For César and Jaqueline, serving at Kids Alive began with a season of unexpected change. After the pandemic, both lost their jobs and began praying about their next steps.
Their connection to Kids Alive already ran deep. Their son had attended one of the ministry’s community programs, and through that experience they became more aware of the realities facing children who live in residential care. As they learned more about the children’s stories, they began sensing something. "We felt God calling us to serve in a more direct and committed way," César recalls.
Jaqueline remembers how one child’s story deeply affected her. Hearing about a child who had no parents opened her eyes to a reality that many people never see. "That experience moved us to get involved and to open our hearts to serve children who need care and protection," she says.
Today, more than four years later, they serve faithfully as caregivers and mentors at Kids Alive Peru's Juniper Tree Children's Home.
A Heart for Attentive Service
Both César and Jaqueline bring unique personal experiences that shape the way they care for children.
César’s childhood was marked by unequal treatment among siblings within a difficult family environment. That experience left a lasting impression on him. He takes care to treat each child with fairness, dignity, and love, "as if they were my own children."
Jaqueline describes herself as naturally open and service oriented. She strives to be present not only for the children but also for the Kids Alive staff around her. Listening, supporting, and helping wherever she can has become part of the culture of care she tries to create.
Together, their shared commitment helps shape an environment where children can experience stability and belonging.
Navigating Trauma-Informed Care
Caring for children who have experienced trauma comes with its own complexities. For César, one of the greatest challenges is preparing kids for life beyond the children’s home. While they are protected within the KAI home environment, the outside world often looks very different.
Part of his role is helping them develop discipline, responsibility, and respect so they can navigate the realities of adulthood while still feeling supported and loved.
Every day, Jaqueline is working to establish healthy boundaries. Each child carries a different story and healing process, and caregiving requires constant discernment.
What sustains them both is patience, persistence, and the willingness to keep walking alongside children even during difficult moments.
Witnessing Transformation
Over the years, César and Jaqueline have seen many lives change, but a few stories remain especially meaningful to them.
César remembers supporting a teenage boy through a difficult transition as he prepared to leave the children’s home. They stayed closely involved throughout the process. Later, the young man returned to visit them at their home and has remained in contact. César says, "It showed us that the love you invest truly leaves a lasting impact."
Jaqueline recalls a young boy who arrived carrying deep wounds of rejection. At first, he struggled to trust the people around him. Over time, as the couple intentionally made him feel like part of their family, his behavior began to change. Eventually, he started calling them “mom” and “dad.” "He started to feel loved," she recalls.
Serving With Faith at the Center
When asked what advice they would give to someone considering nonprofit work, both César and Jaqueline point to the same foundation: faith.
César believes this kind of service requires humility, forgiveness, and a deep spiritual grounding. "Without God, it would be very difficult to sustain this kind of work."
Jaqueline agrees. For her, understanding God’s forgiveness is what enables caregivers to extend grace to children who are still processing pain and loss. The work demands selflessness and daily reliance on Christ.
Living Out “Justice that Heals. Bonds that Mend.”
Kids Alive’s tagline resonates deeply with both César and Jaqueline.
For César, justice means protecting children who have come from deeply unjust circumstances. It means "loving them, guiding them, and providing holistic care—creating bonds that allow their hearts and lives to be restored."
Jaqueline sees restoration happening through everyday relationships. Healing begins when people acknowledge mistakes, ask forgiveness, and create safe spaces built on respect, listening, and love.
Together, they're working every day to help children experience the healing that comes from belonging.
Thank you for making it possible for caregivers like César and Jaqueline to provide loving homes where children can experience safety, belonging, and hope. Your support helps create justice that heals and bonds that mend for children all around the world. Want to learn more? Become a Safe Haven Champion today!
For the past three years, Kabukabu Ng’uni has served with Kids Alive Zambia, guided by a deep conviction that vulnerable children and families deserve protection, dignity, and hope. Long before joining the organization, those values were already shaping both her personal aspirations and professional path.
What drew her to Kids Alive was our commitment to advocating for children whose rights are often overlooked. That mission aligned with her own desire to see justice and care extended to those living on the margins. Today, her work reflects a calling rooted in skill and purpose.
A Heart That Listens
Kabukabu's role comes with moments that require deep emotional awareness. One of the most challenging aspects of her work is walking with children during seasons of transition, especially when they're being reunited with family.
