Hope May
Lori Connell
I was introduced to Mi Esperanza through Lori Connell in the winter of 2006. She was passionate about Mi Esperanza's work, and I knew I wanted to see it. That following summer, my husband and I took our first trip to Honduras and experienced Mi Esperanza firsthand. I immediately fell in love with what they were doing to bring women and their families out of poverty. The following year, we returned to Honduras with our children, who were 2 and 5 years old. It was important to us that they learn to serve others and see other cultures. Our family has made the trip to Honduras over half a dozen times.
Our family has lived in numerous locations, including spending three years in Mexico as missionaries. Shane and I are always thrilled when we get to use our Spanish. We currently live in Birmingham, AL, where we have worked with the youth and children at Disciples Fellowship for over eight years. Our children, Kellen and Samantha, are now 19 and 16, respectively. I have worked for several non-profits and am passionate about working with the underserved.
Over the years, returning to Honduras in the summer, I have seen firsthand how teaching women a trade gives them confidence and pride in themselves. And you can see this affecting how their children are raised to value education. I am excited to be part of Mi Esperanza because I believe in their influence on changing Honduras's poverty outlook. Empowering women will, in turn, empower a country to change.