Good is good, and we can do more – wayne centrone

Miguel is registered to race in the Rally Tortoritas on 18 February
Beneficence is the act of doing good through charitable kindness or gifts. Beneficence is a central component of medical practice and critical to caring for others. More is needed.
Miguel (not his real name) is an incredibly talented cyclist. He is always the ride leader for the Girasoles Sanos Team. Miguel is brilliant, kind, and blessed with a balance of keen intellect and profound emotional intelligence. He is an amazing young man, and he has unlimited potential. He dreams of one day becoming an engineer.
Miguel comes from a biological family marked by violence, neglect, and substance abuse. He came to live at the Casa Girasoles after spending time in a state-run orphanage and living on the streets. Miguel has had contact with his family throughout his time in the child welfare system. The pain of knowing his family could not take care of him – and having frequent contact with them, has been very hard on him.
At 18, Miguel is ready to leave the Casa Girasoles Program. His family has been contacting him more and more. They want him to come and live at their home in Lima. They want him to work and support their aging mother. This is a typical scenario. At the time of emancipation from child-welfare services, families like Miguel’s seek to reunite with their sons – often not to heal wounds or build new relationships. Time and time again, the young men who exit orphanages, state-run homes or residential care facilities find themselves living as indentured servants . . . caught in a dysfunctional web as their futures become hostage to the same trauma that trapped them in their childhood.
Perú is going through a tremendous time of challenge. The social and political unrest is quickly pushing the country into an economic spiral. The events that led to the current situation are not unprecedented. In fact, the struggles of Perú are deep seated and multifactorial. One thing is, however, ever present – people living in the experience of extreme poverty are disproportionately impacted in times of economic, political, and social upheaval. Families like Miguel’s, who were previously teetering on the edge – are now falling into the abyss.
Miguel has gained so much from his time at the Casa Girasoles. He is, however, facing a future with many challenges. We can change that. We can be the bridge!
Now, more than ever – your support is helping us to build futures. Thank you.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!