Editor’s note: Your support provides a safe and nurturing environment for at-risk children. Through your generosity, children are rescued and placed on a path of transformation. It is truly rewarding to the ICC family when children take advantage of the opportunities you help to provide. The following is an edited excerpt of a testimony from one such child. His name is Romer.
A person’s story is not defined solely by the difficulties they face, but also by the way in which God transforms each experience into a source of growth.
I was born on July 24, 2005 in the south of the Dominican Republic. My life has been marked by significant challenges since childhood, but also by the love and upbringing I received at the Las Palmas Children’s Village.
At the age of seven I arrived at Las Palmas. It was difficult to settle in because I was far from my family, but the warmth I received made that place a real home.
My dear grandmother always took an interest in her children’s spiritual lives and was concerned that her grandchildren should receive the best education and be brought up in the ways of God. She took us in to live with her in order to help my mother who was going through a very difficult time with my father. The house where we lived with my grandmother caught fire; my grandmother was ill and my mother was going through a very difficult time. That’s why my grandmother arranged for my brother and me to go to Las Palmas. It was a safe place to stay while the family recovered.
When the situation improved, our family asked us if we wanted to go back. We had received so much love and support that we decided to stay at Las Palmas.
I learned many skills at Las Palmas such as baking, farming and carpentry. These experiences helped to develop my sense of responsibility, discipline, and love of work.
I was actively involved in the church, served as a deacon and learned Christian values that continue to guide my life.
I started primary school in year two, finished secondary school, and am currently at university where I have almost completed three years of my degree. In my vision for the future, I see myself as an engineer committed to excellence, capable of delivering innovative solutions that make a significant impact. At the same time, I envision myself contributing to the well-being of Las Palmas and supporting my family with dedication and responsibility. I aspire to build a strong, values-driven family in which service to God and to my country are fundamental principles that guide our actions and decisions.
I am deeply grateful to God and to everyone at Las Palmas for the opportunities, lessons, and training I have received.
