Give school & love to abandoned girls in Mexico

December  2025

Its never too late to learn

As every year, as we approach the end, we go through a review of what was done, and what needs to be

This year was full of changes and new learnings.

The challenge this year has been in changing mental structures and behaviors. These changes have been possible with a new program implemented in Puerta Abierta, with an emphasis on Nurturing and Compassionate Parenting.

The training on this, has involved opening our mind and heart, so that our reactions as adults to any event, should become a model to be followed by our girls.

For us to be aware that the reactive behavior the girls have, are the result of previous learning based on painful past experiences, mistrust and fear of being once again hurt by adults they don’t fully know and that today take care of them. 

So, based on this, we adults working with them, need a major dose of “patient listening”, so that we learn what is they are trying to express with their disruptive conduct, what feelings are involved and what is the underlying state of mind behind.

As a first step in this dialogue, we need to let them know their feelings are respected and understood, and that there are other alternatives to handle conflict, that their conduct is what is being questioned, not them as persons.

To let them know there are rules to handle and protect them from situations that imperil them, as well as to deal with those involved.  When a safety rule is known and understood, the adult can invite the girl involved to view the benefits of respecting it, both inside the house and the outside world, and this rule is both to protect her and to respect those she interacts with. 

The girls sensitivity involves both kind and rough behavior. When they feel that have been heard, accepted and treated with respect, their reactions slowly start to change, and they become aware of their possibility of being kind, and slowly start loving those adults in charge of them.  

As tutors close to them, we have to accept that changes are not inmediate  nor permanent. Today we may feel successful, but tomorrow we may need to start over.

We need to acknowledge that all this work is an act of love, so that they may find trust, safety and love in spite of their past history of pain, and that they can build a future of success, love and forgiveness.

We, as adults, also have the opportunity to have insights and decide that we need to continue learning about ourselves. 

Children and teenagers are an extraordinary book to learn from.

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