When doctors said Memita wouldn’t survive past six months, her mother Debbie refused to give up hope. Born with cerebral palsy and microcephaly, Memita faced not only medical challenges but also rejection and isolation, from society and from schools unequipped to support children with disabilities.
Then Debbie and Memita discovered Crossroads School, a Christ-centered academic program under the umbrella of Joni’s House Guatemala.
Source: www.joniandfriends.org
Debbie Quinonez Moreira
I always asked for a school for Memita. A teacher who loved Memita, who would be patient with her. Crossroads is a prayer fulfilled and answered prayer.
Steve Bundy – Senior Vice President, International Ministries, Joni and Friends
One of the joys of meeting Amita and her mother Debbie is right away you understand that they have the joy of the Lord inside of them.
And that’s not coming from an easy life. In fact, it’s come from a very hard, difficult life.
Debbie Quinonez Moreira
Memita is my youngest daughter. She is 15 years old. Due to complications at the time of birth She suffered cerebral palsy, microcephaly. She was stillborn and they gave her to me when she was 15 days old. They told me she would only live six months and didn’t tell me about the problems she would have. They just told me to enjoy her first six months.
Steve
11 years ago Memita’s father passed away and Debbie found herself as a single mother here in Guatemala, not just with a disabled child, but also another daughter to raise.
Debbie
I looked for support through institutions, NGOs here in. And they never supported me.
Nick Grey – Project Manager, Joni’s House, Guatemala
Guatemala always ranks at the bottom in world statistics as far as illiteracy, malnutrition, poverty and all those kind of things. One of the reasons for that is many people don’t obtain an education. They don’t have the tools to break the cycle of poverty that has been in their families for generations.
Steve
In Guatemala, the school system is not adapted to welcoming children with disabilities.
Nick
People with disabilities will have the hardest time because the opportunities for them to obtain education is just not. It’s not available to them.
Debbie
I was afraid of sending her to school because Memita had already been treated badly at school for having a little sister in a wheelchair. So then I was afraid to send her to school. I taught her myself at home. And then they told me about Crossroads.
Steve
Joni’s House Crossroads school is a unique academic experience for children, teens, and adults with developmental and physical disabilities who’ve never had the chance to work to study academics in a classroom setting.
And so we offer a Christ centred focus on academics. And then we go beyond that at C rossroads. We provide physical therapy. We provide nursing. We provide food and nutrition. We provide socialization. And of course, at Joni’s house, we always focus on the spiritual.
Memita Roman Moreira
The biggest impact in my life was that I learned to write and read better.
Debbie
In education, they teach her very well. They support her in therapy. They taught her to dress herself, to start doing it alone. Something that’s hard for me to teach her. They teach her that. They have helped her with food. And they help with the doctors too.
Steve
We address every need that these individuals of these students have physical, emotional, social, and of course, spiritual.
Debbie
I like that they do devotions there that they can talk about God at all times. That they have that freedom.
Memita
My classmates are family. You can really feel God’s presence. And it it’s beautiful.
Steve
So one of the spiritual gifts that Memita is developing is her gift of worship. And so what she’s gained here at Crossroads School is confidence to develop that skill.
And as a result, she now serves on the worship choir at her local church.
Debbie
I didn’t know that Memita could do many of the things she does. I know she wouldn’t be able to write. I thought she wouldn’t be able to read. I thought she wouldn’t be able to get along without me.
And when I hear her and I ask her, what do you want to be? And she says, I want to be a doctor. I know she’s going to do it. Because at school at Crossroads, they told her that she could. I want to say thank you. Thank you for making this mom believe that there is hope for our children.
Thank you. Joni’s house, for giving love to us today. Thank you for giving them hope. Giving them joy. Giving them education. You give them love and you teach them about God.
Memita
Thank you very much for everything you do for us. And may God multiply all that you do.
People Interviewed and their Titles
Debbie Quinonez Moreira
Steve Bundy – Senior Vice President, International Ministries, Joni and Friends
Nick Grey – Project Manager, Joni’s House, Guatemala
Memita Roman Moreira
Recording Location
Guatemala
Organization featured in this Story
Joni and Friends – www.joniandfriends.org
Producing Organization
Joni and Friends – www.joniandfriends.org
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