“I Felt the Weight of the World Was Coming to Crush Me.”

Dalma arrived in Waco, Texas, with her 8-year-old son, Marcus who has Down Syndrome, seeking asylum after having fled difficulties in Venezuela. She did not know a single person in the city, could not speak English, and had nowhere to even spend the night.

“When I arrived in this city, my situation was not easy,” Dalma shared, remembering those first few months. “But thanks be to God, I have met a lot of good people who have supported us.”

Because of their asylum status, Dalma and Marcus were able to receive housing, English classes, and job training. During those first initial weeks, Dalma was also referred to Together for Good for hostings for Marcus.

A TFG host family who had experience specifically caring for children with Down Syndrome began hosting Marcus every few weeks to provide respite support as Dalma continued to establish her new life here.

Through Together for Good, Dalma and Marcus were experiencing community. Marcus’s host family was investing in him, and Dalma had been paired with an incredible parent advocate.

By the beginning of this summer, Dalma had found a stable job, and she and Marcus moved into their own apartment. However, shortly after Dalma’s life seemed to have found a new rhythm of stability, the summer day camp Marcus attended while Dalma was at work called to say they simply couldn’t meet his needs. 

Dalma called her TFG case manager, panicked. If Marcus couldn’t be in consistent child care, she wouldn’t be able to work and would lose her job. The alternative – sending Marcus to a program that was specific to children with disabilities – would cost half of Dalma’s paycheck, leaving little money for rent and food.

Dalma’s TFG case manager shared the crisis with Marcus’s host family. The host family knew of a nearby church that had a day camp that went through the summer, whose staff were equipped to care for Marcus. When the church heard the situation, it offered Marcus a partial scholarship to attend for the entire summer and TFG volunteers stepped up to cover the rest of the cost!

Dalma shared, “I have no words to express all the love that has been given to us. When I felt the weight of the world coming to crush me…It was a light of hope for our lives.”

With Marcus in a safe place each day, Dalma was able to keep her job. “We are so thankful for Together for Good, who made this possible,” said Dalma, reflecting on Marcus’s time at the day camp. “Thanks to Together for Good, my son had an unforgettable learning experience, surrounded by loving people. He made a lot of friends, and I was able to go to work without any problems.”

Dalma and Marcus arrived in Waco alone. Now, through Together for Good, they have a network of people who are committed to them. No matter what life brings, they know that they will not be walking through life alone. 

*All names have been changed for privacy.