Hello! My name is Karina and I want to thank you for helping me live with joy. I didn’t always have joy in my life. My mother abandoned me and I was raised by my grandmother. Eventually, there were family problems and my sister and I were taken to the orphanage, Casa Hogar, which is a part of OCIMA. I was six years old and knew I would miss my grandmother very much but a judge made the decision that we would be best served if we went to Casa Hogar.
Our life changed for the better the minute we got to the orphanage. Some of the Sisters were so much fun to be around and taught us many things. I remember learning to read and write and I loved learning
more than anything. I attended several schools and made several new friends who liked learning as
much as I did. School makes me feel secure. Maybe that is because I always did well in school and
was considered a distinguished girl.
It is very nice to feel proud of oneself knowing that despite all the difficulties and problems of the past, anyone can overcome them if they put their mind to it and have love and support from the people caring for them. These are people like the Sisters. I owe who I am today to the Sisters and other people who helped me as godparents of the orphanage.
