José (not his real name) never thoroughly talked about his family. His only statements were, “No one should ever be treated like I was. No one should feel the pain and loneliness I felt.”

At nine years old, he came to live at the Casa Girasoles. Nothing came easy for José. Formal school was a great challenge due to his learning difficulties. He struggled with the rules. He had a difficult time making friends with the other boys.

One thing stood out about Jose from the very beginning – his perseverance. He was never a boy to give up. If things got hard, he would work harder and figure out a way. When he left the Casa Girasoles program, José quickly got involved with the perils of life on the streets of Lima. He spent most of his early adult years in prison.

At 29 years old, we reconnected with José through our Comunidad Girasoles program. After spending seven years behind bars, he had just been released from jail and had nowhere to go. Through our case manager, he was set up with a place to live, a food stipend, and computer and phone access.

Still – things were not easy for Jose. He had a complicated relationship with his ex-partner, the mother of his daughter, and he was having difficulty finding work. He struggled with substance use.

Slowly, he began to find a foundation for his life. He engaged with a mental health therapist and worked to understand the impact of trauma and adverse experiences. He built a purpose around his daughter.

Things aren’t easy for Jose. He struggles with relapse. He finds it hard to navigate the daily challenges of rebuilding his life. Yet, José perseveres. The team supporting him perseveres.

We are thankful for the support you provide to Jose. He is made whole by your generosity.

The two brothers came to the Casa Girasoles with only the clothes on their backs. The first picture of their arrival with the social worker shows two scared, dirty, lost little boys.

Neither boy spoke Spanish, and the first couple of weeks were marked by dramatic shifts in their moods and emotions as they tried to navigate a new world. At their first meal in the Casa Girasoles, they were utterly uncertain what to do or how to act – for they had never eaten with silverware or at a formal dinner table. Thankfully, the house directors spoke Quechuan and shared a deep commitment to the hope that the two brothers would find healing at their new home.

Within a month, both boys could navigate simple Spanish communication with the other children and staff at the Casa Girasoles home. Slowly, tentatively at first, the two brothers opened themselves up to the caregivers. As their feeling of safety grew, they leaned further and further into the hope of a new life. A life of purpose.

Today, the boys are like any other 7 and 9-year-old. They love soccer and Pokemon – and talk endlessly about their friends at school and their dreams of becoming a firefighter and a policeman.

We are thankful for the hope that comes from a caring, empathic connection. We’re grateful for your support in bringing hope to many children in the Casa Girasoles homes.

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Today we share the story we are thankful for on many levels. The story is from a nurse midwife in the mountains of Perú and the incredible impact of dedication.

“On the April 29, 2019, at approximately 5:00 pm, I was called by a local health center to inform me that a teenage patient was in active labor, with 9 cm dilation. I immediately went to the clinic to help. When I arrived, I was met by a a very anxious 17-year old pregnant patient without any prenatal controls. The patient was in active labor, and a single fetus of more or less 36 weeks was visible. The challenging part – the baby did not want to come out.

A team attended the delivery, including myself and another midwife in her internship year. The delivery was rapid, with very little amniotic fluid; and, at birth, the baby is flaccid, cyanotic, and dyspneic. In other words, the baby was dying.

Thank God, the clinic had a self-inflating resuscitation bag. With the help of my colleague, we proceeded to resuscitate. After a minute with the self-inflating resuscitation bag, the baby began breathing alone, her heart rate improved and cyanosis decreased. But, after 30 seconds – she stopped breathing again. I immediately verified that she had also stopped breathing, and restarting my NRP training. I used the self-inflating bag again, with positive results: in 30 seconds, the baby was breathing alone again. We stabilized the baby and arranged for transport to the largest regional hospital where she could be admitted in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Three weeks after the event, I met the teenage the mother in the small local health post. She had her baby in her arms and she was awaiting to be seen for a check-up. She thanked me for the attention I gave to her and her baby. She thanked me for saving her baby’s life. Without a doubt, the training I received from Health Bridges and Dr. Robert Gehringer prepared me to act in such a competent way. Thanks to HBI, I was able to save this child’s life. I am forever thankful to Dr. Gehringer and HBI.”

We are incredibly thankful for the dedication of Dr. Bob Gehringer. He is a true life saver.

There’s a space between need and resource. It’s space to make a decision—a time to take action—an opportunity to connect.

Real change – lasting, community-driven change – is sometimes more complex. It does; however, all come down to deciding to get involved . . . to take action.

Caring is about connection. People need to know you care before they know what you know. Pizza has a way of connecting. Sharing pizza slices is a tangible way of showing we care.

A few years back, a donor asked if we could start a monthly pizza party for the staff and boys at the Casa Girasoles homes. The donor asked that their donation only be used to buy pizza and ice cream – “[it] is a concrete way for the boys to know people care. It’s more than just pizza. It’s about taking action.”

So we started the Pizza Party project. We don’t buy pizza every month. We can’t afford it. But when we do hold a Pizza Party, everyone gets so excited. The staff included. The Pizza Parties have become a space and place for everyone in the homes to connect.

We are thankful for pizza and the tangible action of caring.