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A girl in need: Will you help?
Fredericksburg, here's a unique chance to help people in need
Date published: 4/15/2007
AS A SENIOR, my I met Carmen this past winter during my ninth journey to the refugee village in Honduras. She gave me oranges and drew pictures of her family for me. She worked all day selling oranges to help feed her three younger siblings while her parents were away looking for a job in the city. She never stopped smiling and always greeted us with hugs. But the day before we left Honduras, I saw tears rolling down her cheeks. Carmen gave me a big hug and told me she had been homeless since Hurricane Mitch tore through her town nine years ago. Since then, she has been dreaming that one day her family and her friends in the village will have real homes. And all she asks for is a tin roof, cinder-block walls, a small bed, and a blanket. Nothing else. Tonight will be no different from last night in the second-poorest country in the Western Hemisphere; Carmen will be sleeping on the dirt floor with her siblings, hiding underneath a trash bag to avoid the rainwater. I promised Carmen from the bottom of my heart that I would do whatever it takes to make her dream come true. Today, I am facing the biggest challenge of my life: Approximately $200,000 is needed to build homes for all 72 families, at about $2,800 each. I began helping children in Honduras two years ago. I spent days washing dishes at the school cafeteria and collecting spare change to raise money for the kids. I was all alone, and bit my lips every time someone turned down a flier or collection jar. But today, I am no longer fighting this battle by myself. Last year, my sister Cosmo and I founded Students Helping Honduras, a college-based nonprofit, which has spread to four different universities already.
Date published: 4/15/2007
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