Interview with Christina’s parents
Monica Lacouture and Fernando Dangond tell us about how Build The Faith started and how it had brought many blessings to others.
Monica Lacouture was born and raised in Colombia, South America. She moved to the United States in 1995, where she and her husband, Fernando, married and were blessed with three children—Daniel, David, and Christina, whose unwavering faith became the inspiration behind Build the Faith. Today, Monica and Fernando are also blessed with their first grandchild, Luca, a beautiful new generation of their family.
Although raised Catholic and educated in parochial schools, Monica describes much of her adult life as that of a “lukewarm” Catholic. That changed unexpectedly in late 2012 when she attended a retreat and had a profound personal encounter with Jesus. She had no idea at the time how much she would come to rely on this renewed faith just three months later, when her daughter Christina was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Throughout Christina’s battle, Monica’s faith deepened, sustained by her daughter’s extraordinary trust in Jesus. Christina’s courage and unwavering love for Christ transformed Monica’s understanding of faith and became the foundation of a mission that continues to grow.
In 2016, inspired by Christina’s unwavering faith, Monica and Fernando founded Build the Faith. As President of the organization, Monica feels deeply blessed to carry forward Christina’s legacy, spreading faith and hope to others and helping bring people closer to God. What began through Christina’s faith has grown into a mission that continues to touch lives, build communities, and bring Christ’s light to others.