How abused children are becoming
‘triumfadores en Cristo’

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — “We work through the Word of God to rehabilitate the lives of the children,” says Esperanza López, founder and director of the Niños Triumfadores en Cristo home for street children.

Laughing and playing with paint, a wonderful change in the life of this little girl, is a mirror of the spiritual changes also resulting from living in the loving environment of the Niños Triumfadores en Cristo home in Bogotá, Colombia. Photo: UBS/Larry Jerden (COL01DJ-111.JPG)

A girl named Majelli, aged 10, is a living testimony of how the Scriptures are touching such lives. She and her sister were brought to the home two years ago.

“They were both just wrapped in blankets, and both had been victims of incest,” Ms López recalls, “but God has done a wonderful thing in their lives. They put away the things they were inhaling and have learned the Word of God. Both have given their lives to Jesus.

“Majelli is in first place in her class at school, and the two girls are the best children in the foundation.” Sadly, she adds, their parents will still have nothing to do with their daughters.

Of all the children in the home, it is evident that none brings as much joy to Ms López as a little two-year-old called Sarah.

“Sarah was picked up when she was one month old,” Ms López says. “She was going to be sold for US$1,000. The problem was, the woman was trying to sell the same baby to two different girls.”

The ‘problem’ erupted when Sarah was born and three women – the two buyers and the one seller – arrived at the hospital at the same time.

“The authorities realised what was happening and took the baby from the mother,” Ms López explains. “The staff of the government’s Ministry of Family Affairs called and gave Sarah to me. They had looked into what I do, and concluded that I was a responsible person.”