As we close out 2025, we welcome 2026 with open arms. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the sponsors and supporters who have helped turn dreams into reality for so many young students. As we step into this new year, our mission remains the same: to reveal God’s love in action by serving the poor, together with the global Catholic community.
Each year, our sponsors make a difference in the lives of children and families living in poverty. By attending and staying in school, children are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a hopeful future. Two sisters living in Guatemala have felt especially blessed to receive sponsorship, which has opened doors to education, stability, and renewed hope.
Inseparable sisters Natalia and Trikcy grew up around strong women. After their father’s death in 2018, they’ve been raised by their mother Trikcy Veralí and maternal grandmother, Gumercinda.
Since losing her husband, Trikcy Veralí became the head of her household, no small challenge in rural Guatemala.
“Although her grief was profound, she faced the situation with faith and strength,” says Sister Juliana, Luis Amigó site director, “combining her role as a mother with housework and other jobs to provide for her daughters.”
When Natalia and Trikcy were 10 and nine, respectively, they were both sponsored through Chalice. Their mother told the Luis Amigó staff that “God gives her strength knowing they have support to buy food, clothing, and school supplies.” She also shared that “she also greatly values the training she receives, as she learns new skills that allow her to grow and excel.”
The girls’ sponsors “arrived in their lives at a crucial moment” in their education. They are both motivated and diligent students, which reflects in their high grades. They’ve also both become singers, musicians, soccer players, and volunteer at their parish Masses as lectors and altar servers.
Their teachers can see their mother’s influence on their demeanors. “Trikcy [Veralí’s] example and gratitude reinforce their attitude: they are cheerful, enthusiastic, and always willing to learn and improve.”
The staff believe that thanks to their mother’s “sacrifice and the support of sponsorship, Natalia and Trikcy are growing up in a safe environment, providing them with everything they need to continue pursuing their dreams, proving that adversity doesn’t define their destiny.”
Our sponsors and supporters are the reason for so much hope, your commitment creates lasting change. As we close out 2025, the Jubilee Year of Hope, we invite you to carry forward the spirit of renewal and compassion into the year ahead.