Fueling Franklin's Future

Enthusiastic Franklin has fought hard in his young life to achieve his dreams. Growing up with his parents, Iselda and David, and his three brothers, the family lived in humble circumstances. The family relied on what Iselda earned selling tortillas and David's fishing and could only afford a small home by the railroad track.

Franklin and his family faced a problem shared with most of their neighbors: chronic food insecurity. In the communities where Chalice works, malnutrition is quite common, because the families can only afford filling but nutrient-poor carbohydrates. Hunger and malnutrition place students at risk of dropping out of school. In Guatemala, only about half of all high school-aged teens are enrolled in school.

The staff of our Luis Amigo site did not want studious young Franklin to become one of those teens. When he was 12 years old, they connected him with a Chalice sponsor. With his sponsor's support, Franklin maintained a good diet and a healthy weight. He set his sights on pursuing university studies and working with computers. And his diligence paid off - he recently graduated with his Bachelor of Computer Science!

Unfortunately, Franklin's family was deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. But thanks to the generosity of everyone who gave a gift through Chalice's Gift Catalog, the Luis Amigo site staff were happy to let him know that they would be receiving a hamper of essential groceries.

"Thank you for the help you have given us; it has been a great help and a great blessing," writes Franklin.

"Faced with a difficult reality and uncertainty, hope arises," writes the Luis Amigo site about the gift of critically-needed food. "God certainly does not allow himself to be outdone in generosity, and will reward each [Chalice supporter] for their great love for the neediest in Guatemala."