Children in these areas of northern Mexico have received many messages in their short lives.

Some say that they are worthless, or they simply hold no identity. Their parents don’t want them or have too many difficulties prohibiting their care for them - an orphanage being their only option. Or perhaps their parents simply don’t have time to spend with them; they have bigger burdens to tend to such as working long hours in local factories to make ends meet.

Society might send the message that it doesn’t want these children either, it’s easier to leave them in centers on the outskirts of the city where the citizens don’t have to think about them and their problems. Likewise their school doesn’t want them as they are far too behind, can’t meet the standards and will never catch up.

One further message may ring loud and clear: life is hard, and they'll never be successful or be able to support themselves. A life in drugs and gangs would be far more lucrative than what their current situation is providing for them, and certain crime would be a much quicker solution and easy fix to their problems.

The children at orphanage Adonai in Chihuahua and the youth at the secondary school on the outskirts of Ciudad Juarez have surely perceived one if not many of these messages in their short lives.

But what happens when one Mentor shows up and interrupts these messages? And not just one time, but every week? Twice a week? Three times a week?

This mentor shares other messages with these children. Messages of truth. They are worth it. Someone does care. So much so that they will continually invest in their lives and be a trusted and reliable presence. And not only that, but they can succeed. Have fun. Escape their difficult circumstances through laughter, exercise, and building social skills while expanding their physical abilities. Consequently, rather than having a gap of time to simply do nothing, or be susceptible to external influences such as gang life and crime, these youth now have a positive outlet to occupy themselves and keep them on the right path. And perhaps most importantly, a trusted adult to accompany them on the journey.

Gabriel continued his Capoeira classes at Orphanage Adonai throughout the summer and with the start of the new school year Daniel started his second term of Breakdance classes in Ciudad Juarez. Click on the two videos to see a bit of what they are up to!

To help support these instructors, the work they are doing, and to help us add a new instructor in the new year to impact more youth, go here.