After living the first few years of his life on the streets with his mother, who was deaf and unable to communicate with him, Pablo was taken into a children’s protection home. However, on reaching adolescence, Pablo had to leave the home.
Pablo struggled to integrate into society. As a teenager, he worked in a motel in order to earn money and support his mother. This left little time or energy for study. At the time Nicodemus came into contact with Pablo, aged 17, his schooling had not progressed beyond primary level. Nicodemus supported Pablo with a scholarship to attend secondary school, a mentor and somewhere to live, and life began to improve.
Pablo has often been pressured, through friends, to get involved with drugs and alcohol but, thanks to the support of his mentor, has been able to refuse. Pablo still struggles economically to support himself and his mother but feels hopeful for the future. ‘When I feel alone and frustrated at not finding a solution, my mentor motivates and supports me, reminds me of what the gospel is and that gives me peace,’ he says.
Pablo and his mum have now learnt sign language through their local church and are able to communicate together. Pablo is currently studying English with the aim of applying for a job in a call centre when he qualifies.
‘Through my experiences, I hope I can help by mentoring someone else,’ Pablo
Pablo’s life has turned around and he is now keen to use the situations that he has been through for good. ‘Through my experiences, I hope I can help by mentoring someone else,’ he says.
