HELPFUL HANDS & HOPEFUL HEARTS
BY MCKENNA BELL

   Rosmary Angel was a seven year old girl who had endured more of life’s hardships than anyone should ever have to endure. By age seven she had been beaten nearly to death by her biological mother, repeatedly. She had been abandoned, sexually abused and had never been truly cared for. She spent several years in a state-run orphanage that housed over 3,000 Guatemalan orphans, where she was teased and bullied because of the color of her skin.

   Rosmary was given a new beginning at House of Hope at the age of seven. The new beginning came in the form of house parents, who came to serve at the orphanage called House of Hope in Zacapa, Guatemala, where Rosmary had been transferred. By the grace of God, these lives intersected and have deeply impacted each other. Those house parents happened to be my aunt and uncle, who felt a calling on their lives to find their own family among orphan children. Rosmary is 22 years old now, a thriving, hopeful, gifted young woman. She is here now to share her story, having traveled for the very first time out of her country, by herself, hoping to touch people’s life and make a difference.

   My CBSL project seeks to bring awareness to both orphans like Rosmary and those who have a heart to help them. I first met Rosmary when I was in fourth grade during a visit my family made to House of Hope. I had no idea Rosmery would become a part of my life in the way she has been. Since my Junior year I have wanted my CBSL so somehow connect to House of Hope, and when I heard of Rosmary’s desire to come to America and share her testimony, I felt it was God giving me a chance to make Rosmary’s wish a reality. I took on the project without realizing how difficult it is for Guatemalan citizens to get a visa that allows them to temporarily leave the country. There was a lot of work that had to go into getting Rosmary to the place where she could even apply for a visa, and even after she applied, the chances of her being permitted a visa were slim. Much prayer was poured into this part of my project and by God’s grace she was granted her visa, and arrived in California for a three week stay. While she is here, she will be sharing her story with as many people as she can in both formal and informal settings. She wants to touch people’s lives with the hope she has been given by missionaries who call her their daughter and who have changed the course of her life forever. As I continue to get to know Rosmary I find myself in awe of her and her journey. I had no idea this project would become so personally meaningful to me. Rosmary is a very special girl. I have only been working with her since the beginning of this year, and she has already taught me so much. She is one of the strongest, wisest, bravest and most faith-filled young women I have ever met. Her courage and willingness to go where she feels God is leading her is inspiring.

   It is my hope, as well as Rosmary’s, that seeds are planted as she shares her story. Students can get involved with my project by not letting these seeds go un-watered. Her story touches us all in different ways, and it is up to us to decide how we will agree to give back. God promises each of His children hope and a future. How will we partner with Him to help? Odds are, most of us may not give up our lives and move to a foreign country to serve as a missionary. And most of us have not experienced the things Rosmary went through. Regardless, each of us can play a part, big or small, in making this world we share a better place.

   Thank you for reading about my project!