Fabricio Rocha
Age: 23 years old
Pneuma Participant: December 2023 - April 2025
A Miracle From the Beginning
Fabricio's story began with an act of radical love. His mother, diagnosed with cancer, received a medical ultimatum: if she attempted to give birth, both she and the baby would die. Doctors recommended abortion. She refused. She chose to give life to her son, knowing the cost.
Fabricio was born. His mother passed away that same day.
"That was God's first miracle in my life," says Fabricio. He was orphaned alongside his three older siblings—two girls and a boy, all from different fathers but the same mother they had just lost.
Working to Survive
Without parents to support them, the siblings began working from early ages. Fabricio was barely 9 years old when he started as a construction helper alongside his older brother. For three years, he worked in construction while other children went to school.
When his older brother decided to study, he could no longer take care of him. At 12 years old, Fabricio was taken to a care facility called Centro de Vida Bolivia. That's where, for the first time, he began experiencing stability. He met friends he considers brothers. He learned to play sports. He finished his secondary studies.
After graduating, he completed his military service, where they instilled values of discipline and responsibility. Upon discharge, he made a brave decision: he traveled to Argentina to study theology for a year, seeking to deepen his relationship with God.
The News That Shattered His Faith
The first weeks in Argentina were exciting. Fabricio felt he was finally finding his purpose. But in the third week, he received a call from his sisters that left him devastated: his older brother was in prison. And he had been there for 6 years. No one had told him until that moment.
"It was a huge blow in my life," Fabricio remembers. "I got very discouraged and complained to God. I felt no one was listening to me. I totally lost faith."
At the biblical institute, while all the students prayed and cried broken-hearted, Fabricio stood empty. One Thursday night, in the midst of his frustration, he made a desperate prayer: "Lord, if you really exist, touch my back. I literally wanted Him to touch my back and tell me He exists."
At that instant, a girl he didn't know—who was praying and crying on the floor—got up, put her hand on his back, and told him: "The Lord does exist."
Fabricio broke down. He spent the entire year studying the Word and praying for his brother, trusting God would free him.
The Return to Reality
When he returned to Bolivia, he expected good news. But his brother was still in prison. His faith wavered again. He complained to the Lord without knowing He had a different plan.
His brother had been a person who made serious mistakes, which was why he was deprived of freedom. He had also treated his sisters badly. But Fabricio cared for him deeply and decided to visit him, expecting screams and reproaches.
What he found was a miracle.
His brother started crying when he saw him. He had completely changed. He had also met Jesus in prison and was deeply repentant. He gave him life advice, shared the Word with him, warned him about mistakes he shouldn't make.
"That was another miracle from the Lord," says Fabricio.
The Drift and the Opportunity
After returning from Argentina, Fabricio rented a room with friends from the orphanage. He worked Monday through Saturday, 12 hours as a security guard, and other additional jobs: pizza maker, clothing salesman, cook. He earned money, but didn't save. To de-stress, he went out partying on weekends. He started drinking alcohol again. He felt he was falling apart again.
Then the opportunity to join Pneuma arrived.
In December 2023, Fabricio became one of the first participants in the Transition House. There he found structure, mentorship, and a space to rebuild his goals. He began studying gastronomy, fulfilling his dream of being a chef. He completed two years of the program with excellent results.
However, in April 2025 needing to cover his own expenses and seeking greater independence, Fabricio made the decision to leave the transition house. He began working full-time at a pizzeria and paused his final year of studies to obtain his degree, planning to save and eventually resume his education.
Another Loss
In July 2025, after leaving Pneuma, Fabricio received devastating news: his brother was murdered inside the prison. It was one of the hardest moments in Fabricio's life, who had to process the loss of the only fraternal figure he had left, this time without the immediate support structure of the transition house.
What Pneuma Meant for Fabricio
"This opportunity is making me return to God's ways and to study, which was one of my goals," says Fabricio. During his time at Pneuma:
He learned financial management and life planning
He developed coexistence and responsibility skills
He reconnected spiritually and became actively involved in church
He joined his congregation's dance team
He assumed a role as youth leader collaborator
He discovered his passion for baking, with baking being one of his greatest passions
Fabricio is an example of resilience. Despite losing his mother at birth, years working since childhood, the betrayal of his faith over his brother's imprisonment, and finally his murder, Fabricio keeps moving forward.
Where He Is Today
Fabricio is 23 years old. He works as a pizza maker to support his expenses. He has temporarily paused his gastronomy degree, but hasn't abandoned the dream of being a chef. He maintains contact with Pneuma and remains involved in his church.
His story shows both the achievements and realities of working with vulnerable youth: some thrive within the program, others need to leave before completing it due to life circumstances. But even when young people leave, the tools and mentorship they received at Pneuma stay with them.
Fabricio learned he's not alone. That there are people who believe in him. And that, despite losses, there's still hope.
"I'm very happy and grateful for the support they gave me. I will continue forward with my dreams."
— Fabricio Rocha