HOGAR DE REFUGIO INFANTIL VILLA JUAREZ
APARTADO POSTAL NO. 908,
CD.OBREGON, SONORA,
MEXICO
Dear friends of the orphanage: CHRISTMAS 2006
It has been quite the year at the orphanage, with many changes, lots of new faces with all of our volunteers, lots of challenges, lots of rewarding experiences, too many disappointments, lots of good times, too many bad times – I suppose it can be said “a year like most others”. The biggest change that we would have wanted for the children is, of course, our move to the new orphanage, which is being built on the campus of the University of Navojoa/Colegio del Pacifico, in Navojoa, about 40 miles from our existing place. There, our dedicated builder team, Sherwin and Shirley Goerlitz from BC, Canada, continue construction of the replacement facilities, and they are now into their third “season”, and making great progress. Check that out, with the latest news and photographs, on the website: www.haciendanavojoa.com (And, of course, if you just happened to have some construction skills, and some spare time that you wanted to use up, doing something that would make a real difference, please do get in touch with Sherwin and Shirley – they’d love to hear from you, and meet you –in Navojoa.
The year started with some changes at the orphanage – Adrian and Victor, who’d been in the dorm at Colegio del Pacifico for the first semester of their first year in Junior High, came back to Villa Juarez, when it was suggested their continued presence at Col.Pac was too much a disturbance to the other students, due to their behavious. They’ve settled back so well, and the change in their attitudes and accomplishments in school is just amazing. Adrian particularly is being extremely helpful around the orphanage and in his house – just proving what a difference good house parents can make. In House 2, we have a new couple, Edmundo and Petty, a mature couple whose own children have flown the coop, and who are dedicated to the children in their care at the orphanage. Not that they ignore the other children, as they are real leaders, and contribute in so many areas of orphanage life. But they are particularly committed to their own “family”, and we see great improvements in behaviours, respect for others, caring for their belongings, involvement in orphanage activities and so on, from each one of the children in their house. And, praise God, their positive influence affects the other house parents as well.
In June, our three ADRA Germany volunteers, Arndt, Christine and Steffi, left us, much to the regret of all of the children. In the nine months that they were with us, they endeared themselves to everyone with their friendliness, their positive attitudes, their involvement with every aspect of orphanage life, and particularly, with their love for the children. They are missed, but their influence will stay with the children and the staff, for a very long time. Of course, we aren’t now forgotten by ADRA Germany, and in early September, Daniel, Sarah, Anita and Anja arrived, Anja then off to Col.Pac where she was to teach English for the first semester, but has ended up more teaching German, rather than English. She and Sarah are to change places mid-January, and she would then take over teaching Panchito, and being Aunt in House 2. Daniel is Uncle in House 3, and teaching kindergarden, while Anita is Aunt in House l and works in the elementary school. These young people are such a blessing to us all, and they do a fantastic job, as well as very quickly making friends with each of the children.
We were blessed during the summer and fall by having Yanis Greer, and her children, plus friend, Tracey and her children, all from Victoria, Canada, working with us. With her total fluency in Spanish, Yanis became de facto assistant director to Pastor Alejandro, and she made sure that when children had health concerns, they were taken care of immediately. Our diet improved, especially as Yanis worked hard to give our Mexican cook, Bertha, some hints both on hygiene, and on preparing nutritious meals. Mike came down to visit his family and he was such a help doing some of those maintenance and repair things which the Mexican staff couldn’t do, or with which they needed help. Sadly, due to health reasons, Yanis and the children had to return to Canada late October, rather than being able to stay till next June, as was originally planned. Mike is in the Navy, and had expected to be away at sea for much of the year, so we’d expected Yanis to be with us longer than in fact she was.
