Yuri, 35, lives in a mountainside community on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In her neighbourhood, families navigate daily challenges such as limited access to water, food insecurity, unemployment, and the ongoing threat of gang violence.
Yuri’s warm, contagious smile brightens when she speaks about her husband, Manuel*. After growing up with an abusive stepfather, she feels deeply grateful for her marriage of more than 20 years. “He is not just a good man—responsible, respectful—he is a good father too,” she says.
Healing that restores and transforms
Through World Renew’s local partner, Ministerios Cristianos de Mayordomía (MCM), Yuri joined trauma healing workshops that changed her life. These gatherings gave her space to process pain and begin to forgive—including her stepfather, who is now ill and in her care.
“If I had not healed my heart in the trauma healing workshops, I wouldn’t be taking care of my stepfather after so many years of abuse—of screams, of insults,” she shares. “But God heals my heart, and now I can care for him with love…as if he were my own father.”
The experience also gave Yuri a new sense of confidence. After completing further training, she now facilitates trauma healing workshops herself, walking alongside other women in her community as they discover their worth and dignity.
“Before, everything scared me. I did not have the courage to express myself in front of others,” she says. “Now I have the confidence to share. After being healed in the workshops, my heart was touched, and I am encouraged to help others find healing too.”
Holding on to hope amid hardship
Even with this renewed strength, Yuri carries deep concerns for her family. Like many people facing limited opportunities and insecurity, her husband Manuel and her eldest son, Roberto*, 18, have left Honduras. Manuel sought work, while Roberto fled the risk of gang recruitment.
Yuri now cares for their three younger children—Susana, 14, James, 7, and Iker, 8—on her own. Despite the uncertainty, she holds firmly to her faith and sees God at work through the support she receives.
With access to practical resources like a household water tank, Yuri’s family can store water for their home garden. Growing their own vegetables helps them put nutritious meals on the table and reduces daily expenses.
“We are grateful…because the water tank has been really helpful,” Yuri says. “We can store more water and save money.”
Walking alongside families like Yuri’s
Yuri’s story reflects both the challenges many families face and the strength they carry. With the right support, healing is possible, hope grows, and communities begin to thrive.
You can help make that kind of change possible. By supporting initiatives that provide trauma care, livelihood resources, and community training, you come alongside families like Yuri’s as they build safer, more hopeful futures—together.
*Names have been changed to protect identity