In those moments, she carefully navigates the space between empathy and sympathy, remaining present without allowing emotion to overwhelm the child. It's the kind of work that requires self-reflection and trust in God’s guidance. Through it all, her focus remains on supporting children in ways that are meaningful, healthy, and restorative.
A Story of Transformation
One child’s journey stands out clearly to Kabukabu. Mary (name changed for safety) arrived at Kids Alive Zambia about three years ago after experiencing deep loss at a young age. After her mother’s death, her father abandoned the family, leaving Mary to care for her three siblings. The weight of that responsibility eventually pulled her out of school.
When Mary entered Kids Alive care, she was enrolled back into school and provided with the support she needed to begin again. At first, she struggled academically, but over time she began to catch up. She later completed her exams and performed exceptionally well. Today, she's at a mission boarding school.
Beyond academics, Mary has flourished socially and spiritually. She joined both her school and church choirs. "Mary shows so much passion when it comes to singing for her God," Kabukabu comments. Earlier this year, Mary was selected to participate in a special choral competition.
The girl who once arrived withdrawn and unhappy is now expressive, joyful, and confident. For Kabukabu, her growth is a powerful example of how God works through consistent care, opportunity, and belonging at Kids Alive Zambia.
Serving With an Open Heart
Kabukabu believes nonprofit work requires a willingness to give more than you receive. Serving in this space means aligning with the mission and values of the organization, understanding that "the ultimate reward for any good deed is from God."
To her, the work is not about personal gain, but about commitment, humility, and faithfulness in the small moments that shape a child’s life.
Living Out “Justice that Heals. Bonds that Mend.”
Kids Alive’s tagline holds deep meaning for Kabukabu. "It sparked a hidden flame in me to make every effort as I serve the children under our care." She sees it as an invitation to ensure that every interaction with a child carries purpose. The laughter shared, the time invested, and the love shown are not just ways to connect, but building blocks for belonging and joy.
Through her service, Kabukabu strives to help children experience more than attachment. She hopes they discover fulfillment, identity, and the freedom to live fully as God intends.
Thank you for making it possible for dedicated team members like Kabukabu Ng’uni to walk alongside children in Zambia with compassion and care. Your partnership helps create justice that heals and bonds that mend for children discovering hope and belonging. Want to learn more? Become a Safe Haven Champion today!
For two years, Sasha Reyes has served as a caregiver at a Kids Alive Peru home, offering gentle, consistent support to children in their restoration journeys. But her desire to serve others began long before arriving in Peru.
Back in Venezuela, Sasha worked with children and youth as a scout leader and often felt drawn to work rooted in care and guidance. When she learned about Kids Alive, she saw both the need and the opportunity to serve in a Christian organization, which made her decision even more meaningful.
Today, she sees her work as part of God’s invitation to walk closely with children who need compassion, stability, and hope.
Joy in Everyday Moments
Sasha brings warmth to the home in simple but meaningful ways. Earlier this year, she adopted a cat that had once lived on the property. Sasha cared for her and the kittens she had. "I’ve since found homes for most of them," she says. "It’s been a really sweet experience."
Walking With Children Toward Hope
Some of the deepest work Sasha does happens in the quiet, slow process of helping children learn to trust again. One of her biggest challenges is connecting with kids who find it difficult to receive love. Many have lived through seasons when they did not feel safe or valued, and they guard their hearts as a way of protecting themselves.
Sasha responds by being a present source of love in their lives. Sometimes she attends school activities outside of work so the children know they matter. Her approach is simple but powerful: demonstrtrating that each child is important and worth showing up for. "It’s about showing them that they can trust and that they are truly seen," she says.
Restoring Confidence Through Encouragement
One moment Sasha will never forget happened during a visit from Chef Giacomo Bocchio earlier this year. A girl under Kids Alive's care who usually hid her artwork decided to share one of her paintings. Giacomo’s wife noticed, called her husband over, and together they encouraged the girl to continue developing her talent. They even offered support for her artistic growth.
Sasha mentions, "That small moment was powerful — it gave her so much confidence and helped her see herself and her gift in a new light. It was truly moving." Moments like these remind Sasha of how God uses everyday encounters to restore hope and identity in children’s lives.
A Life of Service Rooted in Faith
For those considering nonprofit ministry, Sasha believes it must be a calling from God. The work is full of blessings, but also moments of weakness and self-doubt. In those times, she turns to prayer, asking God for the strength to love well, to be patient, and to understand each child’s needs. "He asks us to deny ourselves, to follow Him, and to delight in Him so that our desires align with His."
