“I didn’t expect so many people [to greet us],” Daniela told us later. “I was so surprised to see all of them, singing a welcome to us. It made me feel so good. I was really happy to be surrounded by so many loving people.”
Over the next few days, it seems the heavy fog Daniela was walking through was lifted. She and her family spent four weeks at the Center—four weeks in which she could be a kid. Four weeks where she didn’t have to bear the burden of grieving her father on her own. “I felt good for the first time in a long time and I was able to explore new places, new cities and new people,” she says. “I managed to do many things,
I had a lot of free time. I met many children, I went hiking, I put my feet in the river … I also learned that, although there are difficult times in life, there are also times when Jesus helps us to overcome through people and prayer.”
It was also a great experience for her mother and brother. “[My mom] saw that she doesn’t have to walk through this time of grief alone,” Daniela says. “She felt surrounded by other people. It was very important. For Sebastian, it was the best experience he ever had! He visited the cockpit on the plane, ran through the fields and had a lot of outdoor fun. He likes to run and play soccer, so he invited the boys to play with him at the Children’s Center.”
After seeing how dangerous the area was where Daniela, Sebastian and Alba were living, Open Doors also arranged a new house for them, a better one in a much safer area. They’ve also been provided with ongoing trauma support, to help them deal with and heal from the violent death of Plinio. “This was only possible through the gracious prayers and gifts of our supporters,” an Open Doors field worker says. “Thanks to you, Alba and Dani and Sebastian have moved and are in a safer place. Alba wants to open a sewing workshop in her home. Dani and Sebastian are studying and are happy. Through the trauma support, we can see they are moving on with their lives, despite the painful loss they suffered.”
“It is very important to know that this Christmas there are people around the world praying for me and my family,” Daniela adds. “I am very grateful for that, because I see that God works through these prayers.”
When we ask her if she has a final message for those who care about her and other persecuted children, she smiles and replies confidently. Her words echo the life of her martyred father:
“Sé valiente y fuerte, sigue confiando en el Señor.”
“Be brave and strong, keep trusting in the Lord.”
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2020 issue of Presence magazine.