Angelito
The following story may sound incredible, but unfortunately it is one of a myriad of similar stories here in Honduras: A mother gives birth to a son in hospital. A strange woman comes by and wants to hold the child. The mother takes the opportunity to go to the toilet. When she returns, the woman is gone with the child - kidnapped!
The desperate mother files a report with the police and at the same time goes looking for the child on her own, because she knows roughly where the woman lives. When she finds the child after approximately 2 weeks, she reports the location to the police and they go to they take it into the states custody. However, the mother is not allowed to have the child back until a DNA test proves that it is her child. Until the DNA test is available, the child must be placed in the care of a children's home.
As a result, in July 2019 a little boy, a few weeks old, came to "Yo Quiero Ser...". Since he had no name, we called him Angelito - little angel. The person in charge of the little one took him in and cared for him very lovingly as if he was her own. The biological mother was not allowed to visit her baby boy while he was in our care. After two months the process finally came to an end and the mother was happily reunited with little Angelito. Of course, it was a difficult matter for the caregiver from the children's home to say goodbye to our sweet Angelito but this story was meant to end like this - with a happy ending!
„Un día“
The Carolina Cross Connection is a U.S. American Christian organization of adults and youth who carry out missionary work around the world. For many years, the organization has been coming to the children's home every summer with a delegation, where they spend six weeks doing various activities with the children. In addition to their fun filled entertainment programm, they also do small jobs in and around the home. This year, however, this visit was not possible for various reasons. Nevertheless, the children's home was able to take part in the meeting which is organized by the organization: "Un día".
Carolina Cross Connection invited 10 children's homes to a day in San Pedro Sula, where they played, prayed, sang, ate and of course laughed a lot together. Keeping in mind that at “Yo Quiero Ser...” alone live 35 children, a considerable number of children meet here and need to be organized.
The meeting took place in the premises and outdoor areas of the church "Gran Comisión". For the children it is always very exciting to meet children outside their children's home, to exchange experiences and to make new friends. They enjoy this change of scenery very much and it is valuable to bring together children with the same or similar fates.
Visits
In the children's home "Yo Quiero Ser...", as in other similar institutions, "visitas" - i.e. visits – keep registering. Organizations, mostly with a Christian background, come to spend a Saturday or Sunday with the children. They organize different games, bring music, sweets, pizza and drinks. Very often they also bring a piñata. The children tell us again and again that they enjoy this variety very much and that it is very nice when different people come to visit them and when they receive gifts.
On the side of the organizers, however, these visits usually have a much more profound importance. For example, someone said the other day, "You know, I should come here much more often. The children's laughter just makes me happy". Many people really find joy in giving back and say that it is important for them to be able to do something meaningful for or with the children.
From the point of view of the children's home, these “visitas” are great. However, there have been phases when they have become so numerous (sometimes several per weekend) that it has become just too much. Too much program, too much unrest, too much sweets and too little everyday life. Honestly speaking, it is not always easy to plan these events in a way that all needs are met, especially the ones of our children, without offending someone who wants to do something good for the children.