Chava’s Story
As Chava made his way down the narrow street, dimly lit by a bent light post, he felt a strange apprehension. ‘Everything is fine.’ he assured himself. He regularly arrived home from school around 9:00 p.m. But tonight something just didn’t seem right. His mother...
Mari’s Story
Mari’s hand trembled as she reached for the lamp sitting on the bedside table. Would she dare to turn it off? She tried to compose herself. ‘I’m thirteen!’ she reasoned. ‘Too old to believe in superstitions.’ However, as Mari’s hand came to rest on the knob of the...
Susana’s Story
Life is too boring! Susana thought as she walked home from school one sunny afternoon in Puruándiro. My parents never let me do anything.She began to think wistfully of her friends and all the things they had that she didn’t. If I only had a phone, a boyfriend, and...
Lupita’s Story
Lupita's small bare feet ran swiftly toward the sound of a church bell ringing loudly in the little village of Los Fresnos. The bell called the children to their catechism classes and she, for one, was not going to get to church late as other naughty boys and...
Salomon’s Story
Seven-year-old Salomón looked suspiciously at the cardboard box sitting on the table. Those boxes were capable of containing such wonderful surprises, or such awful ones. He warily looked around to make sure his mother wasn’t watching before tiptoeing over to the...
Almita’s Story
Almita Roa was named after her mother, Alma, who was from a devout Catholic family, although she herself did not heartily embrace the religion of her parents. Almita's dad, Miguel believed in a Superior Being, and trusted in karma, but because of his prosperous job in...
Jose’s Story
"Stop!" commanded a stern voice from the darkness. Suddenly, two more border patrolmen appeared from nowhere. Miguel’s dark eyes looked wildly for an escape route, but he feared losing consciousness if he made a run for it. He glanced down to see blood flowing from...
Juan’s Story
“Where am I?” wheezed Juan, as he tried opening his red, swollen eyes. The dim light from the overhead lamppost outlined a dark street dotted with small houses. He could just make out a lop-sided sign screwed to one of the houses, and a scrawny dog, jumping up...
Felipe & Liduvina’s Story
Will this nightmare ever end? the young girl wondered as she covered her head once again, awaiting the blow that was sure to follow. Her husband spared her no sorrow during his drunken outbursts, which normally ended with a beating. In a sense, Liduvina was used to...
Arlene’s Story
Arlene Arnold's dark, troubled eyes looked up questioningly at the Catholic priest's stately and imposing figure. For once, she had dared to ask the priest a question. And the twelve-year-old had to admit she felt very disappointed with the answer. It was a simple...
Rosi’s Story
“You’ve got to be crazy,” Rosi looked incredulously at the woman in front of her, who was holding a Bible and gazing earnestly at her. “What do I possibly have to thank God for?” Monica looked lovingly at the woman in a wheelchair, her face hardened and...
Gilberto’s Story
“Stop! Let go of me!” yelled Gilberto, flailing his arms in the air, trying desperately to wriggle free of his mother’s strong grip. “Woah! Calm down there, soldier,” cautioned the sergeant as he let go of Gilberto’s shoulder. “You must have been having some...
Alicia’s Story
Surely, help would soon be on the way! The young girl’s face portrayed anguish as she tossed a strand of her long dark hair over her shoulder and looked nervously up and down the path. Alicia sat on the small dirt trail near the river cradling her father's head...
Adriana’s Story
Adriana sat nervously, scanning the ornately decorated room in which she found herself. The hands of the big, wooden clock ticked slowly past each number. It seemed as though this would never end. Alejandro, looked over compassionately at his girlfriend who was...