SPONSOR SR. FERNANDA

Hello, I am Sister Fernanda. I currently serve at the Sisters of Mary World Villages for Children Girlstown (Villa de las Niñas) in Brasilia, Brazil, and we take care of over 800 young girls here.

I was born in a poor city in the State of Maranhão, Brazil, and my parents’ financial situation was extremely precarious. They could barely support themselves. I was blessed to be allowed to study with the Sisters of Mary. In my last year as a student with the Sisters of Mary, I discovered the call to follow in their footsteps and example, and I asked to be accepted as a candidate to be a Sister of Mary.

I always try to be present with the children as their spiritual mother, as I know they have suffered a lot before coming here. With the grace of God, today, as a Sister of Mary, I can interact with the children dynamically and sensitively so that they see and feel the love and protection of the Sisters and our Lord. Sometimes, they have difficulty opening up and adapting to their new life because they were mistreated and did not feel loved by their family. I feel how much they suffer, and it is not their fault. That is why I give them the affection, care, teaching, and love of a mother in the name of Christ. This helps them regain their self-esteem and feel loved and valued. My favorite part of being a Sister of Mary is having the opportunity to serve the children following the spirituality of Father Al, our founder.

What makes our work unique is that we not only aim at meeting the children’s physical needs but also give them the educational and moral formation that will help them to live for eternity with God. Thanks to you, our dear benefactors, the children in our care receive everything necessary spiritually and materially. My spiritual children and I keep you in our prayers daily.

God bless you and thank you for sponsoring me!

$39 FEEDS ONE CHILD FOR ONE MONTH

$72 EDUCATES ONE CHILD FOR ONE MONTH

$125 FULLY SPONSORS ONE CHILD FOR ONE MONTH

IF YOU PREFER TO GIVE QUARTERLY OR ANNUALLY, PLEASE CLICK HERE AND TYPE THE NAME OF THE SISTER YOU ARE PARTNERING WITH OR LOCATION IN THE “DEDICATED TO” BOX:

$1,496 FULLY SPONSORS ONE CHILD FOR ONE YEAR
$49,368 FULLY SPONSORS ONE FAMILY OF STUDENTS FOR ONE YEAR (AVG. 33 STUDENTS/FAMILY OF STUDENTS)
Sr. Fernanda praying with her spiritual family
Sr. Fernanda helping girls learn how to sew

YOUR SUPPORT PROVIDES

  • Hope.
  • Clean water.
  • Medical care.
  • Dental care.
  • Three nutritious meals a day.
  • A safe place to live and study.
  • Clothing and school materials.
  • Help to break the cycle of poverty.
  • Spiritual, physical, and emotional care.
  • Vocational training tailored to local industries.
  • Protection from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
  • Opportunities to participate in sports, music, and art.
  • Spiritual, social, and academic formation and guidance.
  • Education for students that leads to careers or college.

YOU WILL RECEIVE

  • A welcome package with information on your selected Mother Sister.
  • Information about the situation of the country in which she is serving.
  • Biographies from a few of the children cared for by the Sisters.
  • The peace of knowing you are being remembered daily in prayer.
  • Opportunity to share your prayer intentions with the Sisters and children.
  • Continuing engagement in serving the poor and changing lives.
  • Mission and pilgrimage visits can be arranged to select locations.
  • Opportunities to send notes of encouragement to the Sisters and children.
  • Periodic updates from the Sisters of Mary.

 *Please note: 

  • The Sisters love receiving notes, but as you can understand, it is often difficult for them to write back directly because of their commitment to caring for so many children.
  • In accordance with our child protection policy, all communications go through the WVC office in the U.S. (personal contact information will be redacted).
The Sisters of Mary Impact Video

THE SISTERS OF MARY

The Sisters of Mary are devoted to helping the poorest of the poor in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The religious order was founded by Aloysius Schwartz, the priest of the poor. The Sisters have been operating charitable programs for more than fifty years serving children with the greatest need who have the greatest potential. In 6 countries there are 400 Sisters of Mary caring for over 21,000 children with the mission of helping them break free from a life of poverty. This is one day in the life of a Sister.