On the outskirts
of Lima, Peru
sprawls a vast shantytown of huts and shacks held up with not much more
than a
few pieces of wood. In the midst of this poverty is the Hogar Sagrada
Familia
-- the Sacred Family Home. Founder
Miguel Rodriguez has built this place as a response to tragedy. In 1967
he lost
a son who was born with a heart defect. In his loss, Miguel became
acutely aware
of the pain and suffering of the many children of Lima who did not have a home. He took
in four
children from the streets, and before long, he had hundreds of kids.
He, his
wife, and a group of volunteers slowly built up a place to house all
the children
they could. These children have been
orphaned, or abandoned. They seek out Miguel and his home, or the
Police or
courts refer them to the home. These are the children who have been
lost by
society. They have no home, until they find Miguel.
Today 686 kids ranging from infant to
17 are able to say that they have a home, and a family. The staff has a
constant struggle to simply provide the basics -- food, shelter, and
clothing
for this many children. Their diet is primarily beans and rice, cooked
over an
open fire. The children go to school, and have activities such as
ceramics,
woodworking, gardening, and other skill based activities.
In spite of all the pain which these
children have endured during their short lives, they are happy. In
fact, it's hard
to find an unhappy face in the home. They have a profound faith in God,
perhaps
because they see his providence more clearly than most. Miguel has a
very
personal relationship with Jesus, who he considers to be his best
friend. It is
not possible to talk to Miguel for more than a few sentences without
him
referring to Jesus in a very personal way.
There are seven dorms, one for the toddler children and six for
the
children six to seventeen. There are three toilets and three showers in
each
dorm.