This Is Why We Do What We Do

April 14, 2026•3 min read

Executive Director Message for April: This Is Why We Do What We Do
An April Story from OSSO

Some stories are hard to read.
But they are the reason we do what we do and support who we support.

Earlier this year, in Quito, Ecuador, police officers responded to a volatile situation involving a couple under the influence of drugs. In the middle of the chaos was a 6-month-old baby girl—defenseless and in immediate danger.

When officers intervened, the situation escalated. The mother attempted to take her own life and, in a tragic moment, tried to harm her baby with a knife.

A policewoman acted instantly—pulling the baby to safety and calling in DINAPEN, the specialized unit dedicated to protecting children at risk in Ecuador.

That decision saved a baby's life.

A Fragile Beginning

Authorities quickly learned more about the child’s situation. Her mother, a Venezuelan national, struggles with drug use. There are no known relatives in Ecuador. Her father’s whereabouts remain unknown. Even more heartbreaking—medical reports confirmed that drugs were present in the baby girl’s system. She entered the world already fighting.

With nowhere else to go, the police sent her to one of our partner orphanages managed by an order of dedicated Catholic nuns.

Welcomed With Love

In late January, this little girl arrived at that special home that OSSO has been supporting financially and with volunteers for 20 years. This baby girl didn’t just need shelter, she needed urgent, ongoing care.

Shortly after arriving, she developed a serious lung condition and had to be hospitalized. For five days, she relied on oxygen just to breathe. Even now, her recovery continues under careful watch.

Doctors also diagnosed her with hip dysplasia. Today, she wears a brace day and night, removed only for bathing, as her tiny body continues to grow and heal.

It’s a lot for anyone let alone a defenseless newborn baby.

More Than Survival

And yet, this is not just a story of trauma. It’s a story of what happens next. Because today, she is safe. She is held. She is cared for. She is surrounded by caregivers who see her not as a case—but as a treasure. Every feeding, every medical appointment, every sleepless night—done with love. The kind of love that says: You matter. You are worth fighting for.

This is why we do what we do. And this is why we support who we support.

Not because the stories are easy, but because they are hard. Not because the need is small, but because it is overwhelming. And not because we can fix everything, but because we can change everything for one child.

This Is Who You Support

When you support OSSO, you are not giving to an idea. You are stepping into stories like hers.

You are helping to fund:

Emergency placement when there is nowhere else to go
Medical care when a child’s body is fighting to survive
Daily, consistent love that rewrites what a child believes about the world

Because of dedicated Catholic Nuns, orphanage caregivers, and OSSO volunteers and donors, a little girl who started life in unimaginable danger now has a chance.

If you were an OSSO volunteer, thank you.
If you are an OSSO donor, thank you.

And if this post made it to your inbox for some other reason, please consider giving to the cause.

With gratitude,
Jerrod