Enoc was 13 when his father was murdered. He lost his best friend, his role model and his provider. 

Vulnerable, confused and burdened by grief, Enoc was an easy target for the local gang. In the weeks after his father’s death, he was recruited into a world of drugs and violent crime.

“I felt like nobody understood my pain, and I started to consume drugs secretly as they made me feel better,” Enoc explains hesitantly. “I had no idea about the physical damage I was causing to my body; drugs provoked my loss of appetite and made me starve for a whole day.”

Enoc with his older sister Eylin.

Enoc dropped out of school and with his mum and sister out of the house for long hours searching for work, he was able to hide his drug habit. He even went to great lengths to keep his problems from his Compassion project.

But thankfully for Enoc, as a sponsored child, he was known and loved. There was a team of project staff from the local church willing to go to extraordinary lengths to protect him.

“Enoc started to miss classes in the project,” says Anilda his project director. “I noticed that he was neglected. We started to intensify home visits and private counselling. We were so sad to find out about his drug consumption and recruitment to a local gang.”

Fighting a battle

In Enoc’s community in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, gang membership is for life. Death is the only way out. But that didn’t stop Anilda and her team.

“In the midst of Enoc’s struggle, we did not leave him alone. We acknowledged that we were putting our own lives in danger every time we chased Enoc. Then again, we were certain that our God was higher than any obstacle he was facing, and we decided to pursue his life for Jesus.”

Anilda cannot explain what happened in August of last year. She can only attribute it to a miracle.

Enoc was freed from the gang.

A new beginning

In the last eight months, the project staff have worked closely alongside Enoc to help him rebuild his life. They've provided the counselling and support he's needed to come off drugs. His testimony is remarkable.

"I started doing daily devotional times," he explains. "I got involved in the youth activities at the church and project. Before my mother leaves the house to go to work, I recite Bible verses to her and declare God's promises over her life."

Enoc studying outside his home.

Enoch is returning to school and now plans to follow a career in the army like his father he admired so much.

Anilda is still rejoicing that he's returned to the arms of his heavenly father.

You can protect an older child like Enoch by becoming their sponsor. Right now we have a large number of older children who are waiting for sponsors. Some have been waiting for more than a year. 

Meet the young people who are waiting for a sponsor >

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