It is February 20th and the days of summer are winding down at Casa Hogar. Uniform sizes and school shoes are being measured, the almacen warehouse is stocking up with backpacks, pencils, notebooks and colored paper for the school year and the last summer field trip to the local pool is coming up. Things are hustling and bustling per usual with our 8 families.
But today, as morning Mass begins, there are some new faces filing in. 18 new faces to be exact. Some are nervous and look timid while others are beaming with missing tooth smiles. It is their first day at Casa Hogar, their new home.
Casa Hogar serves as the lead organization in an association of 19 other children’s homes or service organizations. The Association meets regularly to discuss shared resources, ideas, needs and government relations. This past winter, when one of the homes was forced to shut their doors, the Association jumped into action to ensure the children had a safe and secure place to go. With limited remaining resources and the places of the outgoing graduates already filled, Casa Hogar decided to create a ninth family—knowing that it would bring a great deal of “joyful challenges” and a strain on resources but it was what Fr. Joe Walijewski would have done. We welcomed the San Pablo Family and placed 8 new children together with two rotating family teachers and one volunteer assistant.
Fast forward to the covid-19 restrictions and those family teachers were quarantined in their homes, not permitted to work. The 21-year-old volunteer assistant Pedro, stepped right up. What is even more special about Pedro is he was raised at Casa Hogar himself. He graduated in 2014 and had been working while studying business administration and languages. Pedro had experienced some personal challenges and returned home to Casa to volunteer and spend some time with our community. The timing could not have been better.
“Now I am here at Casa as a family teacher instead of a kid. They gave me the opportunity to work as a family teacher in the new family San Pablo. I am in charge of monitoring the boys and keeping them responsible for their chores and schoolwork. They are really good boys and I enjoy being with them.”
Pedro has been an incredible role model for these new children, helping them adjust to life at Casa Hogar and feel comfortable, safe and secure in their new home. “They are learning to pray and are doing well. They have to learn that with God, all things are possible, and without him, nothing is possible.”
We are not sure what the future holds or how long these changes will continue, but what we do know is each of the little joyful challenges and Pedro are a Blessing to our Casa Hogar Community. “Lastly, I would like to say goodbye with a big hug and thank you for your support.”- Pedro Salcedo