One of the things we try to do at The Forgotten International is to search for people around the world who unselfishly decide to give of themselves to others, who are truly honest, hardworking and committed to a mission that is not only sustainable in practice but also sustains them through life. Miguel Rodriguez, who runs La Comunidad de Niños Sagrada Familia in Lima, Peru, is just that kind of individual, and all who have met him have said that he is truly a saint. We interviewed him for a profile in our book Living on a Dollar a Day. He said:

"In all of us exists the hope of creating a new world. It's been 21 years since I came to believe in that world, to believe in humanity, to believe in God. But before - I did not. Before, I believed in me. It was me first, me second, me third, me always.... Then my son died...I believe in a new world now - a different world."

The son that Miguel speaks of died when he was still a little boy, and it was at that difficult time of his son’s death that Miguel realized that although he could not save his son, there were so many other children that he could save who were worth saving. So it was with that in mind that he created an orphanage for abandoned, orphaned and wayward children. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a tragedy to wake people up about what is important in shaping their lives. Miguel decided that what was important in his life was others, and that is why I wanted to take a moment to honor him as a father and as a man. His profile is featured in the chapter called “Hope” and it is people like him that give all of us some hope and strength.