When Care Comes from the Heart
Living in her true nature, Ronda Farruggia’s life is all about helping people. That’s who she is. One of the causes Ronda cares most passionately about is orphans; teen girls in particular. She worries about them heading into the world without the nurture and support they might need. So Ronda has been working through different hosting programs for years - Gugliemo's Hope, P143 and Host Ukraine.
Ronda says “hosting is a life-changing experience that enriches the lives of orphaned children and the families who host them. I believe it nourishes the children’s hope and gives them a sense of being part of the world they live in.”
A few years ago, one of those hosting experiences ended in adoption! Ronda and her husband already had plenty of children in their life - 15 grandchildren to be exact. She had no intention of adopting, but then she met Viktoria, and their life changed.
Ronda has seen the profound effect unconditional love can make on a young person’s life, and it fuels her heart. She says she wants to be there to empower and support young teen girls and to encourage them along the way to becoming confident adults.
She understands such personal care happens one at a time, rather than in groups, so now that her adopted daughter is an adult, she found herself more available to help another. A friend of Ronda’s told her about volunteering with Great Life Mentoring, and it felt just right, so she checked into it.
Ronda says her experience with Great Life Mentoring “has been wonderful, and the training leading up to her match was spot-on.” In the beginning, she said she wasn’t sure how her friend was feeling, but by the six-month mark she realized the trust had been established and her friend really looked forward to meeting with her each week.
Ronda just loves being there for her friend and watching her grow. It’s been about two years, and the relationship keeps growing. Ronda says they are learning from each other, and that is “golden.”
This lovely lady is giving, caring and fun. She works as a nail technician because she just loves making people happy and feel good. She takes care of her mother and a friend who is sick, too. But she also takes care of herself. Ronda enjoys time with her husband and with the ladies on her race-walking team. She calls those ladies her sisters and family!
Ronda tells us, “I’m so glad that I am a part of Great Life Mentoring,” and we feel the same about her. Ronda Farruggia’s kindness is making our world a better place. Her favorite quote is, “she believed she could and so she did.” That belief seems to be working in her life!
Contact Great Life Mentoring to volunteer in Portland OR or volunteer in Vancouver WA and let us help you change the life of a child in need!