Venezuela is currently in a major political and economic crisis, one that has resulted in roughly seven million people leaving the country since 2015.
Many who leave aren’t sure what they will find once they arrive at their new destinations, but they’re relying on hope, perseverance, and the kindness of strangers to help them out once they arrive.
At least that was what Didier Anres Bermudez Higuita was hoping for when he left his home country in search of a better life.
A Long Journey on Foot
Higuita lived in Venezuela with his family and did what he could to make ends meet. But when his wife, Lina, died suddenly of a heart attack and work started drying up, he didn’t know what he was going to do. So he packed up the few things he could, and he and his three-year-old son set off in search of a new life, shares T&T Creative Marketing.
The 27-year-old father and his child walked on foot for three long months. They were headed to Ecuador, 1,100 miles away from their home. The thing that kept them going each and every day was faith in whatever was waiting for them.
Along the way, they came across a YouTuber named Aaron Murphy. The 33-year-old used to live in the United States, but when he overdosed in a condo, he decided to dedicate his life to charity work. Now, he helps others through initiatives he shares on his channel, MURPHSLIFE.
When Murphy saw this father pushing his son in a stroller along a freeway, he wanted to know their story. After learning more about them, he had to help. So he put a plan into action…
The Start of a Brand New Life
Murphy put the family up in a hotel room for the night so they could rest and recharge. He also bought them food to help nourish them after their long trek. But that wasn’t all Murphy had in store. A few days later, he put some of his online donations to good use and got Higuita and his son an apartment to call their own.
The shocked father was incredibly grateful as his new neighbors welcomed them and threw them a party.
One person also handed Higuita a new phone, which he immediately used to call his mother and let her know they were all right. “Mom, I’m calling you to tell you something really good, Mom,” he said, fighting back tears.
Going forward, Murphy also wants to help this family find work to help them sustain their new life. After he learned that Higuita used to be a cheesemaker back home, he started raising money to hopefully open a small cheese factory in Ecuador.
If it comes to fruition, the hope is that Higuita can help run it, and it will provide work for other Venezuelans in need of employment.
Paying It Forward
Sometimes we get so comfortable with our lives or busy doing the daily grind that we forget others in the world aren’t as fortunate. They rely on the help of strangers in order to have the basics, and they are often misjudged or mistreated for it.
That’s why it’s so heartwarming to hear stories like this, in which someone who got a second chance at life is making the most of it by helping others. Sure, not everyone can dedicate their life to charity work. But there are small ways to incorporate charitable acts into our daily lives, too.
The next time a cashier asks you if you’d like to add a couple of bucks for a charity to your bill, go for it. Give your old books to a library, toys to a shelter, or gifts to a children’s hospital. Donate your blood, volunteer your time, help a stranger, or teach your own kids about the importance of giving.
If we’re lucky to have nice things in our lives, why not spread that wealth? There are many people out there who don’t just need it: their lives rely on the kindness of strangers.
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