When Hope Writes Letters: Yohanferli transforms difficulties into dreams
Yohanferli is a 13-year-old girl who lives in Los Alcarrizos, Dominican Republic, with her parents and five siblings. She has been sponsored by World Vision since she was very young, which she describes as a “wonderful gift from God” for her family. The sponsorship has provided her with support in many areas: from food and spaces for spiritual, emotional, and cognitive learning, to guidance in her socio-emotional development and training in nurturing parenting for her parents. Her life revolves around board games like Parcheesi and dominoes, and pastimes that fill her with joy: playing volleyball with her 16-year-old sister, Yudelis, and making her favourite dessert, flan.
What she loves most about her parents is that, even amid hardship, they always find a way to make her smile. For Yohanferli, this ability to transform worry into joy is a testament to the unconditional love that sustains her every day. Her parents not only provide what little they have, but also fill their home with laughter, games, and hope.
Sponsorship through World Vision has transformed Yohanferli's life. Her sponsor, a teacher, not only sends her letters, but also encourages her students to write to her, sending drawings and messages that fill her with joy. "I love receiving letters and writing to them too," she says with emotion. Through tears, she recalls how deeply touched she was to learn that her sponsor inspires others to connect with her, which makes her feel supported and valued. This close relationship has instilled in Yohanferli the dream of becoming a math teacher and, one day, sponsoring other children like herself. “I would like to be like her,” she says with enthusiasm, while dreaming of the moment when she can meet her in person.
The donations have also had a tangible impact on her home: the delivery of a bunk bed allowed her and her siblings to sleep more comfortably and with greater privacy; the reading clubs that World Vision promotes in her community strengthened her confidence and reading fluency; and receiving a Bible accompanies her in her faith and her visits to church. “Don’t lose faith because God never abandons his children,” she advises other children facing difficulties.
Yohanferli dreams of participating in a national volleyball tournament and perhaps one day representing her country. She also longs to give her family a better life and travel to the United States. She studies diligently, wants to learn English, and attend university.
Her mother, Lidia, describes her as a loving, deeply sensitive, and very respectful child. She is convinced that her children will achieve great things, which is why she closely supports them as they grow and does everything possible to ensure their well-being. From their humble home, she cares for them and the chickens and sells small treats to help bring money home.
Yohanferli recounts one of the most difficult moments she has ever faced. Through tears, she narrates how one day she woke up to find there was nothing to eat at home. She and her siblings, starving, were encouraged by their mother to walk to their grandmother's house, several kilometers away, to ask for food. "It was very hard to feel hungry, but even harder was seeing my parents worried, not knowing what to do for us," she recalls with deep emotion.
In those difficult times, Yohanferli has witnessed how God has provided for and cared for her and her siblings. With a serene voice, full of gratitude, she shares the joy she felt upon receiving her first Bible from World Vision, a gift that marked a turning point in her faith. "It brought me so much joy to receive my first Bible," she remembers, because thanks to it, she has grown closer to God and strengthened her commitment to church activities. Today, her relationship with God is a refuge and a source of hope, giving her the strength to move forward and dream of a better future for her family.
Yohanferli's story demonstrates that international sponsorship not only provides material resources but also opens paths of hope, strengthens faith, and plants dreams in the hearts of children living in difficult circumstances. Thanks to donations and the support she has received, she and her family have gained access to tools and opportunities that would otherwise have been unattainable. Every act of support becomes a seed for the future, a reminder that solidarity can transform lives and make true dreams that seem impossible.