CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Sister Milagros Tormo was born in the suburb of Chamberi in Madrid, Spain. Her, her mother, father, brother, and two sisters made up a traditional family who lived in a metropolitan setting.
"I am from Spain, I had a family and come from normal family. I cannot say we were poor, poor, poor, but we were poor people," she explained. "I had to wait everyday for my father to come home to know what we were going to have for dinner. We never went hungry to bed, but we had to wait until my father was coming."
In school, Milagros studied social work and took French for four years. Looking back, she said while she didn't know where she would end up, it was as if she was being prepared for what she would one day do in life.
"I think it does help when you are a social worker to understand the people, what they're telling you, how much they suffer, and when your helping them to make a budget, because you come from that background. So, you understand and you can help them more," Milagros said.
Sister Milagros beamed with pride as she showed 3NEWS around The ARK, which is the emergency shelter for abused children in South Texas. It is here that her love for her community, and the children in it, is evident.
"I'm very happy to be in the place that God asked me to be, to my congregation," she shared. "Every morning I say 'I don't know if I'm going to be here tomorrow,' because then, that way if they ask me, it's not going to be a drama. I'm going to be ready to go wherever God needs me."
During her time at the ARK, Milagros and her team have grown the facility into the premiere shelter for displaced children in South Texas. This, in spite of the fact that the pandemic cancelled the ARK's major fundraiser gala.
Now, Milagros hopes an online silent auction will help raise funds. She recalled one instance when a little boy donated all he had in his pockets: 16 cents. She was so impressed, she placed the nickel, dime, and penny into a frame as a reminder.
"Money is important, but it's not the only fact that the ARK needed. The important thing at the ARK, always, always, always is going to be, and it is at the present time, to make a difference in a child's life."
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