She has seen many prayers answered within the staff as they support one another. "It’s a life that only makes sense when it’s rooted in faith," she says.
Living Out “Justice that Heals. Bonds that Mend.”
When Sasha first read Kids Alive’s tagline, it resonated deeply. "I used to think justice was only about lawyers and judges," she says. "But I’ve come to understand that what we do here — being present, caring, and consistent — is also a part of Justice that Heals."
Bonds that Mend are at the very heart of Sasha's work. Children at Kids Alive Peru learn they are loved and valued, even if their past might be filled with pain. Sasha sees it as an honor to help bring healing to their lives through caring relationships. "I never imagined God would use me for something so meaningful."
Thank you for making it possible for caregivers like Sasha Reyes to walk alongside vulnerable children with love, steadiness, and hope. Your support helps sustain work like this all around the world. Want to learn more? Become a Safe Haven Champion today!
Because of you, healing is happening all around the world.
Meet Mr. Mesmin and Mrs. Celamise Borgella. They've served with Kids Alive Haiti since 2011. Back then, they never imagined how deeply the work would shape their lives. Once business owners, they sensed God opening a new door—one that aligned with their love for children.
Even as a young boy, Mesmin would tell his childhood friends that if he was born into a wealthy family, he would adopt and raise a lot of children. Celamise shared a similar longing in her youth—she had prayed for four children of her own. Looking back, she sees how God responded to that desire in an unexpected way, entrusting her with far more children than she ever imagined.
Today, after helping raise nearly twenty children over the years as House Parents (in addition to their two biological children), the Borgellas describe their greatest joy as watching their kids grow into independence and faith.
Joy and Everyday Life
Mesmin and Celamise oversee the Maison de l’Espérance house. Each day begins with devotion and the laughter of children preparing for school. It’s a home filled with structure and joy.
One memory they often laugh about is the day Mesmin tried to cook spaghetti while his wife was sick. Not remembering that the water needed to boil first, he added the pasta too early and ended up with a sticky mess. Rather than waste it, he improvised by adding sugar and milk, turning it into porridge. The children never suspected a thing; they simply enjoyed the special meal their papa had made for them.
Moments like these remind the Borgellas that love and laughter are just as important to a child’s healing as food and shelter.
Guiding Hearts Through Challenges
Caring for children brings deep joy, but it also comes with real challenges—especially as kids grow older and begin testing boundaries. The Borgellas have walked through many of those moments together. But rather than becoming discouraged, they anchor themselves in prayer and Scripture. Their approach is shaped by verses like Proverbs 22:6.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." – Proverbs 22:6
Through steady love, patience, and faith, they’ve learned that every difficult season can also become a moment of growth—for the children and for themselves.
A Testimony of Transformation
Among the many young lives they’ve touched, one stands out: a boy we’ll call Jacques. When he arrived from Port-au-Prince, he wanted nothing to do with God and only attended church because he had to. Yet the Borgellas and the Kids Alive Haiti team continued pouring into him—sharing truth, offering encouragement, and choosing compassion even when he resisted.
Years later, after returning to his community in Port-au-Prince, Jacques reached back out with heartfelt letters and phone calls. He thanked them for their patience and for guiding him toward faith. Today, he is actively involved in his church, serving in children’s ministry and passing on the same love and teaching he once received.
A Heart for Service
For the Borgellas, their role as House Parents is not merely employment—it is a calling from God. They believe that caring for these children is a powerful opportunity to reflect God’s love in tangible ways.
They encourage anyone considering nonprofit ministry to approach it with an open heart. The work can be difficult, but it's also profoundly rewarding. "God will bless you in ways you will not expect," they say. To them, serving children means offering your whole self—trusting that God will bless both the effort and the impact.
Living Out “Justice that Heals. Bonds that Mend.”
The Borgellas see Kids Alive’s tagline as a daily guiding principle. To them, it means creating a home where every child is treated with dignity, kindness, and fairness. It means leading without favoritism, ensuring that each child feels secure, valued, and truly at home.
They feel the responsibility to advocate for every child under their care—to act almost like "public defenders" who protect and uplift without distinction. Guided by love and grounded in faith, they work each day to cultivate a family culture where healing can take root and hope can flourish.
Thank You
We are deeply thankful for donors whose faithful giving makes it possible for couples like the Borgellas to serve as loving parents in Kids Alive homes. Your support helps create safe, nurturing environments where children discover family, faith, and the justice that heals. Want to learn more? Become a Safe Haven Champion today!
Because of you, healing is happening all around the world.
