We met Vanessa through Michelle Zuniga, the director of Con Mis Manos, a free school for the deaf in Matamoros with whom we collaborate. Con Mis Manos teaches Mexican Sign Language to twenty students and their families, as well as academic and practical subjects to the students. We expect Casa Bugambilia will provide shelter to 6 people associated with Con Mis Manos who are also dealing with domestic violence or other instability in the home. This will include Ricardo, a student at Con Mis Manos we are also treating for foot malformations.

 

Ricardo

In addition, we will soon be welcoming Erica at Casa Bugambilia. She is a new teacher at Con Mis Manos, recently graduated from a Mexico City school that prepares teachers of sign language. 

 

David has also joined us at Casa Bugambilia. He is 42 years old and a stroke victim, paralyzed on one side. He became ill in the United States and was transferred to the charity hospital in Matamoros, who turned him over to DIF, the Mexican social services agency, as abandoned. DIF has asked us to care for him. Unfortunately, we have been hearing of more cases like this, of Mexican nationals legally in the United States who are being returned to Mexico if they become seriously ill and do not have insurance to cover their medical expenses. The hospitals in the United States don't have the desire or resources to care for them, but many will be like David, without family or resources in Mexico and effectively abandoned. We are grateful to serve David, but many of these others will not find community in Mexico. Casa Bugambilia is the only refuge for the ill and abandoned in the three northeastern states of Mexico, a population of over 11 million people.

 

We believe David will improve in the care of the Casa Bugambilia community. We are reminded of Daniel. When he came to Casa Bugambilia three years ago, he was in great pain and had almost no movement or control of his body. Even sitting was out of the question back then. Here is a recent picture of Daniel, upright and practicing small movements with his hands that many did not think was possible. 

 

Daniel

In mid September, Dr. Nancy and Larry escorted Alexsandra and Alejandra, both 4-year olds who live at the Mi Casa children's home in Matamoros, to a clinic in La Feria, which is further up the Valley from Brownsville. The clinic was sponsored by Shriner's Hospital in Houston. Alexsandra had surgery at Shriner's in February to repair malformations to her legs. Her recovery continues on track. 

 

Alexsandra

The doctors were seeing Alejandra for the first time. She was born with a club foot, and her legs were further damaged by physical abuse in her home. Shriner's has accepted Alejandra as a patient to correct the damage to her legs, and we are now working on the logistical arrangements. We are also arranging neurological studies for Alejandra as it is possible that the abuse caused additional damage that has not yet been detected. Alejandra has already made progress. At the clinic, the physical therapist said that with a walker Alejandra would be able to walk. Larry admitted to doubts, but the physical therapist gave Alejandra a small walker and she took off.