infant to a young adult, these five aren’t just part of a statistic—just 5 out of the 387 million children around the world living in poverty—they’re real people with likes and dislikes, and hopes and dreams.
Hertzley’s favorite color is red, he’s learning to play the recorder, and he wants to be a pastor when he grows up. Ben, a double orphan in Kenya, used to walk about three miles each way to school and was on a path that could’ve led to a very different life.
Scattered across the globe, these five youths have dramatically different backgrounds and life stories, but they all have something in common: they have experienced the love of Christ in tangible ways.
In the coming weeks, we will share these stories with you, one at a time. Read what they have to say, get to know them, look at the pictures, watch the video, and be inspired—you, by partnering with Bright Hope—are creating brighter futures for each of them…and thousands more just like them.
Meet Our Five Kids:
Bolivia: Marycruz
This little Bolivian girl’s father died two years ago, and she and her mother and little brother Joel are fighting to survive. Her father worked in the mines, but contracted a lung disease and was sick for years. Near the end of his life, he weighed only about 100 pounds. And even before that, he’d spent time in jail for driving without a license and accidentally hitting an elderly man…who ended up dying.
Kenya: Ben-Johnson
When Ben’s mother passed away when he was 15, he found himself without a home and wondered if he’d ever get to fulfill his dream of graduating. Then he found a place at a Bright Hope-sponsored school, and everything changed.
Zambia: Meshach
Living on an island in Zambia, six-year-old Meshach’s parents had to drop out of school by grade three. However, they’re laying a different foundation for their son’s future: Meshach is the first person in his family to attend preschool! And it’s not just any preschool, but one that his parents helped Bright Hope build by hauling water, sand and bricks by hand.
Haiti: Hertzley
While many youth in the community of Ferrier have stopped attending church or see no future for themselves in Haiti and emigrate, 11-year-old Hertzley is active in his church and has a passion for music and seeing people come to salvation. Affectionately called a “church baby,” our partner church plays a profound role in his life.
Uganda: Mukisa
Baby Mukisa was born after his mother, Esther, had been in labor for a week and needed to deliver him via emergency C-section. Because hospitals in Uganda are often understocked, many mothers get turned away for not having the required hygienic tools needed for delivery. Thankfully, Esther had a Mama Kit given to her by Bright Hope and was able to safely bring Mukisa into the world.
No matter where in the world you come from or what your story is, this holiday season you have the power to change the next chapter of children’s lives.
Right now, you can give a gift that will bring Hope for Today, Tomorrow and Eternity to children like Marycruz, Hertzley, Meshach, Ben, and baby Mukisa.
22,000 children are dying every single day due to poverty. But you can change that statistic. Give children an opportunity to thrive, a reason to Hope, and a chance to dream…and see those dreams come true.
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