Give school & love to abandoned girls in Mexico

One often talks in a family about the empty nest when the children start taking their own road out of home to start a new life, to experiment with their independence, to start forming a new family with a partner or to further their education.

In Puerta Abierta we have also had that experience. The young girls that graduated from college have found a stable job that allows them to be independent, and have now fully embarked on a new journey.  We have said goodbye with pride and satisfaction.This is the way they also feel. They are proud of the many achievements the have had and are ready to start an independent life, away from the family protection--the same family that led them and prepared them for this moment. 

As with every family, we let them know that Puerta Abierta is, and always will be, their family. They know that they are free to come back any time they want, to keep the relationship going with their sisters that remain at home, and with all the people that they have spent all these years.

We, in Puerta Abierta, are pleased to realize that these young women are the ones that have organized outings with the rest of the family. They still like to be a part of holidays and activities such as Christmas, Puerta Abierta´s anniversary, Mother’s Day, picnics, and vacation trips with the whole family. Equally satisfactory is seeing that the girls, still at home,enjoy celebrating the birthdays of the ones that have already left.  Some weekends they like to be together, taking or see a movie.

These young women still have a great influence over the younger girls. They give them advice and continue to act as role models, which is greatly appreciated by the tutors. When a tutor needs to be absent, for example, these young women stay with their younger sisters, taking responsibility to enforce the rules of the house. 

Few months ago one of the girls in Puerta Abierta got to the age where she had to prepare for her leaving.  We were very pleased to see that with great generosity one of the girls already out, offered to share her apartment with her. We witnessed how they wanted to keep strengthening their fraternity links. 

When the young women visit the “empty nest”, which is not really empty since Puerta Abierta keeps growing and receiving new girls that need a family, they are welcomed with great affection since they will always be our girls. This bond developed because we accompanied them during their growth and development. We remember how they argued about the house rules and raised their voices about things they did not agree with, yet, we all matured through the process.

These young, mature, and enthusiastic women are a reflection of the enormously important work we do at Puerta Abierta. Their success in life is a testimony to the reason why we need to continue to grow and reach out to all who need this opportunity.

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