Family Finds Solace in Hope for the Future

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Catholic News Agency

Robyn and her family are an everyday, middle class family in San Antonio. With two kids in Catholic schools in San Antonio, she was counting her blessings when one day, her life changed, and made her wonder what wasĀ Godā€™s plan for her and her family.

After 23 years of faithful service to a company she had worked for, Robyn was laid off due to a company restructuring; a tale all too familiar to many families. Her son was about to enter a Catholic high school and with tuition an average of $8,000 per year, Robyn and her husband planned for ways to cover the cost.

ā€œā€¦If I could go back to work quickly, it would be OK,ā€ she wrote. ā€œIt seemed God had a different plan for our family.ā€

Within months of losing her job, Robynā€™s 85 year old mother fell and broke her arm. Followed by her husband being hospitalized twice from a work-related injury. Being self-employed meant the family would have to endure little to no income coming in, since there was no sick pay to cover while her husband recovered.

ā€œI was caring for my mom 24/7, helping my husband and being a mom,ā€ Robyn expressed. ā€œI never doubted Godā€™s plan, I just wished heā€™d give me an idea what it was.ā€

Both of her children have attended Catholic school since kindergarten and said she saw the benefits of that education daily.

ā€œThey had awesome grades, no issues with discipline and a strong faith in God. Catholic school was a big part of this,ā€ she expressed.

With the recent hardships she encountered, Robyn had to face the difficult conversation of telling her son that he couldn’t attend a Catholic high school. ā€œHow could I let him down,ā€ said wrote.

As any devoted Catholic would, she turned to prayer to find the answer. She knew in her heart to put it in Godā€™s hands and tried not to worry. She was reminded of Jeremiah 33:3 which says, ā€œCall to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty thingsā€¦ā€

Shortly after she turned to prayer, she received a ā€œMy Child Prays in Schoolā€ bumper sticker thatĀ Hope for the Future, who assists families by providing tuition assistance to attend a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of San Antonio, provided to families through its website.

Robyn exclaimed, ā€œHope for the Future was Godā€™s answer to my prayers! Both of my kids were staying in Catholic school because of the help we received from Hope for the Futureā€

Her daughter, a fifth grader, is an all ā€˜Aā€™ student and her son, a ninth grader, has a 3.9 GPA.

True gratification came when Robynā€™s teenage son came up to her and told her heā€™s decided what he wants to be when he grows up. ā€œThis was exciting, because Iā€™d always got the same ā€˜I donā€™t knowā€™ when I asked before,ā€ said Robyn.

Her son said, ā€œIā€™m going to be a Biomedical Engineer! Iā€™m going to change the world!ā€
With tears in her eyes, all Robyn could do was hug her son and say, ā€œyes you are son!ā€

Robyn is appreciative of everyone who contributes to Hope for the Future because she has been blessed with benefiting from the tuition assistance

ā€œThank you for helping keep [my children] in Catholic schools. For helping [my children] get an excellent education while growing closer to God. You truly were Godā€™s answer to my prayers, a true blessing,ā€ she said.

For more information about Hope for the Future visit:Ā www.hopeforfuture.org.