Noé

I was asked to write a story about one of my many adventures here in Casa Hogar, for the annual report for Mi Casa Foundation. So this is what I wrote and how one child has really changed my life.

The day I was told I would be in charge of Chicos B I had somewhat of an idea of the boys since I had spent some previous time with them over the summer. One of the smallest boys in the group is Noé; he was one of the smallest, but one of the brightest and toughest. His smile is so big and cheerful and two simples are absolutely perfectly set on his two cheeks.

Noé comes from a single mother, who works around the clock to keep her three boys fed, clothed, and happy. Noé lives in Casa Hogar with his little brother Alejandro while their sixteen year old brother is in his home with his mother. Well each day I found Noé to be the biggest challenge of Chicos B. Every day he was fighting with other boys or bothering the other boys, until they were forced to fight back. Every day Noé was teaching other boys how to fight like WWE wrestlers in the dorm or during recess. Not only was he fighting, but he has been in Casa Hogar for so many years he knows how to work the system and he was often the leader when all the other boys were in trouble. He either did not have recess or was given another punishment. If he was not fighting with another boy he was stealing. He stole everything from pencils to pens to movies from the store in front of Casa Hogar. Each time I asked why he felt compelled to steal he often looked the other way and was too ashamed to talk directly to me. Each day was a new challenge with Noé and it never seemed to end.

Every day I asked myself, “What is Noé going to do today?” and every day I had to come up with a new punishment for him. After talking to the psychologist and Brother Julian, (the Director) many, many times Elizabeth and I came up with a system of colors, green means very good behavior, yellow some but not many problems, and the dreadful red means the boy was in trouble in school, study hall or fighting. Red means bad behavior and the boy needs to n improve. Well little by little Noé was learning if he received greens and yellows we would have a prize and Coke to drink on Fridays. And little by little his behavior was improving. Now as the year is coming closer and closer to an end he has made leaps and bounds. He barely receives reds, his grades in school are improving, and he is just a joy to be around. His smile lights up my day all the time, and he has the sense of humor of a comedian.

One day after study hall he was leaving and we were both walking and he stopped me and asked if I was going to stay another year in Casa Hogar. And I had to tell him the truth that I needed to go to work. And then he asked me, “well can you stay in Saltillo, and visit me as much as you can because I am going to miss you and I love having you in Casa Hogar.” And I told him if I find a job here in Saltillo of course I would stay and visit him as much as possible. It was in that moment that I realized how far he had come, and how much I had made a difference on him. Many days here in Casa Hogar I have questioned myself and my purpose here, and that day Noé reaffirmed why God placed me in Casa Hogar.