Meet The Children

Pamela Quispe Mamani

Pamela lost her mom as a child which tore her family apart and put her in the hands of a neighbor to care for her.  Working outside of their village, her father rarely visited.  Pamela ran away from home when she was seven and was picked up on the streets by child defense services.  Her father and caretaker were made aware of Pamela’s whereabouts on December 10, 2008.  No one ever went to get her.  Pamela now finds herself in the middle of our wild and wonderful family.  She is very shy and quiet but very opened to love and affection.  She is nine years old now and in second grade.  Her very favorite thing to do is play house and take care of her baby dolls.  She is an absolute joy and blessing for our home.

Reyna Mayta Castillo

Reyna was born to her mother as a product of sexual abuse.  The family tried to hide Reyna and feared that her presence would not allow her mother to marry and begin a family.  This resulted in giving Reyna away in adoption to a neighbor who was unable to have children when Reyna was four.  In her new home, Reyna suffered from physical and psychological abuse and was put into custody of Child Defense Services when she was nine.  She lived in various children’s homes from April of 2008 until March of 2010 when she was incorporated into our family.  She is a very happy and friendly young lady who easily adjusts to new situations.  She is currently eleven years old and in the fifth grade.  She is very social and most enjoys “hanging out” with her friends and listening to music.  Reyna adds a lot of personality to our home and is very kind to all of the other children.

Ebert Canaviri Ticona

Drugs and alcohol tore Ebert’s family apart from a very young age.  He clung to his mother until he was five and was taken into custody by Child Defense Services.  He spent two years in a temporary home as his mom attempted rehabilitation.  When his mother was unsuccessful he was transferred to another temporary home where he spent another two years wherein his mother could not shake her addictions.  In March of 2010 Ebert found a permanent home with us.  He is nine years old and in the third grade.  He loves to play outside with the other boys and enjoys cars, paper airplanes, and action figures.  He is brimming over with energy and curiosity.  He loves our cats, though I’m not sure the feeling is always mutual, and we love him.

Humberto(12) and Alberto(8) are rambunctious little boys full of life and light.  When their mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness and became unable to care for her boys, Humberto and Alberto bounced from one temporary home to another.  Upon the death of their mother, the boys were placed into our hands, our home, and our hearts.  Their father suffers from alcoholism and has never played an active role in their lives.  They have three older brothers who live independently and a younger brother who lives with relatives.  Our family would not be complete without these two wonderful little boys.

Erika(11) is a beautiful little girl both inside and out.  Her sweet smile lights up the home even though she often hides behind her shyness.  Erika was born to a single mother who felt incapable of caring for her.  Her mother gave Erika to another couple who promised to provide a good home for her child.  These new parents also faced difficulties in raising Erika and she was given away again to another couple in adoption.  After Erika confided in her school principal about the extremely abusive situation she was living in, she was quickly removed from the home.  After about two weeks in a rescue home, Erika was placed into our lives.  We feel privileged to have her as part of our family and are so glad she will never again have to be scared of going home.

After losing his mother to a life of drugs and alcohol, Jonathan (7) was put in the hands of a very abusive uncle who also suffered from addictions. Jonathan spent a lot of time on the streets of La Paz before being taken into custody by Bolivian social services. He arrived at the home shortly after our first three (Irene, Brayan, and Simon) and considers himself part of their family. He is very traumatized by his past and has come a long way since his arrival. His favorite activity is going to the river to play.

Roy, Edmar, and Jhulisa were abandoned by their parents and had lived for years bouncing from one temporary home to another. They grew up in an agricultural community and really enjoy all of the activities of the farm. Roy (10) is very intelligent and takes a lot of pride in his academic successes. Edmar (9) loves to play with cars and build roads. Jhulisa (8) is our little monkey who will not stay out of the trees. They are very protective of one and other and a lot of fun to be around.

Gary (8) and his older brother had lived in a temporary children’s home is La Paz as long as he can remember. His older brother ran away from the home when Gary was still very young, leaving him with very little recollection of any biological family. He is a very affectionate little boy who is rarely seen without a smile. He is especially fond of our farm animals.

After the death of their father, the mother of Miguel, Luis, Jhoselin, and Jose Carlos chose to start a new life with another man and left the four to fend for themselves. Their grandmother tried to care for them, but was not able to keep them in her care long due to her financial and physical state. Miguel (12) is our movie fanatic. He looks forward to and talks about movie night all week long. Luis (8) prefers to hang in his room with a fistful of matchbox cars. Jhoselin (6) is our little princess who loves to play house with the other girls of the home. Jose (3) is the baby of our family and loves to be read one story after another.

Rene (4) was picked up on the streets as a baby and there is nothing known about his past. The social worker who found him gave him his name and placed him in a temporary home. Rene is fearless and full of life. You can usually find him hanging on the monkey bars or dancing to whatever music he can find.

Jhoselin’s mother was a single mother who struggled to raise Jhoselin and her little brother. After her death, Jhoselin was left without a home. Having a different father than Jhoselin, her brother was placed with his father who came into the picture several months after the mother’s death. Jhoselin (8) loves to play outside and some of her favorite activities include swinging on the swings and jumping rope. She is a ball of energy and always speaks her mind.

Rodrigo, Abigail, Jenny, and Jimmy were abandoned by their mother who left with the hopes of finding a better life for them, but has never returned. Their father’s situation is unknown. Rodrigo (12) is really into chess and very hard to beat. Abigail (10) really enjoys being with the girls and playing with her dolls. Jenny (6) loves to be in the kitchen or play kitchen with her friends. Jimmy (4) loves to set to flight as many paper airplanes as his brother will make for him.

Irene, Brayan, and Simon were the first children to arrive at the home and we consider them our founders. Abandoned by parents who suffer from severe alcoholism, these three have learned to be kids again. Irene (13) is very caring and motherly with all of the children of the home and loves to read. Brayan (12) loves to sing and is very helpful with making bread and other activities of the home. Simon (10) loves to play soccer or participate in any sporting activity. After going through the Alcoholics Anonymous program, their parents were granted their rights again as parents.

We are happy to inform that Irene, Bryan,and Simon returned to their parents’ care December 4, 2009.