Christopher’s anger had been swelling up inside of him for years. His mom and dad were always working and didn’t have time to play with him after school. Instead, the 8-year-old boy was taken care of by a nanny.

Christopher’s parents had to work extra hours to provide for him and his two brothers. The family moved from Mexico to the U.S. shortly after he was born, but their dreams of success fell through and they had to return home. Christopher’s father started a small business that consumed most of his time, and his mom was forced to get a full-time job.

That didn’t matter to Christopher. The less time he got to spend with his parents, the more his frustration increased. He began to rebel in school as a way to get attention.

When his parents heard about a Samaritan’s Purse’s after school sports program called Niños en Acción (Children in Action), they immediately decided to bring Christopher.

Niños en Acción is a six-month, biblically- based program run by the Samaritan's Purse office in Villahermosa to help children having problems in school. It began in October, and finished at the end of March. Staff and volunteers taught classes about Christian values, sports, and nutrition to about 40 boys and girls twice a week. The children participated in sports such as swimming, roller-skating, and soccer, and had hour-long Bible lessons.

Before the boys and girls enrolled, Samaritan’s Purse staff members met with the parents to discuss how to encourage healthy eating habits and activities at home, as well as teaching their children how to live lives of integrity.

When Christopher first started going to Niños en Acción, he continued to act out in anger. His soccer teacher had to send him home for two weeks so that he could reflect on his attitude. When he returned, the Samaritan’s Purse staff noticed a huge difference in his behavior. He became more involved in the sports activities and in the Christian values class.

Christopher’s behavior changed as a result of learning God’s Word. He now has a better relationship with his parents and knows how to control his feelings in a way that honors Jesus Christ.

“Now when he gets angry, he controls himself with deep breathing to calm down,” a staff member said. “We can see that God answered our prayers for him, transforming and impacting Christopher´s life.”

On the day of the closing ceremony, Christopher cried and told the volunteers—he called them his "aunts" and "uncles"—that he would miss everyone and all of the activities. He said Niños en Acción was his favorite place.

Samaritan’s Purse hopes to continue the program when school resumes, and start a summer camp so that more children can learn about Jesus Christ and how they can live healthy lives pleasing to Him.

Samaritan's Purse , Mexico , Community Development , Transforming Attitudes