Esmerelda's Story: Singing Toward Healing

Esmeralda is still very young, yet her early years have carried more pain than most of us will ever know. Her childhood was marked by fear, harsh treatment and deep emotional wounds. Looking back, she often says the only reason she endured those difficult days was because God held her together when everything else seemed to fall apart. Over time, the home became a place where she could breathe freely and begin recovering from the pain she carried so quietly. Healing began little by little — in her body, in her emotions and in her heart. 

Through the Bread of Life Program, Esmeralda enjoys a nourishing breakfast every morning. 

 It may seem small, but for her it has changed everything. The steady meals give her strength, help her concentrate in class and make her school days more peaceful and productive. It is easier to learn when hunger is no longer a daily battle. 

As she settled into the home, something even more wonderful took place. Esmeralda opened her heart to Jesus.  

One of the most beautiful changes in Esmeralda’s life began the day she joined the choir.  

Now she is one of the young voices that fill the church each week. In worship, her voice becomes a gentle offering to God, a sound that comes from a heart He is restoring. 

Singing in the choir has played a key role in her healing. As she hears the words of psalms and hymns. Many before her have cried out to God. Many have found comfort through songs of hope.  

Missionary Maria Canilla often expresses her gratitude: 

“I thank the Bible Society and all those who support the Bread of Life Program because they have made it possible for children to receive physical nourishment and spiritual care. Their generosity has touched the lives of the children at Refugio de Dios.” 

Because of this program, children like Esmeralda not only eat well. They also hear stories from the Bible, learn about the love of Jesus and discover that their lives have meaning and purpose. 

Esmeralda’s journey is still unfolding. But her smile today — so different from the sadness she once carried — is a quiet testimony that God restores what was broken, and that love, when given consistently, can help a wounded child begin again.