Sofia - a smiling story

Yesterday I had the joy of visiting Villa Infantil (VI), an orphanage that is situated a bit further round Lake Chapala near the town of Jocotepec. I’ve heard about VI several times since being here, and also in my pre-trip conversations, and always very good and glowing reports, so I was looking forward to the visit.

Whilst there I got to meet Madre Maria, who runs the orphanage, along with the Sisters Maria and Blanca – wonderful ladies who have dedicated their lives totally and sacrificially to the care of the children in their charge. Despite the odds on many an occasion they are raising abandoned, orphaned and often abused children in a loving, caring environment, allowing the children to heal inside from their traumatic starts, and rediscover what it means to have a happy childhood and live in a loving home.

The oldest girl at VI is Sofia (name changed for obvious reasons), and she is 16 years old. Sofia came to VI when she was 3 years old. Her mother had a lifestyle so dysfunctional and broken that she was unable to care for her daughter, and so the grandmother attempted to take over the reins.

Initially it went OK, but before long the grandmother was also failing to provide adequate care for Sofia, and at the age of Sofia was found wandering on the streets. She was taken in by the Mexican social services, who handed her to Madre Maria to be raised at VI.

Sofia has been there ever since. Initially there was some contact with the mother, which is why they never sought to have Sofia adopted, but after about 5 years the mother disappeared from the picture altogether. 

Sofia has gone through all of elementary school and is now in high school. She has two years to go and then hopes to continue on to University. Her education has been sponsored by someone in the ex-pat community out here, as is the case for all the children at VI. 

Some people think that orphanages aren’t the way forward for child care, and I know I have written about this before, so I won’t regurgitate my thoughts now. But when I met Sofia yesterday her whole demeanour oozed happiness, contentment and a sense of knowing that she is loved and valued. She shares a room with one other girl, lives in a family size unit, takes part in the chores, has to do all her homework, gets consulted about what she would like to do future wise, and is very much treated like an individual as well as a member of a loving family. 

For me that typifies what is important about raising a child – giving them the loving space to be themselves, to discover who they are as a unique child of God, and to have the security of a family who loves them as they grow up and eventually, when they are ready, go out into the world.

Madre Maria, and the Sisters at Villa Infantil certainly do that for every child that comes their way, and it was an honour to see and feel that love in action when I visited yesterday.