Jonathan Ortiz is a slender young man with a huge heart for helping other young men in Honduras overcome their odds. After serving as a volunteer with Orphan Helpers for more than a year, Jonathan joined the Orphan Helpers staff full time in August 2017 as a teacher in the Success Academy.
Along with his colleague Saul Sanchez, Jonathan works to reach more than 130 boys who are incarcerated at the El Carmen Detention Center in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He understands the challenges many of them face and knows the importance of imparting values to them.
“I come from a home of scarce resources and grew up with many limitations. While my father has been irresponsible to some extent, my mother always emphasized three values—obedience, responsibility, and commitment,” Jonathan recalls.
Jonathan says that his mom made many sacrifices so he could attend primary school, junior high school, and high school. She also made sure he was involved in children’s and youth programs at church from an early age.
“In 2012, I met Hareld Flores (an Orphan Helpers worker) in the church where I attended in San Pedro Sula. Hareld talked to me about the work he was developing with the youth in the center of El Carmen, and shared with me the vision for helping these youth,” he says. “It took some time, but in January 2016 I made the decision to serve the Lord as a volunteer with Orphan Helpers.”
Currently, Jonathan teaches leadership, life skills, music, and crafts at the Success Academy in El Carmen. He’s also attending college at night, majoring in Public Accounting and Finance. It may sound like a heavy load, but Jonathan puts his faith in the Lord.
“I am convinced that I will achieve my dreams because I am more than victorious in Jesus!”