There are many kinds of courage . . . courage to face your enemies, courage to face serious illness, courage to fight all types of adversity. But courage shown by young children is a quality like no other.

This is Althea's story.

When she was six years old her father died and her mother remarried a man who abused Althea and her sister. Three years later at the tender age of nine, she tragically lost her mother to illness. Orphaned and heartbroken, her grandmother, who could not care for her, thankfully brought her to a Mary Queen of Heaven Missionaries Rescue Center, "My Bonita Home for Girls." 

Lost and homesick for her mother the good Sisters took Althea under their wings and nurtured her, offering safety, love and a welcoming home. Althea remained at My Bonita for nine years. One can only imagine the faith and strength it took for this young girl to battle the overwhelming trauma of her formative years and thrive in a totally new environment. She wisely says "God helped me persevere at My Bonita, guiding me to trust, study hard and make plans for a happy life".

Althea, being so incredibly bright, graduated high school and went on a scholarship to the University of the Visayas. She graduated with academic honors, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Human Resources & Development.