I had the honor of meeting someone very special last month. Her name is Andrea, and she lives in a very rural community named Santa Martha in our Nagarote network.

Andrea was one of our scholarship students, and she was preparing to graduate the day after we met. She graduated at the top of her class while simultaneously excelling in a technical school program focusing on agriculture.

I am continually amazed at the dedication and determination of our students, but there was something different about Andrea. Her spirit was contagious; you could immediately see the hope she had for the future.

It was not until Andrea gave us a tour of the farm she had been maintaining that I learned why she was so special. As she walked us around, showing us her lemons, squash, and many other organic fruits and vegetables she was tending, she shared her story. She gave me permission to share her story with you.

Andrea’s biological mother has the mental capacity of a six-year-old and nearly two decades ago, Andrea’s mother was raped by a relative. The result was the birth of a beautiful baby girl – Andrea.

Situations like these test people’s character, and Andrea shines even brighter due to her circumstances. With the support of her grandparents, who she considers to be her parents, and her strong hold on her Christian faith, Andrea has forgiven the events of her past and she has risen above them. She has chosen to focus on the future and make the best of it.

She has done a tremendous job of taking advantage of the opportunities Rainbow Network has brought to her community. With her high school and trade school diplomas, she plans to not only continue her work in agriculture but also to continue studying. She wants to become an agricultural engineer, and we have no doubt she will succeed.

Here is a video I took of her the day I met her, the day before her graduation. This is what God is creating through Rainbow Network – hope and transformation.

If you would like to impact a life like Andrea’s, please check out our student page or call us at (417) 889-8088

Megan Herrera, President