Greetings. :) My name is Edgar, I'm 27 years old, and in the picture, you can see my beautiful family. We're in need of your valuable help. Here's our story:
I'm from Colombia, and my fianceé is from Peru. We've been together for many years, friends for over a decade. We went through the test of distance as we sometimes lived in Peru, sometimes in Colombia, and even endured long-distance periods. Finally, after getting engaged we decided to take the next step and start a family, choosing Colombia as the place for our baby's birth and to establish our home.
In Colombia, we have healthcare providers called EPS. As I'm employed, I have access to one of these providers, and our plan was for my fianceé, a foreigner, to be added as a beneficiary of my plan as she couldn't enroll in the EPS by herself. We confirmed that this would be perfectly fine with three different people in my EPS. Three people lied to us.
We celebrated the news of our pregnancy, and everything seemed to be going as planned until my EPS refused to accept my fianceé many times. We sought help from various channels, from the healthcare sector to different insurances and even the consulate. No solution was found. Every expense, from bloodworks to prenatal vitamins, tests, echographies, and even the birth itself with the hospitalization, had to be paid out of pocket. The total cost reached approximately $12,000.
I have done everything in my power solve this financial problem. I work full-time as a medical interpreter, also taking on freelance jobs as a translator and transcriptor. I even had to sell my piano, my turntable with my old records, and my PS3. The only valuable thing I own right now is my Steam account which is actually illegal to sell (although I'm seeing if there's anything I can do). Suffice to say that the savings we had evaporated quite fast, and the weight of the debt feels insurmountable, because after all of these massive efforts, the debt went down only to $5800, and it feels like we're running out of options.
It's been quite hard because my income, despite my best efforts, is limited. Between bank interests, taxes, and the expenses of raising our child, it feels like money disappears faster than it comes in. At this rate, the debt will linger for years. And I'm obviously responsible for my fianceé's nationalization, her medical needs, and her vitamins, which adds to the financial strain.
I'm just a man seeking a fresh start to provide the best for my family. My only plea is for these debts to end, so I can take it from there and continue caring for my family and giving back to the community whenever I can.
Every bit of help is a blessing. In a place where the minimum wage is $2.17 per hour, even a dollar can make a significant difference. Sharing our story is also greatly appreciated. Your kindness and the effort you've made to read our story mean the world to us.
Blessings, and I wish each one of you the very best.
