Three months after our trip to Chihuhua, I received a call about a tragedy that occurred at the Casa Hogar orphanage. A 17 year old, burly, gregarious, young man, whose size belied his mental maturity, died while locked alone in a room to control an aggressive outburst. He suffocated on his own body fluids. When I heard about the death and who the kid was, I remembered him well. He stood out from the other children - he was always in our faces, seeking attention. His physical and mental limitations were evident and it was not surprising to hear that he had a history of abandonment, abuse, and neglect. He had been kicked out of institutions for his aggressive behavior and probably functioned at about a four year old mentality. For the five months that he lived at Casa Hogar he had been a challenge for a staff and facility that was not equipped to take on his needs - mental or physical. As a large kid, I bet he was very difficult to restrain when he threw a fit or had a seizure - causing harm to himself and those around him. It made me think about my two and a half year old, who, when she cannot relay her needs to me or is over stimulated and tired, throws a big fit - I refer to her as a terrorist two year old. She will slap my face and kick wildly. She does not have the maturity, development, or verbal ability to communicate when she is overwhelmed. As a mom, I have learned patience and understanding, and not without a lot of work. It is an ongoing task that I take on willingly, as she is depending on me. This young man, Luis Alonso Rivera Villagra, was born to be dependentfor his entire life. His inability to fully relate to others or them to him, led to his demise.

Nicknamed Pinguino (Penguin), because of his pear shape and waddle like limp, he was at Casa Hogar because it was the only place left that would take him in. Nobody there meant him harm, but simply and sadly, did not have the tools, resources, or knowledge to support his needs. It is not easyto take in children with special needs, some physical and mental, but Casa Hogar appears to be the only place that they will be accepted - no matter what. The staffdoes the best that they can with what they know and what they have. Pinguino's death was sad for everyone involved. Not in the least affected, were Fidel and Mariana whose hopes and dreams for their House of Mercy never included such a tragic event.

If Pinguino is a symbol of a terrible event, then a young woman, named Reyna will be a symbol of the orphanage's success. Found rummaging through trash for food with her mother, she was taken in by Fidel and Mariana. She was two years old - the rest of Reyna's life, has been at Casa Hogar. Her marriage to husband, Carlos was the highlight of a previous mission trip. I'm not sure how they met, but they seem to be a good match. The first time I saw the young couple together was during a worship service in the chapel. They were leading the children through song and music. I didn't spend much time with Reyna but I found Carlos to be a quiet, happy, talented, and expressive young man. He seems to treat Reyna with kindness and respect and she the same to him. Together they seem to be good leaders and they give back to Casa Hogar in many ways. If they stay involved with the orphanage and start a family, they can be an example of how to parent. Reyna is an example of what Fidel and Mariana intended for their home for children to be about.

Undoubtedly, the future holds much change at the orphanage. Fidel and Mariana and members of the Church of the Hills Mission Team and those of Trinity Church in Arvada are working towards change in the daily operations of the orphanage as well as developing the plans for the second orphanage in San Juanito. It will be a long process.