Lynessa Fast, also from B.C. Canada, was with us from August through November, and she brought her great musical talents – she’s an awesome trumpeter – which was a great blessing to everyone. She worked almost full time in the kitchen, thus helping Bertha and later, Lucy, after Bertha and Miguel left us. In July, we had a return visit from Pastor William Hurtado and the young people from the Puyallup, WA, Adventist Church, and they did some great things at the orphanage, with the children, and also did some overdue repairs and maintenance. They installed an air conditioner unit in the “cold room”, which never previously was that cold, so now our perishable food items are able to be stored for longer periods.
Finally, all the legal paperwork was completed so Pastor Alex went to Nogales and collected the bus which was bought using some of the monies donated by Save the Children, Sonora. This is big enough that now we can take everyone out in one vehicle, making outings much more convenient and efficient. It was used early September when Jessica, one of the ADRA Germany volunteers from two years ago, was back for a few weeks, and she organized a fantastic long weekend in San Carlos. She arranged for a special discounted price at a family resort/hotel, a boat trip and special pizza dinner. She was helped by a first time, short term volunteer from Germany, Priska, who is a fellow student with Tom Head, who has twice been with us for a number of months, and who hopes to do a practicum in therapy, his future career, in the children’s rehab center which we sponsored and largely had built by our volunteers, in Villa Juarez village.
Of our “graduates”, both Dulce Maria and Jesusa had their babies in the Spring, and are doing quite well. Now we are excited to know that Gaby Escalante, and hubby, Abraham, are expecting in the Spring. We’ve just sent Gaby a pair of books about what to expect during her pregnancy, and in the first year, after the baby is born, and she is so happy to have them – in English, but she is virtually fluent now, particularly as she works for a British medical company in Tijuana. Jacob and Sarahi, both “graduates” and who worked for us last year, she as teacher in our elementary school and he on the construction of the new orphanage, were married in March, finished the academic year with us, and are now in Montemorelos, where Jacob is back in the seminary. He hopes to be with us for a few weeks immediately after New Years, as he wants to work on the new place. Manases Martinez, now in his final year in seminary in also hopes to join Jacob.
A few days ago, our biggest orphanage booster, Sharyl (and Stan) Young, from Tucson, again came down with the Christmas gifts. Masons and Youngs were together in Thailand, just a few weeks ago in early November, and at which time Sharyl didn’t know if she’d be able to get gifts together. But, her big heart took over from reason, she must have spent the last month virtually full time selecting the perfect gifts for each of the 25 children, then with Stan, getting them to the orphanage in time for Lilia and the volunteers to wrap everything. The Youngs truly are among the best friends of the orphanage ministry, and Stan has spent many days working with Sherwin on the new construction.
The children are all doing well, and , while little Luisito had Hepatitis A during the summer, providentially he kept it to himself, so no-one else caught it. Panchito seems a little more settled, now that he understands he’s not able to return to his father, as he’d earlier hoped, and we hope that he’ll be able to stay focused on his studies to be able to complete secundaria (Junior High) in the next few weeks. Claudia and Maria Clara (Clarita) graduated primaria (elementary) in June and are now happily settled at Telesecundaria in Batevito, with Victor and Adrian. Claudia celebrated her big l5 – her quinceanero – in November, and a big party was held – a very special day in the life of a young Mexican girl. Next year we’ll have a couple more, including Gabriela – she now in her last year, with Lourdes, in Secundaria at Col.Pac, but right now, home for the school holidays. They are doing so well away at school, and have both blossomed so much in the more than two years they’ve been studying there. While there is more discipline there than at the orphanage, the social life is so much better as the children get older, and they are so enjoying everything.
We have so much to be thankful for at this special time of year. Not least are the many friends we have, from so many different countries, people who’ve visited, our volunteers, the wonderful people who sponsor individual children, the church groups which support us both financially, and with their prayers – and for them all, for you, we praise God, and give thanks. You are very special, you have made it possible for our children to have a future which before, they simply had no hope of achieving, even had they dreamed of it.
We join to wish you all, peace, happiness and prosperity, this Christmas and in the New Year, 2007. May God bless you, each one, as you have been such a blessing to the children, and to us all.
