This is Cristian. Isn’t he the sweetest? He is 8 years old and in the second grade. He is a great kid, very eager to learn and play. He catches on really quickly to the activities we do when I tutor him in English.
When I met Cristian this past February, he was really struggling with his emotions. There was one boy at Casa de Paz (who decided to leave several months ago) that provoked him and made him so angry. It was hard to watch him struggle with the emotions that came out of a hard family life and feeling rejected by some of the boys at Casa de Paz. He didn’t know how to express his feelings, so sometimes he would hit a breaking point and explode in anger.
For the past few months, Cristian has been doing much better. He is still timid at times, not able to express what he really wants, but I am getting to know his true self. It took a long time to earn the trust of the boys, especially from Cristian. I think I have earned it now by faithfully showing up—10 months of seeing the boys every week, teaching them English lessons, playing on the field together, and bringing them special treats of candy or toys.
Please pray for Cristian to grow up into a confident, joyful man. Pray that he would be filled with peace and the knowledge that he is loved deeply by God and by those of us that take care of him at Casa de Paz.
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