Did you get a chance to read the feature on the El Amor de Patricia orphanage in Guatemala? It’s run by local business owner Tamara Hillstrom (of the Enchanted Tree House in Wayzata), and she and a few others were featured in the story in our December 2011 issue.
As a result of running the article, Hillstrom sent us some great news. I’d summarize her email, but it’s best when it comes straight from the source:
“I want to share a story that I think you will appreciate as a journalist. Shortly after the article circulated among the adoptive parents of Guatemalan children, one family from Tennessee contacted me to say they would like to sponsor a little baby girl. Well this family is very special as last summer their 8 year old Guatemalan daughter died in a terrible car accident. They almost lost their son as well... it was the saddest story and I followed it closely. I always wanted to offer them comfort even though I had never met them... but we parents of Guatemalan children have a special bond. What happened next was amazing. We got 5 new baby girls last week and one would be the one that family would sponsor. As it turned out, one of the babies came to us without a name (if you recall the only other child that came without a name was our very first girl that we named after my mom)...So I asked the family if they would give us the honor to name this new baby after their sweet daughter and they agreed and have embraced this baby and have committed to taking care of her for the rest of her life.... what are the chances one of the babies came without a name at that time... for that family. Though they had heard about the orphanage it was not until they read that amazing article that they chose to sponsor... you all had a direct hand in this miracle.”
In another email, Hillstrom shared: "As a result of the radio interview in Guatemala that resulted from the article, we have received donations of approximately 2000 diapers from the Guatemalan people as well as many other things needed at the orphanage. Lilly said at least 50 people stopped by on Christmas Eve to bring donations and she is going to be on the only Guatemalan television channel because of it.... she said her phone has not stopped ringing... THANKS TO YOU!"
Thank you for sharing this incredible response, and thank you to my writer, Adrienne Richter, for doing an excellent job reporting on this topic. It’s always amazing to me that our little publication can have such a big impact. Here’s to more stories like this in the future!
