On May 4, 2009 we visited Casa Hogar-Imperio de Amor.  An orphanage located just outside of Monterrey, Mexico.  There are currently 75 children living there.  The children come from various backgrounds and have all suffered hardships that no little one should have to endure.

Some of these children still have living parents, often referred to as social orphans, but due to neglect, physical, emotional, verbal and sexual abuse, poverty and abandoment, Child Protective Services has removed the children from their homes.  They have been placed at Imperio de Amor.

It is never easy to hear their stories.  It's hard to imagine children 6 years old testing positively for drugs.  It's hard to fathom a 10 year old boy having attempted suicide.  It's unthinkable to know that a 9 year old girl has been prostituted by her parents to earn money for their drug habits.  Some of these young children have been abandoned for weeks at a time, beaten with wire cables, forced to live on the streets and beg for food, and they have been physically abused by their moms, dads, step-parents, friends and even grandparents.

Currently, they are safe.  They are being fed, loved, nurtured physically, emotionally and spiritually.  Child Protective Services have seen such an amazing transformation in the lives of the children sent to Imperio de Amor, and as a result, they often receive the toughest cases.

It has been said that our eyes are the windows into our souls.  When you look into the eyes of the children living at Imperio de Amor, you would expect to see an emptiness from all that has been stripped from them.  This is not the case.  It's remarkable that almost everyone of the children we met on our visit were joyful.  Their laughter was genuine, their hugs were warm and in their eyes we saw hope.   

There is still so much to do to help these children.  Many are behind in school, they have deep psychological wounds that need time to heal, and they need to continue to learn about their Father in heaven who will never leave them or forsake them.

Imperio de Amor is less than three years old, and as you can imagine, the start up costs associated with feeding, housing, clothing, educating and medically/psychologically treating 75 children is expensive.  Casa Hogar-Imperio de Amor is a privately run facility and does not receive financial support from the government.  They are reliant on the generosity of private donations.  Embraced by Hope has made a commitment to send monthly support.  Will you help us fulfill this commitment by making a donation?