FAQ Brief History of CadaNino

Anyway, I pieced this together from old emails and added some thoughts. Talk about Roshomon. I was a true rookie this time last year and now I am becoming the quintessential sophomore...

The outline of Cadanino:

2008 - Wallers went to Guatemala to study looming humanitarian crisis related to the end of
international adoption. Ten homes were visited: 5 NGO types and 5 Government
CRPN Was the stand out as neediest and most compelling orphanage.

2009 Return to Guatemala and start Cadanino.

2010 Today we employ 5 people working physical therapies with the kids at CRPN-

January 24, 2010 - From the first brief visit to the center, I have known that God wants me involved with these kids. It can be an emotionally brutal place and the dynamics are difficult to describe. In this case, I think the photos tell the story than my limited wordsmithing capabilities. When you look at some of these pics you either get it or you don't. There is nothing wrong with not getting it. I did not get it myself until this started two years ago. I generally shunned complicated handicapped people. For me, I suspect it was a time and place thing.
My commitment to this center and these children is pretty much open ended. I may not live and work there full time for ever, but I am committed to the kids (especially the invalids of the clinic) for life (theirs or mine).

Anyway a couple of quoted emails over the past two years...


From a letter to a friend explaining the background

BTW- The YPO in early '08 started this project. Greg Garrett gave a brief presentation and it really took my heart. I felt the Lord calling me to get to know Greg and his Orphan Helpers. Part of my challenge last year was my lack of clarity and multiple mandates. In addition to the immediate identified need here, I was also trying to find Jamie Jr. (JJ) a job and career. It was not going well with JJ and I think Uncle Sam has more experience with these lads. JJ is loving the Marines. Concurrently, multiple issues in Guate and Orphan Helpers needed clarification-

2008- Guatemala changed adoption laws. For simplicity sake we'll say the change was for the better. The fear had been that many orphans would be stranded and grossly neglected. Also, OrphanHelpers had a mandate and small grant to expand from Honduras and El Salvador to Guatemala. They specialize in incarcerated males. During the year 2008, their patron for expansion was unable to fully deliver on the pledge because of the economy.

The Lord had touched my heart with this one Government center for profoundly retarded orphans. The images of the kids haunted (in a nice way) all year. I am calling the place Aurora 13 for now. It is tricky the interplay here with the government and charities. In fact when I showed up on day 1, they did not know what to do with me. Since then, the director, Celedonio, has become a good friend and we played mini-golf this weekend.

Aurora 13 has had virtually no Christian or Church support in a long time. There are about 55 people and half wear adult diapers. I have no training with mentally handicapped people unless you include Wall Street types. They have a large staff and the kids have a lot of very good food. I particularly enjoy helping at lunch feeding a couple of the wheelchair kids. Ingrid is about 12 and has almost no motor control. Her face is cute and appears normal and does not have the traits of downs syndrome or other obvious mental shortcomings. The other adorable child is AnaNin. She is profoundly retarded and also has the condition where they push their hand down the back of her throat. Consequently, she remains in restraints continuously. She also has an autism that has her hitting her head against the wall. She has scars on her forehead. The restraints prevent her from incurring more. One of the other children in restraints has given me an idea for a new appetite suppressant... more on that another time.


And another note to friend

AURORA 13 b4 CadaNino

The other project in Guatemala is what I am calling, " Aurora 13." It is the government run home in Zona 13 for mentally handicapped. The place is called Centro Residencial Psiquiatrico y Nerologico. They have about 55 residents and most are profoundly retarded. I had visited their last year with the secretary from Biesestar Social. The current director is becoming my friend and he has a good heart. He cam to play mini-golf when I took 8 of the Fundaninos boys to mini-golf on Saturday.

This government center has limited resources and little recent history of volunteers. God has called me to this home since last year as the memories of these needy people has haunted my dreams and waking moments. Because of the government involvement, I am trying to keep a very low profile. I saw that years ago there had been some negative press about inadequate care and I do not want to do anything that would jeopardize my ability to help the kids. The last two weeks my main accomplishments were:

1) Forge relationship with staff

2) Cook pizza for lunch for staff

3) Acquire medicine for epileptic sister of laundress

4) Help 8 year old nearly blind son of Seamstress

5) Acquire fabric in Zona 7 for seamstress to make clothing for residents

6) Donate 100 pounds of clothing to kids

7) Donate DVD player to the infirmary- for nurses and kids

8) Hire a part time physical therapist for a pilot program. Three months of half days on Monday-Friday

I don't mention these things to boast, but to give you an idea of the flexibility that I have. My foundation and associates are happy to put resources to work in a spontaneous and flexible way. Similarly, I made some small gifts at Fundaninos; a laptop for Kevin, meat and chicken for some visits, cookies and candy continuously. Additionally, I left a few dollars that I hope Quique can use to have Juan's front teeth extracted or fixed and also to take Emna to a different doctor for diagnoses. She is my favorite and such a cutie. She appears pigeon toed and have limited muscle response. Apparently, doctors have said she does not have downs syndrome, but there is definitely something else going on with her. Maybe is it a type of autism or something else neurological. Needless to say, I will do whatever in my power to help her as appropriate. "

Cynthia - One of my two 2010 favorite Kids She's really cute,

but a perpetual motion machine....

Clown Day Today !!! Great Fun

Blanki and Ingrid

Ingrid and Tio Jaime

Flora One of my good friends .. helps in the Kitchen

Carmen Maria Head of Physical Therapy

Angelito

77 Times or 7 x 70 Times ???

Numbers matter. How many children do you have? I have two and several step-kids.

At the CRPN there are 50 kids. 2009 we focussed on the invalids and a handful of others. I can say I know 8 to 10 pretty darn well. And then I notice the next kid or group of kids I want to spend time with and focus on.

