Born and raised in La Paz, Bolivia, Silvia Huaynoca had few academic or job opportunities in her country. She was a woman from an Aymara family, an indigenous rather than Spanish background. Many classified people by skin color, last name or gender. She was aware of all the disadvantages she had, but for as long as she could remember, she wanted to become a doctor.

Today she is the first medical doctor in her entire family. There is only one explanation for how this happened. God did it! God’s creation has a purpose and He will fulfill his promises in our lives despite any limitations. As God's children we are the same and able to do many things for the glory of his kingdom. Silvia strongly believes in these wonderful promises and has witnessed God’s power and love in marvelous ways. So much so that she is currently living in Seattle, Washington and studying English as a second language. She attends Seattle Central Community College’s School of Social and Human Services and is a strong candidate for graduate school at the School of Public Health at the University of Washington.  

 Her experience working in Bolivia has strengthened her passion to improve the quality of life in holistic ways and be an advocate for people with disadvantages in around the world.
About a year ago Silvia visited the office of Breakthrough Partners. There she has found a precious Christian family willing to serve God. It didn’t take too long to realize that God had made that encounter possible. Breakthrough Partners welcomed warmly her, but most importantly, they have given her opportunities to do what she most loves to do, serve people with a Godly heart.

Currently, along with Keith Tungseth, Silvia is developing a program to prevent chemical dependency among Latino adolescents in Seattle. In Washington State, Latinos are the fastest growing minority. Hundreds of people whether by choice, necessity, or coercion are living in a different culture. They are experiencing acculturation and dealing with identity issues. Research has shown that second and third generations are the most affected; they are Latino-Americans but not completely accepted by either culture. Although acculturation and the stressors associated with it can have negative consequences for immigrant people of all ages [e.g., Hovey, 2000], immigrant adolescents and young adults are faced with the challenge of creating a cultural identity that incorporates elements of both the heritage and receiving cultures, in addition to confronting the normative personal identity issues that characterize this developmental period [Arnett, 1999; Schwartz, 2005]. As a result, the ‘side effects’ of acculturation and associated identity distress may be most severe for adolescents and young adults. Silvia and Keith are working towards providing Latino adolescents with the best tools to develop their identities successfully and live according to what God has planned for them.

Silvia has experienced what is possible with God, breaking through society’s barriers and being successful despite many limitations. She believes that this can be true for others as well. This conviction brings great joy and freedom to her life and her work with young people. “We are God’s creation and belong to one family. Just let God show you the path He desires you to be walking on. Greater things are going to come,” Silvia says.

To read more about what Silvia is doing at Breakthrough Partners, click here.