Sarah: Living a Dream
Sarah is a sixteen-year-old young woman whose childhood was filled with great upheaval and instability. Her mother was mentally ill and incapable of taking care of her. Sarah's mother placed her into an orphanage and she spent the next nine years of her life moving between orphanages and foster homes, all of which left her feeling lonely and depressed. "I felt as if I were in a prison," Sarah says. "Each place I moved was just one more unhappy experience."
Sarah finally believed her life had taken a turn for the better when she was brought to live with her aunt and uncle. "These were three of the happiest years of my life," Sarah remembers. Unfortunately the happiness proved to be fleeting. Her uncle was diagnosed with cancer and died shortly thereafter. Once again Sarah was moved between foster homes.
During this time a staff member at the Guardians of Israel-funded Neve Hanna Youth Village became aware of Sarah's plight and suggested she join their program. "She was someone who had been through much upheaval in life," he said. "We felt we could make a difference."
In fact, Sarah's time at Neve Hanna made all the difference in the world. At Neve Hanna, Sarah finally found the family she had dreamed of. She lived in a domestic family unit, complete with a surrogate "mother," "father," and "siblings," who ate meals with her and helped her with her homework. Sarah was provided with therapy, art, and drama classes. "I've been here for eight months and I still think I'm living in a dream," Sarah says. "I feel as if we're one big family. I've been in a lot of institutions so I know how special this place is."
Every child deserves a chance in life. Sadly, many neglected, abandoned, and abused children grow up without any hope for a better future. With your donations to Guardians of Israel, you can help provide these children with the stability and love that they need to grow into happy and healthy individuals.
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