ORPHAN CRISIS IN MEXICO
The Republic of Mexico has a total population of 127 million people. Mexico City is one of biggest cities in the world, with a total of nine million people. Mexico has a growing economy through international tourism. However, the gap between the rich and poor is growing larger, especially in urban areas. Mexico has a high rate of violence and poverty, resulting in desperate families leaving children unattended to find seasonal work or completely abandoning them. Poor and rural communities lack policing and security. Therefore, these areas have become a popular drug-and human-trafficking hub. According to the Latin Foster Care Network, approximately 400,000 children in Mexico are without a family. These children are at risk of being recruited to gangs, forced into child labor and human trafficking rings. They need the immediate safety of homes like Casa Hogar Maria Atkinson to protect them from the vulnerabilities they would otherwise face.
CASA HOGAR MARIA ATKINSON
Casa Hogar Maria Atkinson faithfully serves the most vulnerable children in Mexico. Children come for many reasons including death of a single parent, death of both parents, abandonment due to poverty, substance abuse and parents too ill to provide care. Casa Hogar Maria Atkinson began with a group of people in Obregón City who sought to provide a happy, healthy home to the street children they constantly encountered. In 2007, their dream was realized as Casa welcomed its first group of children in need. Today, they are able to provide a safe haven for the precious young people that first stirred their hearts and many others who are at-risk in the country of Mexico. By the grace of God, they’ve even been able to find adoptive parents for a some of the children in their care.
Serving Orphans Worldwide travels to every orphanage we partner with to ensure needs are legitimate and 100% of funds distributed goes to the livelihood of the children.
PROMINENT ISSUES
Abandonment
Many children are abandoned in Mexico because of domestic violence and abuse, poverty, or because their families have fled to the U.S. Many abandoned children wander the streets, where they work and are more prone to suffer from exploitation .
Abuse
Living in poverty, children in Mexico are more prone to abuse in their homes and in school. Compared to other countries, Mexico has one of the highest rates of child death from abuse.
Drug Abuse and Crime
Many children in this part of Mexico are surrounded by cartel activity. Many gangs recruit from among the poorest neighborhoods. For many, earning money through criminal activity and the drug trade is more appealing than the alternative of extreme poverty.
WE BELIEVE
HOME
Casa Hogar Maria Atkinson is comprised of 6 buildings. The facility not only has gender appropriate dorms and offices, but they also have an on site school. The children have the space to play, and enjoy being children.
EDUCATION
The home has its own primary school and preschool on premises. Right now, one of their most urgent needs is to provide education to children who are far behind where they should be in school.
FAITH
Each child has access to their own copy of the Bible, and they all attend church. The caretakers at the home say that is has been beautiful to watch the children gradually transform by the power of the Holy Spirit. Through intentional discipleship, children are coming to know Jesus and His immense love for them.
HEALTH
The children have access to proper medical care, and are always taken care of when they are sick. The children are served 3 nourishing meals a day, and receives most of its food from the land and livestock which they farm, providing a source of sustainability. Thanks to a generous donor, the home now has access to clean water 24/7, a sure way to prevent water borne illnesses among the children.