Guatemala is one of the 10 most dangerous countries to be a woman. For those living in extreme poverty, there is constant threat of domestic violence, rape, and exploitation. Girls often become pregnant at a young age, left without the means to care for a baby. Some are recruited into gang life, and most have […]

Names have been changed to protect the family. The prayer walk comes to a halt. They have reached the place where blood was spilled days before. Life was taken at the hands of frustrated teenagers with guns in their hands and retaliation in their hearts. Prayers spill out as the group cries, “Lord, end this […]

We are mourning the loss of a mother of eight children in La Limonada this week. She caught a stray bullet not intended for her and passed away last weekend. This kind of tragic loss strengthens our resolve to be present in this gang-ridden slum community. Our hearts break for these children, their father, and […]

In her 2014 TEDMED talk, Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris sheds light on the effects of childhood trauma – something that is unfortunately all too common for the children who grow up in La Limonada. Burke Harris states that high doses of abuse, neglect, and trauma affect “brain development, the immune system, hormonal systems and even […]

Today is Día del Niño (Day of the Child), a national holiday in Guatemala celebrated each year on October 1. It is a day to recognize the rights of children. The need for a day like this is great in a place like La Limonada, where the rights of children are largely ignored or, worse, […]