Buenas Dias, Todos!

My name is Rick (Tio Ricardo) and I am one of Mama Kia’s two sons. I have been living in the Sacred Valley of Peru for over a year and during this time, I have been working directly with the Casa, in all areas, on a volunteer basis. I am providing this update to inform you about our state since Mama Kia’s passing.

As some of you know, my sister Marie and her husband Allen stepped down from the role of Executive Directors and returned home to the United States with their family. Shortly after, Mama Kia’s close friend Alonso took on Casa Directorship, but in August he had to return home for personal reasons. Since then, my partner Julie (Tia Julia) and I have focused every bit of our attention on rebuilding a healthy, functional internal structure for the Casa.  This undertaking is both a challenge and an adventure as we are learning to speak Spanish while we navigate through Casa operations and the Peruvian way of doing things. We are grateful for team members on the ground with us, which includes a brand new, experienced support staff.  This includes Micheal, one of Mama Kia’s first adoptions. We have promoted Michael to the Head Tutor position and are happy to report that he is performing flawlessly, beyond our expectations! The children have shown a positive response to the direction we are heading.

Recently, there have been concerns circulating through outside communication networks regarding the condition of Casa and the children. To clarify any misinformation, I will now speak openly about some of the issues we are facing:

• We have 5 children who are legally available for adoption by Peruvian government agencies. We never want it thought that we would support, in any way, the removal of any child from Casa de Milagros. We are committed to do everything in our power to keep them at home, but it is unwise for us to challenge or resist this event with too much force as not only will we lose the battle, but we would also endanger our support and excellent standing with these government agencies. In the event adoptions are required, we will do everything we can to ensure the children become part of safe and loving homes. If possible, we will maintain contact with adopted children to ensure they are receiving everything they need to be happy and healthy. We are hoping this day never comes, as the heartbreak of saying goodbye to our brothers and sisters will be an enormous burden for all to endure.

• We are in a brand new phase as many children are coming of age, which is a difficult time for any child, even under the best of circumstances. Our situation is further burdened by inevitable sudden changes and lingering pain without Mama Kia’s energy and patience to help guide these very personal and individual life transitions. Peruvian law for abandoned children in orphanages dictates that at age 18, they are adults and are legally released without further assistance from the organization that provided for them during their childhood. We are in a unique situation because we are privately funded, so we can avoid some of these laws and provide longer-term security for our young adults. We have looked far and wide for another privately funded home in Peru and have found none other like us! Casa is truly unique because of the generosity of people like you! In alignment with Mama Kia’s Mission Statement, we wish to produce responsible, self-sufficient adults. Our young adults will continue to receive opportunities that Casa has to offer, but we are encouraging them to rely on themselves, for their benefit and a more secure future. Therefore, we have implemented some new rules for our children who are 18 years of age or older.

1.     They must maintain a GPA of 2.0 (75% or C average) in school.

2.     They must obtain and maintain a part time job to a) develop ethical work habits, b) learn personal financial responsibility and c) for personal spending money. The Casa will provide assistance with housing and school expenses while funding 100% of tuition fees.

3.     Most of our young adults live in Cusco near their university. The lifestyle under the safety of the Casa is starkly different from the outside world. With this transition comes the development of different habits and a whole new perspective on life. During the past year, we have witnessed an adverse impact on the other children directly due to the influence and actions of the young adults. It is our primary directive to protect everyone in the house, so we are experimenting with a new policy where anyone 18 years of age or older must receive permission from myself in order to visit the Casa. An additional reason for this is to help the young adults understand that consequences, good or bad, are always attached to their actions. The young adults will continue to be invited to Casa functions and will have supervised contact with their siblings. We are implementing behavior expectations for employees and children, including any who are 18 years of age or older.

Our visitors program has been closed for the past few months and we are very excited to reopen our doors to guests in Spring of 2012. This allows us to continue our rebuilding and implement many necessary changes for the health of the Casa, and all who are involved with it. We also need some time to have fun through the holidays and of course, get past the rainy season! Please watch this website for details on visiting us in person as well as information on the coming changes. Expect the same Casa, with a new and improved appearance, including a brand new logo with a heart and wings, in honor of my mother, Mama Kia.

Casa is reaching out to you in a new and positive way as we appreciate support in all forms. Though we do need a solid donation base to function, we are requesting for your positive on-going moral and spiritual support.

My promise to everyone is to continue to keep Mama Kia’s spirit alive in this project by guiding and nurturing my brothers and sisters in the same way my mother raised me. This will be done exactly how she did it: with patience, understanding and when needed, tough love, but, always with love.

Thank you for your support and Happy Halloween,

Tio Ricardo

Monday, October 31, 2011