Two girls: Cynthia, 9 and Elsa 12, have recently caught my attention. Because they are well behaved and relatively healthy, they had not caught my attention previously. Both are quite developmentally challenged, but both are sweet and calm. Elsa is a bit of a loner and spends long hours staring at the wall even when she can be walking around the yard. Cynthia is a perpetual motion machine: She just keeps moving and probing and examining everything. Though I don't think she has PICA, she does want to use her tongue to taste test everything. She usually manages to acquire a piece of fabric and will play with it for hours. No doubt her taste testing has had some bad experiences, but she has no language skills whatsoever.

I am frustrated that there is not time in the day to spend quality time with each of them. They seem to really respond to one on one attention. They are mostly in the main room with the full group and get little individual attention.

Where am I going with this. I guess I am thinking about God and how he loves all 6 billion of us and how he pays attention to us individually and works with us in all our shortcomings and handicaps. The idea that he gave us the manual as a guide and sends us many feedback mechanisms amazes. When I see the limitless need and suffering in the world, particularly my little corner, I am sometimes overwhelmed by my inadequacy. It is then that I really appreciate and loving and all knowing God who takes care of it all. All of it..... and don't forget it.

Day off and Kayaking

Since I work at the center most Saturdays and Sundays, I have had little time to explore the country. Monday and Tuesday I drove to the famous lake Amititlan and went kayaking. Had a great time, but it went way too fast.

Lot's of good things happening at center. Blanca is a ball of energy and has great gardening and arts and crafts projects. Another group went to a regional therapeutic center and may be able to get three of our younger students placed in all day nursery school (well kind of). Please pray for some of our aggressive boys. They really suck the life out of all of us.

I have been busy sending out the belated Christmas Cards and trying to catch up with friends via email. It is very time consuming, but glad that all my friends have not all forgotten me. Also, working with other friends on clothing drives in the USA. I had become somewhat disenchanted with the process and then I realized how much we have come to rely on the donations. I really enjoy each day seeing who gets Lizzie's Exeter basketball sweatshirt. I have refrained from photographing as it might be too funny and therefore a bit voyeuristic and inappropriate. We do have a lot of laughs, but they are hard to share with the outside world. It would be too easy to mis-interpret and caste a negative light. On the other hand: the negative light has been caste.

Just Another Guate Sunset

Nice... very nice....

What a great week. I moved into my apartment. Nearly froze two nights and had to re-inflate my bed 4 times last night. When I awoke, I was surrounded by plastic.
Maybe I need an upgrade.

With everyone back top work and n the groove at CRPN it was an interesting week. All the workers got the message that it is time to take our energy level up
a few notches and improve our interaction with the residents. The women are now sleeping everynight in the new section and it appears to be working pretty well.
This was Blanca's first week with Cadanino. Her energy is great to watch and she has started a garden with the older kids and trying new activities all around the
center.
Heartbreak in Haiti. I am sad and prayerful. Such a tragedy.

Matteo de Bendfeldt Nacio

My Pastor and his wife just had their first baby. I am friends with the entire family and they are excellent folk. In addtion to helping me with CadaNino, they started and run Fundanino. Sorry for naming confusion. Francisco is my Pastor and I have learned a lot from him even though he is young. He really has a gift for preaching: emotional enough and very thoughtful.

Queremos compartir con ustedes nuestra alegría por la bendición que Dios nos acaba de dar, acabamos de recibir a nuestro nuevo nieto MATEO (Quiere decir REGALO DE DIOS) hijo de nuestros hijos Francisco y Carol, peso 6 lbs. 11 onz. y midio 50 cms.

 

Where does the time go??

It's nearly mid-January and planning my week back in NY. The move into an unfinished apartment nearly unfinished me. I was never good at the household stuff and have not improved over the years. Spent last two nights in the new place. Nearly froze. Low 40's and no heat. I have a ton of windows which was the plan to maximize natural light. But the winds creep through the less than airtight window seams and keep me COLD...

Worth the wait. The sunsets are gorgeous. With a southwest view the sun goes down between the three enormous volcanoes. Two of the volcanos are continuously erupting and are an awesome view at God's handiwork.


Kids are doing well.

We just hired a general manager for the team.

Blanca

Nice visit to Fundaninos yesterday

Spent the afternoon at Fundaninos and caught up with the kids. The two new borns are really cute: Cheppe and Vela. Cheppe has a great sense of humor and smiles a lot.

A group of volunteers from Pennsylvania were there and two of them: Jamey and Deb had been there for three months at the beginning of last year. It was great to hear their point of view on how things have improved and flow more smoothly now. Consistent with my observation.

Lord Bless this place and keep them safe in the hours and days ahead.

Happy New Year!!

Excited to get a good start on the year. I arrived Saturday and spent the afternoon and all day Sunday at the center. Weekends and evenings are the most important time to be there because it is when there is a skeletal staff of government employees and minimal activities for the children. We spent yesterday afternoon in the sunny part of the yard and listened to some music. The older girls are insistent on fairly current and popular dance type music. A couple of the boys really enjoy the music also.

Still lots of folks on vacation. Many people save their vacation days so they can have lots of time off during the holidays. Others take their time in January and that presents a different set of challenges.

My first Facebook post indicated that all wal well with Wendy's thumb. I had been told by the non-medical types that it was healing well and that is true. What I failed to understand is that they had to cut off the top part because the skin graft did not survive. Yeach... Well at least I give the government hospital credit for trying. It was almost an inevitability that she would lose part of it.

Two commitments for the coming year: 1) find a way to give the disruptive adolescent males more activities to calm them down and 2) create more activity for the quiet well behaved kids who are nearly neglected because they aren't constantly acting out.

God Bless!!