My first trip to Casa Hogar Misericordia was on the evening we arrived in Chihuahua. We were greeted at the Revolucion by Israel, a kind and gregarious man dedicated to his youth ministry. Israel is from Puerto Rico, and he understands English very well. After directing us to our accommodations, he needed a ride back to Casa Hogar, where he would be staying for three months. After a few missed turns and a few u-turns, we arrived at the orphanage. We came upon Mariana and the children in the cafeteria, worshiping and singing songs. The cafeteria walls brightly painted with murals, a rainbow with the message "Puente de Amor" - Bridge of Love written below. On another wall, zoo animals with the message "Dios Bendiga a los Animales y los Ninos" - God Bless Animals and Children. It was a normal, somewhat sweet setting. After they were done, Mariana had the children greet us. One, by one, they came up and said "hola". Some shook my hand and some hugged so tight, I didn't think they would let go. It was touching and set my expectation for the trip to include some meaningful interaction, with more hugs to come. I had packed a Spanish book of children's prayers that I read to my toddler, Ellie. I envisioned reading to these children in that rainbow zoo setting.

In the light of day, however, Casa Hogar looked very different. High concrete walls, topped with coiled barbed wire to keep the bad guys out and the good guys in, made it prison-like. The cafeteria, with no hot water and sparingly used propane for cooking, seemed empty and institutional. One thing I had failed to take notice of, the evening before was a slot in the wall. The slot, it turns out, is to slide food over to an adjoining room where the boys eat, separate from the girls. The wall between the boy's and girl's dormitories is solid brick with the same coiled barbed wire on top. A heavy metal door with a thick chain looping through it and through a hole in the brick is secured with a large lock, providing extra insurance that the division will keep the sexes separate. Some of these children have lived with physical and sexual abuse as part of their every day. Sadly, some may perpetuate the abuse, simply because they don't know any better - they learned what they lived. Not all the children at Casa Hogar arrive with trauma or have been abandoned. Some have family that placed them there because for whatever reason, they cannot raise them at home. Some have mental and medical issues. These are the children that truly have nowhere else to be. They are entrusted to Fidel, Mariana, and the staff at Casa Hogar to be fed, housed, educated and kept safe.

I spent a good amount of time talking to Mariana's brother Chito. During our visit, he and his family - a wife and three daughters - were staying at the "blue house", one of the staff homes located at the orphanage complex. Chito spends about half of the year away from his family working in the U.S.. I showed him pictures of my little family as we talked about how fast kids grow, and how hard it is to be away from them. I told him about my Ellie and how she came to be with me, my personal struggles to have a child and our ultimate decision to adopt. He got teary eyed when he told me that sometimes couples are interested in adopting kids from Casa Hogar, but that it is so difficult and complicated, few adoptions go through.

Casa Hogar is a beautiful place for these children that have nowhere to go. The murals in the cafeteria and others around the complex are enchanting. They relay wonderful messages. The schoolrooms provide a learning environment. Friendships are formed on the playground. The chapel is a meeting place to learn about faith and hope.

It is a blessing for these children to have Fidel, Mariana, and the staff. Groups from Church of the Hills, and other churches, go to Chihuahua on a fairly regular basis to do what they can to contribute. Some provide ongoing financial support. If you are interested in providing support in the way of money, volunteering, or spreading the word to someone who would, contact Church of the Hills, 28628 Buffalo Park Road, Evergreen CO 80437, 303-674-6641.