Delivering food, shelter, and hope to the poorest of the poor
Quick: imagine for a second that you didn’t know how to talk to other people. Imagine that you could see what was going on around you, but nothing made sense. It would feel like stepping into a “darkness” of confusion, fear, and frustration.
That “darkness” would’ve been Gabi’s life if not for Antorcha de Vida.
At 16, Gabi is now a smiling, happy girl. She’s been receiving therapy at this ministry for handicapped children for seven years. It’s not just any therapy—it’s the therapy that’s saved her from a life of total dependency.
Before Gabi’s mother found out about the free and reduced-cost therapy for poor handicapped children at Antorcha de Vida, Gabi’s life was very different. She couldn’t speak or understand what was happening around her.
But everything changed when Gabi began coming to the therapy programs. Now she’s living proof of how God uses ministries like Antorcha de Vida to help handicapped children.
Gabi’s mother, Charo Ampudia Vallejo, said while holding back tears: “Thank God Antorcha de Vida helped us pay for the therapy because now Gabi is speaking and understanding. It’s truly a miracle.”
This special ministry, located in Quito, Ecuador, was founded by retired Ecuadorian bank manager Nancy Romero Cisneros, whose daughter sufferers from Down’s Syndrome. Nancy realized Quito lacked affordable care facilities for children with special needs, like her daughter, whose parents can’t pay for care at traditional facilities.
Inspired by her daughter and called by the Lord, she started Antorcha de Vida—and has been rescuing children like Gabi from “darkness” ever since.
Please pray for the children who rely on Antorcha de Vida for care, and please ask the Lord how you might help bring light to their lives. Click here to get involved today!
One of the most innovative treatments used at Antorcha de Vida is hippotherapy, or therapy through horseback riding.
Antorcha de Vida founder and director Nancy Romero Cisneros saw a need for quality therapy for children with special needs whose parents can’t afford traditional care.
Our mission is to mobilize the global Catholic Church to transform the poor and their communities materially and spiritually for the glory of Jesus Christ. Your gift empowers us to serve the poorest of the poor by channeling life-changing aid through an international network of dioceses, parishes and Catholic missionaries. This cost-effective approach helps break the cycle of poverty and advance Catholic evangelization.