Smiles so bright, yet the trauma behind them runs so deep. Just an hour outside Guatemala City, near an imposing volcano, 48 children live in a home that holds 48 tragic stories. Some have been there for years; others have only just arrived.

Five-year-old twins Genesis and Grizelda had only been at the home for 10 days when volunteer Dani Solorzano met them. Their story is heartbreaking: their father violently stabbed their mother to death in front of one of the twins. Left scarred, grieving, and with no one to care for them, they were placed with an uncle who turned out to be abusive. Their last hope was Misioneros del Camino—a safe haven for abandoned, abused, and neglected children.

The home was founded by Mami Leo, a Miami native who felt called to help children left homeless after a devastating earthquake struck Guatemala in 1986. Since then, Misioneros has provided children with not only shelter and meals, but with hugs, therapy, faith, and schooling—helping them piece together their broken lives.

“When they come here and they’re loved, they want that connection, they want that hope,” explains Dr. Alfredo Rabassa, a Miami physician and leader of the service mission. “They learn to imagine a future that’s positive—not one shaped by their past trauma.”

The caregivers at Misioneros pour their hearts into helping the children heal. One nanny, Dora, even buys hair accessories out of her own small salary to help the girls feel beautiful.

“The greatest gift in life is giving to others, and the caretakers at the home give all the love and support they can to brighten the kids’ smiles,” Dr. Rabassa adds.

The home welcomes mission groups from abroad who bring love, care, and funding. Dani was part of a recent trip where more than 50 volunteers from Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart and Gulliver Prep came to support the children.

When Dani first met Grizelda, the little girl was frail, quiet, and unable to stop crying. But as trust slowly built, Grizelda reached for Dani’s hand. Soon, she let Dani hold her and play with her.

“When I first saw Grizelda crying alone in a corner while the other kids played, it broke my heart,” Dani said. “But with a little bit of time and trust, we formed an unbreakable bond. Seeing her smile again made my heart full.”

Grizelda’s transformation was proof of what love can do.

“When you receive a child who has been abandoned and abused, that child has lost their faith in humanity, their trust in others, and is shattered by the life they’ve lived,” said Mami Leo. “But when they arrive at the home, they are met with compassion, love, and the respect they need to begin rebuilding that faith—in people, and in God.”

The love and warmth at Misioneros del Camino is undeniable.

“I’ve never been in a place where I’ve felt so free and so loved. It’s just amazing—I love it here,” says volunteer Alessia Garcia.

Love is at the core of Misioneros del Camino.
Love is what keeps moving the mission forward.

“Misioneros doesn’t just give the kids a roof over their heads—they smother them with love in hopes of repairing their trauma,” Dani shared.