It Starts With Us

Working with our Samaritan Scholars, the team and I see how vital it is for them to stay in school. We want the best for them, so we encourage them to keep studying and working to achieve their goals, no matter what obstacles they have to climb. Then, as so often happens, we realize we need to take our own advice!

That’s what happened to Francisco Paz Hernandez, our program coordinator here in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Back in 2018 when he was 20 years old, Francisco stopped his university studies. While he says there were several different reasons why he quit, one of the main factors was a lack of encouragement and family support. 

Before he was a year old, both of Francisco’s parents migrated to the United States. While his mother hoped to earn enough money to bring him to the U.S. with her, that didn’t happen. He was raised by his grandparents before attempting his own dangerous journey to the United States. You can read that story and why he decided to stay in Honduras in a blog post from 2022.

In 2022, Francisco was hired on my team. As part of his regular workload, he makes home visits with our Samaritan Scholars, checking in on their progress and helping them with homework.

Talking with these scholars and helping them with schoolwork has motivated Francisco to continue his university career. He’s currently studying Industrial Engineering, and WOW, he does very well! He has an academic index of 97%! 

Francisco’s hard work is an excellent example for our scholars. He even inspired me to continue studying to earn a master’s degree, which I have started in Project Management.  

While Francisco’s dedication to his studies and job is important, he is also an excellent friend, co-worker, and above all a good husband to his wife. As Mike, our International Samaritan President, often tells our scholars, “A good job is important, but not more important than being a good son, a good spouse, and a good parent.”

Thank you, International Samaritan, for changing the lives of many people in the world, especially the life of Francisco.  

A note from Mike:

Last week, I wrote about how increasing numbers of Samaritan Scholars and their families have been returning to dumpsites in search of food. I shared some of the “connections” that had heavily weighed on my heart and the hearts of our team members.

Thank you to the many people who responded with encouragement and donations! The need for food remains drastic though. Would you prayerfully consider making a one-time gift or becoming a monthly supporter?

Ronia Romero, Honduras Program Director

Ronia serves as International Samaritan’s Program Director in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She has a degree in Foreign Languages from the Universidad Autonoma of Honduras. For many years, she has dedicated herself to expanding opportunities for children, adolescents, and adults who work in the Tegucigalpa municipal dump.