I have been very fortunate in my life thus far and feel blessed to be a part of other people’s lives. For the past 3 ½ years, I have been involved with a family of 4 young men, the Sanchez brothers; Cesar - 22, Miguel - 21, Manuel – 20 & Jesus will be 19 soon. They have all been in the foster care system for most of their lives. I first got involved with the family through the oldest boy, Cesar. He didn't have any place to go so I invited him to stay with me to “figure out what he wanted to do with his life”. I allowed him to stay for a little more than a year. In fact, I have allowed 3 of the Sanchez boys to live with me, for about 1 year each, usually when they got out of the foster care system at age 18. I have helped 3 of them get jobs, I took them on their first plane rides, I helped Manuel learn to drive and get his driver’s license, etc. And as it turns out, I am going to have the fourth brother, Miguel, stay with me starting on March 1st this year, it’s his turn.

It certainly has not always been easy, as you can expect, with four testosterone laden young men trying to figure out their place in life. The most important thing for me to remember is that they are all individuals and have their own personalities.

While it would be easy to lump them all together, that would not be fair to any of them. They all have special attributes that makes them unique individuals. Cesar is fortunate in that he is always happy, regardless of what is going on in his life. Manuel has aspirations of being a comedian and a rap artist. He has a tough exterior but is very kind and helpful to his brothers. Jesus is still trying to figure out what his niche in life is. He is kind to his friends. We chant together and I can feel that it really helps him to relax and focus. As for Miguel, he wants to be a preacher. When he moves in here with me, I will help him attain any and all goals he may have for himself.

Cesar & Marie - same person

I consider myself very fortunate to be able to take an active part in these young men's lives. Even with my limited means, I know for sure that I am making a difference in their lives and in mine.

I am truly blessed.