If you are looking at this site, you know and love Valeria Garcia and her amazing family, Ozzy, Patty, and Kayla. Many of you have watched Valeria grow into a strong, determined and independent WOMAN and know that she has spent the last year in Costa Rica as an ambassador of good will for the Peace Corps.
For those of you that don’t know her, it is those rare times in life when you meet an incredible person that is so unique, determined and focused on achieving a goal that she does not let anything stand in her way. This is Valeria.
She is the first person in her family to go to college, attending San Diego State University and graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. Her commitment to her studies resulted in a degree with the highest honors “Summa Cum Laude.” During her time at SDSU, Valeria had the opportunity to spend the summer in Costa Rica teaching women and children English. One of the many projects she undertook was to develop a program that would allow the local women to sell their crafts to the tourists and shops in the area with the hope of generating additional income for their families.
Upon her return from Costa Rica, Valeria began to prepare for her graduation from SDSU. Within weeks of her goal, she was hit with Bell’s Palsy, a rare condition that causes a sudden loss of facial nerve function. It was a trying time for the Garcia Family, but ever the determined woman, Valeria pushed through the physical and emotional obstacles, always with a smile on her face (even if it meant holding back her tears).
Upon graduation and near complete recovery from the effects of Bells Palsy, Valeria focused on her new mission: Return to Costa Rica to the communities she served while a student at SDSU. In her search, Valeria received the good news that she was accepted into the Peace Corps which would allow her to return to Costa Rica. Her hard work and determination was a Success!
For the last 10 months Valeria has spent her time in Costa Rica teaching English to the local teenagers and has helped to organize the first female soccer league for the young girls of her community (who expressed interest after watching Valeria’s skills on the field as she played on the local boy’s team). On top of her busy schedule she taught the importance of nutrition, healthy living and exercise classes to the elders of the community.
If you know Valeria, you know that this past year has been a dream come true, full of joy, servitude and laughter. But life has thrown her a curve ball yet again. Just as 2015 was coming to an end, Valeria was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (that they believe is a result of a virus – more to come on the diagnosis). Staying positive as Valeria always does, she figured she could get her diabetes under control and continue her time in the Peace Corps.
However, just a few days after her diagnoses, as she lay in her hospital bed, she was delivered the heartbreaking news that the Peace Corps was discharging her from service due to her medical condition. Valeria was required to leave Costa Rica and return to the United States within 72 hours, without the opportunity to say goodbye to her students and the community she loved and served.
Our hearts break for her, which is why we have set up this fund. Even while they determine the extent of her illness, keeping true to herself, Valeria has set another goal: Get better and return to her Costa Rican community to finish what she started with or without the Peace Corps. And we want to help her achieve her goal!
What we have all learned from Valeria is to find the positive in every situation and don’t let roadblocks get in your way or slow you down. Our hope is that Valeria can come home and focus on getting herself better without feeling the financial pressures of being back in the United States. Once better, she can return to Costa Rica to finish what she has started, serving others and inspiring the people of Costa Rica and those here at home.
Many of you have heard of Valeria’s obstacles and would like to help her during this time of need. First and foremost, please keep her in your PRAYERS and pray for her and her family as they tackle this disease. Pray for her complete healing and that Valeria and her family will experience Christ’s presence and peace through it all. If you would still like to help in other ways, please consider donating to this fund to help her get back to finishing what she has started. Thank you for your consideration in giving her the gift of security so that she can solely focus on her healthy recovery.
This campaign is a result of her family and friends coming together to help Valeria return to Costa Rica, once better, to finish what she started. If you know the Garcia Family, you know that they would never ask for any help, but would be the first to always help others. This is just who they are. Financial assistance is one of the most tangible and helpful ways that we as family and friends can serve them during this very challenging time. Thank you for your consideration.
Please use this site to send Valeria and her family words of encouragement.
