Our involvement with the La Paz Children's Home began back in 1999, Cruise West’s first year of operation in Mexico.  That year, Chairman & Managing Director, Dick West, and his family brought a suitcase full of toys, and hair accessories on their Sea of Cortés trip. They visited the orphanage in La Paz where they were struck by the very stark conditions and the fact that although the children were clean and fed, there were very limited supplies and furnishings. All the children seemed happy and adjusted, but they were living without some very basic things. Mr. West noted there was not even a mirror for them to see how beautiful they were. Some of the very basic items unavailable to these children Cruise West felt we could supply.

For La Paz, things were brought for the orphanage every time we visited. One year it was 100 toothbrushes and toothpastes, one year, silverware so the children could all eat at the same time. Every time the ship would leave the La Paz area all the surplus food would be given to the orphanage, and spare Mexican change would be collected onboard.  The experience of giving at the La Paz Orphanage spawned a more widespread feeling of charitable giving and need by Cruise West to give back to the areas that we touch.

 

Over the years, we have continued our relationship with the Children's Home.  Through CD sales and the generous donations of our guests, we were able to we donate $7400 in 2005/06, which was used to build a beautiful new chapel for the children.

Moneys generated by sales of the Photo CD and other generous donations in 2006/07, were very instrumental in providing new beds and bedding to the Ciudad de Los Niño's y Niña's de La Paz this winter. It was brought to the attention of the Our Bear Cares Committee that there was a serious need for new mattresses and bedding for the dormitories. Leigh Strinsky, Marketing Project Manager, and her daughters spent one Saturday in the fall purchasing 20 bedding sets for the girls' room. These items were loaded onto the Spirit of Endeavour and transported to Baja. Then with the help of LaPaz local Lyn Musi, we were able to purchase 20 brand new mattresses and 8 additional bedding sets to go with them. On December 29, 2006, Mike Fleming, Captain of the Spirit of Endeavour and some of the staff personally delivered the items to the Children's Home. Then in March, owner Dick West and his family visited the Children's Home and had an opportunity to see the improvements to the beds.

 

Cruise West and the Our Bear Cares Committee continued our relationship with the Children's Home with a very special volunteer event, January 18-20 2008. Wendy Clark, Cruise West Guest Programs Manager sailed the Mexico’s Whales & Wildlife cruise and participated in the event. Here is her recap.

I had the unique privilege this winter of participating in the “Our Bear Cares” La Paz Children’s Home Paint Party. I escorted 18 guests to meet the Padre of the orphanage, who gave us each a brush, some paint and put us to work. The goal was to paint the entire exterior of the main building as well as some of the children’s bedrooms. So half of the group went upstairs while the rest of us remained outside and we began to paint. Some of us took on the detail work of the doors and windows and others covered larger spaces with rollers.

While we were painting, some of the local children would approach us to say hi. Some even helped us paint while helping us practice our Spanish speaking skills. At lunch we were treated to a fabulous barbeque with all of the children in attendance.

We wrapped up earlier than expected, so we tackled the stairwells and some other various tasks. When our time was over we were able to step back and admire our superb painting skills. I saw in the guests a true sense of giving and the Padre was pleased with the final outcome. On the bus ride back to the hotel, the guests who participated mentioned that we should offer more of these types of opportunities – it made them feel good to be able to provide a much needed service and the orphanage looked great!

A very special thank you to those Quyana members who took part in this Our Bear Cares event.

 

---

 

About The Orphanage “CIUDAD DE LOS NIÑOS Y NIÑAS DE LA PAZ”

LA PAZ CHILDREN’S HOME

Since 1952, the La Paz Orphanage has given a home and education to children without parents or those from broken homes.

They rise early for breakfast in preparation for school, from Primary to College, depending on each child’s ability, return to the home for lunch, after which homework must be completed, then playtime which may include some type of sport, and at day's end they have supper and prayers. This is a normal day at the Children’s Home, a special place that provides shelter for those who do not have the opportunity of receiving a parent's gentle touch or advice, some simply because their parents are no longer with us, and others because they have been mistreated.

A little history-

On April 20th, 1952, Catholic Missionary Father Zelindo Marigo laid the first stone for the building of the Tepeyac Boys Orphanage and San José woodwork shop, the cradle and origins of what was later to become the La Paz Children’s Home. In November 1954, Father Carlos Toncini took charge of the institution, and by 1962, he added the girls’ section, making the establishment as it is known today, “Ciudad de los niños y niñas de La Paz”.  Today, Father Fernando Quezada Covarrubias is in charge of the home.

The institution’s mission-

Provide a home, protection, food, and education, for orphaned boys and girls, and children from broken homes. The formative education is under the guidelines of the Catholic Church, and the primary school on the premises in accordance with the Public Education System, (Sistema de Educación Pública S.E.P.). The primary school is a public school and open to all children in the area.

The children and adolescents are accepted into the home as an important member of a very large family, and education is available to them up to and including college, so the day they leave the institution they can form part of the wider society as citizens, professionals, and fathers and mothers. This is not an easy task, as there are girls, boys, and adolescents; all have different needs, with different ways of thinking. The institution attempts to give them the tools for them to realize their dreams in life.

This is achieved, thanks to the support of the three nuns that attend to the girls' area, two cooks that hygienically prepare the food, and a social worker who channels the applications of those wanting to enter, or those who wish to leave, under any circumstance, the Children’s Home. Generally there are approximately 80 inhabitants, whose ages range from 6 to 20 years.

The orphanage buildings are annexes of Our Lady of Guadalupe Sanctuary, on 5 de Febrero Street, in La Paz, Baja California Sur.

Philanthropic support-

The institution is blessed with support from diverse sectors of the society, the women’s voluntary group, service clubs such as Lions, Rotary, etc.

Adjoining printing shop-

The printing shop is also a source of funding for the institution. The working printing shop is open to clients, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Triumphant stories-

There are many histories of little ones who haven’t had the fortune to grow up in a family, but who have had the opportunity to grow up in this home, where they have found comfort and instruction, and above all the comprehension that they need. Like all cycles that come to an end, there are those who find a new meaning in their life, say goodbye and don’t return, but others, manage to finish their studies to college level and become model citizens in their society, and it is with much pride that they think of their years at the Children’s Home.

A wonderful example is Professor Francisco López Gutiérrez, who for many years has contributed to the education of his state. Another is David Ibarra, who once played in the schoolyard and is now a Physical Education Instructor, and there are a host of others, who are model citizens, despite the adversity of their childhood.


Currently there are 28 girls and 41 boys living in the orphanage, ranging from 6 to 17 years old.


CIUDAD DE LOS NIÑOS Y NIÑAS DE LA PAZ
5 DE FEBRERO E/ CUAUHTEMOC Y SERDAN
EMAIL: cdninos AT prodigy.net.mx