Due to increasing crime and poverty in many parts of Mexico, hundreds of abandoned children wander the streets alone, not knowing what tomorrow will bring. About two million Mexican children are orphaned or abandoned.
In 1961, Rev. Josue Lopez began creating his dream - a home for abandoned children. Hogar de Niños has become a haven for over 100 homeless, neglected, and deserted children in Juarez, perhaps Mexico's most dangerous city.
Abandoned children have been found by Juarez police, living like human refuse on the dirty, crime-ridden streets of this teeming city of a million people. Police bring them to "the Home" because they know they will be well-cared for there.
Still other children make their way from families who can no longer care for them. Often the father has deserted them, turning to alcohol or drugs to escape the feeling of helplessness from the crushing poverty and unemployment. The mother struggles through long workdays, six or seven days a week, and still cannot provide adequate food and shelter.
These children at the home are blessed with nutritious meals, a warm bed, and the care of their basic needs in personal hygiene and development. They're provided a space to mature physically as well as spiritually. In addition to life's necessities and education, the children receive medical care at their impressive medical and dental clinic.
The people at Hogar de Niños focus each day to give the children a sense of destiny, a sense of future.
MEXICO
Capitol – Mexico City
Size – 758,249 sq. mi.
Area Comparative - slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Language - Spanish
Population – 108.7 million
Life Expectancy – 75.63
Annual Income/Person - $10,600
Exports – manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton
Religions - Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
Abandoned Children's Fund - Copyright 2007
