Amadeo was inspired to pursue his passion for cars and went on to study automotive mechanics.

When Amadeo was just 11 years old, his family was forced to flee their home country due to conflict and war. The family, uprooted from their life, traveled and started anew in Champerico, Guatemala, located near our Luis Amigo site. Amadeo’s father sought work in agriculture, while his mother stayed at home to look after Amadeo and his seven siblings. Even with Amadeo’s father working full-time, the family grew up in extreme poverty and struggled to afford basic necessities and school costs.

Amadeo was chosen by a Chalice sponsor when he was 14, and the support made a world of difference for his education. Sponsorship covered school fees and supplies and allowed his parents to provide him and his siblings with better care.

In order to get to school, Amadeo had to walk four kilometers each way. This exhausting trip took a long time, especially while carrying books. Thanks to a generous donor through our gift catalog, he received the gift of a bicycle which he could ride to school! The trip was much faster with the bicycle, and Amadeo had more energy to concentrate in class.

After graduating high school, Amadeo was inspired to pursue his passion for cars and went on to study automotive mechanics. He finished the program after three years and is currently completing his internship. Amadeo’s now 21 and is looking forward to one day running his own mechanic shop.

“Amadeo has always been recognized as being entrepreneurial and restless with great possibilities for his future,” says Sr. Romelia, our Luis Amigo site director. “He has worked so hard to fulfill his dreams, and is deeply grateful to all of those who have supported him,” she smiles.