Every eye was fixed on Nelcy, Carla’s* madrina (godmother) as she removed Carla’s flat shoes and transitioned her to her first pair of high heels. It was the moment everyone had been waiting for. Carla was leaving behind girlhood and was officially a señorita, a young lady.

Lucas* was busy in the kitchen making passion fruit juice, when suddenly one of his tias, Pilar, entered and poured herself a glass of water. Usually self-conscious when people watch him prepare food or snacks, his hands began to tremble, and he started absentmindedly adding water to the juice.

"I didn't go to school today," shouted Luis*, as I entered the house.

"Oh really? Why?" I asked, very interested.

"Well… I have things to do, you know," he responded.

Veronica gets misty-eyed as she speaks of Lucas’s* graduation and the moment he was given the honor of being first escort, signifying his high academic ranking among his classmates.

Her dark hair framed a face marked with evidence of physical mistreatment. Baby Nelly* was just two months old when she was welcomed into the loving arms of the tias at FHC-Quito.

If you have ever been around a five-year-old, you know how much they love to ask questions. Michael*, who has been at For His Children since he was an infant, is as curious and inquisitive as they come.

From the first day of culinary class, Maria* compulsively tried to put every food item in her mouth. She is severely visually impaired and Veronica, her Occupational Caregiver, had to continually remind her to stop tasting everything.