Letter about our Hogar

I have been meaning to post this for a while. We sent out a fundraising letter a few weeks ago and I wanted to share some excerpts/reflections on our work here at the home. If you have already received the letter, sorry for the duplication. Much love, Janelle and Matt

Dear friends and family,

As most of you know, Matt and I decided this year to take a leave of absence from the United States and the salaried working world, and have dedicated this year to volunteer in Chile with the Salessian Sisters. It has been an amazing journey so far... The children that live at the home are not orphans, but they have indeed all experienced great trauma in their lives, either in the form of abuse or neglect. The state has deemed their home environment no longer safe to live in and so they have come to live with the sisters, while the family works with staff towards reunification.

The sisters and the staff at the home do the best they can to provide for the needs of the children, to make sure that they get a good education, to create a family like environment, and to guide them and teach them right from wrong. This is definitely a formidable task given the limited resources and the challenges the children bring with them. Matt and I have had the opportunity to work with the 15 of the youngest girls these last 3 months (now it has been 5!). They range in age from four to nine years old. They are children dying for attention. They are children who are intensely angry, and who often do not like themselves. They are children trying to figure out who they are, who their family is, and where 'home' is. Like all children, they love to laugh, to play soccer, do head stands in the hall and jump on the bed. Many of them have learning disabilities and focusing on school work is hard for all of them as they have not had stability in their family lives.

...How do you provide for school, health, food, a clean home and the emotional needs of 15 children? One sister, two women and a novice. 15 children. I can't explain how overwhelming it was for me when I first started working at the Home. I wasn't the one in charge of meeting all the children's needs. I helped get them off to school, helped with meals and bedtime and some basic sweeping and mopping. Never mind enrolling them in school, the parent teacher conferences, the doctor/psychiatrist visits, the shopping, the cooking, the long talks about respect, the importance of not stealing, of grades, why your parents didn't show up this weekend/missed your birthday, or where you'll go when you leave the home at 18.

We have now been living and working at the home for 6 months. The rhythms and routines of the home have now become our rhythms. Matt's Spanish has improved as well as my child management skills so we can share more rich experiences with the children. ...The people of Chile have been so warm and generous, and the children have taught us so much.

Many of you have asked how you can help out and be a part of our mission. We’ve worked together with the sisters to set up a fund and we hope you can help us to keep it over flowing. Every little bit means so much to the girls, the sisters and the staff. ...

Sending all our love and blessings,
Janelle and Matt Costanti