Rosa is a high school graduate. Dimpna, one of the literacy coordinators, is a friend of one of Rosa’s friends. Through that friendship, Dimpna and Rosa met. While Dimpna was giving Bible studies to Rosa, she noticed that Rosa had the potential to be a good literacy teacher and invited her participate in the program. Rosa began to canvass her neighborhood looking for students. The main excuse not to participate was, “I can’t afford it,” to which she replied, “It’s free.” The next excuse was, “I don’t have money to buy supplies.” Her reply to this made her invitation more appealing: “We provide all the supplies—pencils, notebooks, books.”
“I really like helping people that need it. There are a lot of times that one wants to help people but can’t. Those of you who have given the books and all the supplies that are necessary, it makes it a lot easier to help people.”—Rosa Ponce