(To Read More About Valeria’s Journey, Visit (https://vgarcia1181.wordpress.com/2014/07/31/the-smile-is-arriving/)
For those of you that don’t know her, it is those rare times in life when you meet an incredible person that is so unique, determined and focused on achieving a goal that she does not let anything stand in her way. This is Valeria.
She is the first person in her family to go to college, attending San Diego State University and graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. Her commitment to her studies resulted in a degree with the highest honors “Summa Cum Laude.” During her time at SDSU, Valeria had the opportunity to spend the summer in Costa Rica teaching women and children English. One of the many projects she undertook was to develop a program that would allow the local women to sell their crafts to the tourists and shops in the area with the hope of generating additional income for their families.
Upon her return from Costa Rica, Valeria began to prepare for her graduation from SDSU. Within weeks of her goal, she was hit with Bell’s Palsy, a rare condition that causes a sudden loss of facial nerve function. It was a trying time for the Garcia Family, but ever the determined woman, Valeria pushed through the physical and emotional obstacles, always with a smile on her face (even if it meant holding back her tears).
Upon graduation and near complete recovery from the effects of Bells Palsy, Valeria focused on her new mission: Return to Costa Rica to the communities she served while a student at SDSU. In her search, Valeria received the good news that she was accepted into the Peace Corps which would allow her to return to Costa Rica. Her hard work and determination was a Success!
For the last 10 months Valeria has spent her time in Costa Rica teaching English to the local teenagers and has helped to organize the first female soccer league for the young girls of her community (who expressed interest after watching Valeria’s skills on the field as she played on the local boy’s team). On top of her busy schedule she taught the importance of nutrition, healthy living and exercise classes to the elders of the community.
If you know Valeria, you know that this past year has been a dream come true, full of joy, servitude and laughter. But life has thrown her a curve ball yet again. Just as 2015 was coming to an end, Valeria was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (that they believe is a result of a virus – more to come on the diagnosis). Staying positive as Valeria always does, she figured she could get her diabetes under control and continue her time in the Peace Corps.
However, just a few days after her diagnoses, as she lay in her hospital bed, she was delivered the heartbreaking news that the Peace Corps was discharging her from service due to her medical condition. Valeria was required to leave Costa Rica and return to the United States within 72 hours, without the opportunity to say goodbye to her students and the community she loved and served.
Our hearts break for her, which is why we have set up this fund. Even while they determine the extent of her illness, keeping true to herself, Valeria has set another goal: Get better and return to her Costa Rican community to finish what she started with or without the Peace Corps. And we want to help her achieve her goal!
What we have all learned from Valeria is to find the positive in every situation and don’t let roadblocks get in your way or slow you down. Our hope is that Valeria can come home and focus on getting herself better without feeling the financial pressures of being back in the United States. Once better, she can return to Costa Rica to finish what she has started, serving others and inspiring the people of Costa Rica and those here at home.
Many of you have heard of Valeria’s obstacles and would like to help her during this time of need. First and foremost, please keep her in your PRAYERS and pray for her and her family as they tackle this disease. Pray for her complete healing and that Valeria and her family will experience Christ’s presence and peace through it all. If you would still like to help in other ways, please consider donating to this fund to help her get back to finishing what she has started. Thank you for your consideration in giving her the gift of security so that she can solely focus on her healthy recovery.
This campaign is a result of her family and friends coming together to help Valeria return to Costa Rica, once better, to finish what she started. If you know the Garcia Family, you know that they would never ask for any help, but would be the first to always help others. This is just who they are. Financial assistance is one of the most tangible and helpful ways that we as family and friends can serve them during this very challenging time. Thank you for your consideration.
Please use this site to send Valeria and her family words of encouragement.
(To Read More About Valeria’s Journey, Visit (https://vgarcia1181.wordpress.com/2014/07/31/the-smile-is-arriving/)
Organizer and beneficiary
Friends and Family of Valeria Garcia
Organizer
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Valeria Garcia
Beneficiary