| When his mother didn’t have enough money for her newborn son to join her in the move to South Florida, Francisco was left to be raised by friends of the family. He was seven when he spoke to his mother for the first time by phone and eleven when he moved in with her. By sixteen, Francisco entered the foster care system. At the age of eighteen, he became a part of an Independent Living program. There he has found the practical and emotional support to pursue his dream of becoming a graphic designer. Francisco is already utilizing his considerable talents to reach out to his peers with a Web site that offers others the hope and encouragement that he has discovered. |
Francisco writes, It was awhile before I realized that my childhood wasn’t normal. When I think about what’s happened to me in the past, I can really say that God has restored me. Because of all that I’ve been through, I want to give kids a better experience. I volunteer with a drug-free program, do community outreaches, serve with my church and I am sponsoring a three-year-old child in Africa. When I talk to kids who are being abused, I can encourage them with my story and the hope that I have found. |
