The Cliff after 18…

Why is turning 18 a cliff for kids growing up within the system of protection in Guatemala?

For those growing up within the system here, when you turn 18, you must leave the group home (or orphanage) you are currently in as you are now considered ‘an adult’ and therefore can no longer continue to live with the younger kids.

Whether you have somewhere to go or not.

And these kids are terrified of this cliff out ahead of them. While most of us look forward with excitement to turning 18, the absolute opposite is true for these young people.

Imagine that you have been growing up within the system for years.

Maybe you don’t even know why you are there.

But maybe you do.

You were abandoned by your family or family member you were living with.

You were removed from your home because of severe neglect or abuse.

Maybe a family member was trafficking you.

If any of these are your situation, it’s not a safe option to go back there when you turn 18.

So what do you do? What are your options?

As we visit homes around the country to introduce Casa de Gracia, and to find out what options their 16 and 17 year olds have ahead of them, we hear a lot of anxiety and fear.

These kids are terrified to turn 18 because they have no idea where they will go, how they will survive, what will happen to them.

Private homes/orphanages will sometimes find a way to keep their children there for as long as possible even after they turn 18 as they try to figure out what options they might be able to find for them to survive when they walk out the doors. This is rare but it’s done whenever possible. Sometimes it buys the young person a month or maybe a little more.

Government homes on the other hand have no choice whatsoever but to send a young person out the day they turn 18. It’s the law.

Obviously, this is traumatic for all involved.

0ur hope and prayer is that Casa de Gracia will be a place where fear and anxiety is slowly replaced by hope and peace as love is shared, safety is felt and needs are met as Jesus is spoken of every day!