100 Faces of Hope/ 3 : The hope in perseverance.
I’ve been sitting on some big news for a few days… Jenny Diaz passed her TOEFL test! Witnessing perseverance is not unusual at Education and Hope but Jenny’s dedication and commitment to studying for and passing the TOEFL have been extraordinary to behold. Jenny has a dream of earning a scholarship to study abroad and TOEFL success was the first step. She started practically from scratch but with the love and support of a series of volunteer teachers. I have seen Jenny’s passion for achieving this goal on display for almost two years now: unselfconscious, eager to practice with anyone, always willing to try something new. Really, to feel her excitement for learning and her deep belief in herself is remarkable. And contagious.
I went back to read what I wrote over the summer and chose to share the whole post again. The conversation that I describe having with Jenny embodies so much of the spirit of our work at Education and Hope: helping each other to remember we are so much more than our circumstances and that our suffering does not define us; that every one of us is deserving success; that we are deeply loved and inherently worthy. This is the nourishment that Jenny received while she dedicated her days to studying English in the hope of passing the TOEFL. This is what fuels her passion and belief in herself. These are the things that give me hope.
#togetherwerise #thisiswhatlovelookslike #facesofhope
