- R
Years ago, I lived in rural Nicaragua during one of the most formative times of my life. I went there alone, hoping to help create food forests and long-term food security… but I found something much more powerful than I expected.
I found family.
In one of the most remote places I had ever been, the community opened their arms to me. And at the very heart of that warmth was Isabella Sevilla.
Isabella welcomed me as if I were her own.
From her humble kitchen she fed me, cared for me, and offered a sense of belonging at a time when I felt deeply alone in the world. Her kindness shaped me. It still does.
Today, Isabella is a grandmother who continues to give generously to others — yet her own living conditions are extremely difficult:
Her roof leaks during rains.
Smoke from her indoor cooking fire fills her house, affecting her health.
Her bathroom is outside, uncovered, and unsafe.
She has spent her life pouring love into others. She deserves the dignity and safety of a secure home.
How Your Donation Will Help
Every dollar will go directly toward building Isabella a safe, functional, and dignified living space. Funds will support:
- A new, solid roof to stop leaks and protect her from heavy seasonal rain.
- A safe, vented cooking area to eliminate indoor smoke and improve her long-term health.
- A secure, covered bathroom with privacy and proper sanitation.
- Structural repairs to stabilize and strengthen her home.
Basic furnishings & essentials (a proper bed, shelves, cooking surfaces).
If funds allow: simple improvements like sealing walls, adding a small solar light, or improving flooring so her home is dry and safe year-round.
Every piece of this project is focused on restoring dignity, comfort, and safety for a woman who has given so much.
Every year on my birthday, instead of wishing for something for myself, I choose someone whose life I hope to honor.
This year, my birthday wish is for Isabella.
If my life, work, or presence has ever supported, inspired, or touched you in any way, I ask from the bottom of my heart:
Please help me give back to a woman who once gave me so much.
Your contribution — big or small — will help build Isabella a safe, comfortable home where she can live with the peace and security she deserves.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. And thank you for helping me honor someone whose love helped shape who I am today.
With gratitude,
Michael