I, Maria Peña, 26 years of age, would like to share my personal testimonial with you, as I too was a person in need. At a young age I lost both my parents. My father passed away in 1994 and the love of my life, my inspiration, my role model, my every thing, my mother passed away on August 11, 2008. After that day I began to question God, asking why he still had me here on this place called earth. I have no parents, no husband, and no children, why was I still here? For over a year, I battled depression, an illness bigger than myself. I was mentally disturbed and felt as if I didn’t belong here on earth. I cried for over 365 days, took depression and anxiety medicine, went to the hospital many times, visited a psychologist, went to church, had love ones visit me to offer support, but no matter what I tried my depression wouldn’t go away.

On August 11, 2009 a year of my mothers passing, I was still seeking clarity as to my purpose in life and kept asking God to help me see and realize my true calling.

On August 16, 2009 my sister and I made a trip to New York City to honor my mom’s passing. We held a special mass with my entire family and my own personal friends. After mass, we headed to my aunts house in Queens for a family reunion. I sat alone and observed how everyone laughed, talk and enjoyed each others company. It was extremely peculiar for me to see mom’s sister, brother, nephew and friends happy and joyful. I recalled asking myself, why was I the only one depressed? That day a miracle happened in my life; the Lord almighty gave me peace and a new perspective on life. I can’t explain what happened or how it happened, all I know is that on that day, I let go of my mother and allowed her to finally rest in peace.

August 16, 2009 after many struggles and tribulations, I finally realized that I, myself, was my own cure. My depression was going to go away the day I decided it was time to move on and let go of the past. Recovery from every illness comes from within. It’s the day you tell yourself “its time to change.”  As I saw it, I had two options: continue crying for the rest of my life or shift that sadness towards something positive and productive. I always knew I wanted to help people but didn’t know how or in what way.

One Sunday evening after mass, I went back to the same hospital my mother passed away; which was not an easy task to undertake. I had to compose myself as it flooded me with sad memories of my mom’s suffering and pain. After a few minutes, I continued to walk down the hospital aisle to visit a patient, whose medical conditions were brought up in conversation during mass. I listened to her story and we both cried as I share my own testimonial. I said to this lovely lady, who I now call my friend, how difficult it was to be back in the same hospital where my mom passed away, but for some reason God wanted me to be there, to listen to her and share my own story. As I was getting ready to head off, I shared some thoughts that I discovered in my process of healing. She hugged me and held my hand very tight; looked me in the eyes and said “Maria, promised me you are going to visit me again.” I responded by saying “as long as you allowed me to come visit you, I will be here for you and your family if that is God’s will”. Only with one condition, you too will do exactly what I did today; you’ll come back to this hospital and help “People In Need.” I told her to please know that God is going to do the same miracle he performed on me to her. You will recover soon and you will be with your loved ones.

On that day, I finally realized my purpose in life is to help “People In Need.” It was time to start giving, selflessly without any expectations. God will reward you and bless you on his own time. There is no greater reward when you give from the heart, with love, and passion. I have always fundraised to help other causes, but never in my life have I fundraised with so much HEART and PASSION. I am engaged whole-heartedly to my new mission in life. This is how the vision of opening a non-profit organization that meets both my personal and humanity goals surfaced.

Life is Beautiful, We just need to learn how to appreciate its beauty. I have been blessed with a lovely family, one sister, and two brothers and together we are one divine creation of mom and dad. Blessed with good health, I can walk, see, touch, feel, hear, have an amazing circle of friends (positive energy people ONLY); great family members who have taught me the importance and value of having a family. Therefore, I encourage you to protect and care for your love ones. Every so often, we take life and our family for granted; you don’t know what you have until you lose it. I hope my message serves of some sort of guidance. It is time for a change, a 180 degree change; leave the past in the past.  Realize that no matter how bad you think things are for you, it can always be worse on the other side of the river. There are millions of people out there in this world in worse situations/conditions than us. It is time to help “People In Need.” IT IS TIME!!!

Open your HEARTS and HELP a person who may perhaps need food, diapers for his or her child, milk, clothing, furniture, rent support or even just companionship; someone to talk to and share a story with.

No matter what your race, age, color, ethnic background is, we are here to help YOU!  We are one lovely HUMAN RACE, creation of God. Together we can do this, YES WE CAN!!!

It is now or never, YOU CHOSE? Now you don’t have an excuse to say that no one informed you J

May the love of God be with you all.

Love always,
Maria Pena
Co-Founder of “People in Need”