In the early 1900s, a gener- ous woman named Romanita de la Peña opened her home to Mazatlán´s abandoned children. She shouldered the financial and emotional care alone until German Evers, a member of the then large and wealthy German community, heard of her work. Evers, an affluent landowner, made a pact with Romanita. If she could build an orphanage on a parcel of his land located on Zaragoza Street within one year, the land would be hers forever. Romanita immediately set to work raising funds from the German community (the Melchers, the Shillers), the society ladies of Mazatlán, and through parties and charity fairs. A year later, in 1920, the orphanage was ready to open its doors and in 1926 a wing was added. When Romanita died in 1958, she had devoted 50 years to caring for abandoned, abused and neglected children. Today, 83 years later, the orphanage continues to be a refuge for mistreated children. The difference is that today it is a non-profit organization run by a volunteer Board of Directors. The orphanage has six paid employees, including a full time Directora who oversees daily activities. Originally a shelter for both boys and girls, it will soon be designated for girls only as the older boys leave. At the moment, however, twenty children ranging in ages from babies to adolescents call this high-ceilinged, airy, immaculately clean place home. But the 83 year old building is falling down around them. Cristina Peña de Herre-ra, President of the orphanage´s new Board of Directors, says their most urgent problem is the roof. Because the old ceiling beams are dislodging from their stays, several rooms have been sealed off as being too dangerous to enter. If they can repair the roof, she says, the orphanage can house another ten children. The old electricity lines also need attention and new ones are required to bring the orphanage into the 21st century. The orphanage receives 3,000 pesos monthly from DIF, Mexico´s family services agency, which places children regularly in the home, and $150 U.S. weekly from the Tres Islas Orphanage Fund for food. However, the true cost to run the orphanage amounts to ten times that — 30,000 pesos a month, of which 20,000 is for wages, 3,500 for electricity and the rest for food, laundry soap, diapers and other essentials. Obviously, says Cristina, they xIn the early 1900s, a gener- ous woman named Romanita de la Peña opened her home to Mazatlán´s abandoned children. She shouldered the financial and emotional care alone until German Evers, a member of the then large and wealthy German community, heard of her work. Evers, an affluent landowner, made a pact with Romanita. If she could build an orphanage on a parcel of his land located on Zaragoza Street within one year, the land would be hers forever. Romanita immediately set to work raising funds from the German community (the Melchers, the Shillers), the society ladies of Mazatlán, and through parties and charity fairs. A year later, in 1920, the orphanage was ready to open its doors and in 1926 a wing was added. When Romanita

died in 1958, she had devoted 50 years to caring for abandoned, abused and neglected children. Today, 83 years later, the orphanage continues to be a refuge for mistreated children. The difference is that today it is a non-profit organization run by a volunteer Board of Directors. The orphanage has six paid employees, including a full time Directora who oversees daily activities. Originally a shelter for both boys and girls, it will soon be designated for girls only as the older boys leave. At the moment, however, twenty children ranging in ages from babies to adolescents call this high-ceilinged, airy, immaculately clean place home. But the 83 year old building is falling down around them. Cristina Peña de Herre-ra, President of the orphanage´s new Board of Directors, says their most urgent problem is the roof. Because the old ceiling beams are dislodging from their stays, several rooms have been sealed off as being too dangerous to enter. If they can repair the roof, she says, the orphanage can house another ten children. The old electricity lines also need attention and new ones are required to bring the orphanage into the 21st century. The orphanage receives 3,000 pesos monthly from DIF, Mexico´s family services agency, which places children regularly in the home, and $150 U.S. weekly from the Tres Islas Orphanage Fund for food. However, the true cost to run the orphanage amounts to ten times that — 30,000 pesos a month, of which 20,000 is for wages, 3,500 for electricity and the rest for food, laundry soap, diapers and other essentials. Obviously, says Cristina, they rely heavily on outside donations and it´s always a struggle. The aim of the Board of Directors is to ensure the children grow up to be independent. They are determined to reach this goal by providing the children with psychotherapy and regular physical and dental exams, all donated by local professionals. They want to remodel the girls´ bathroom, organize a kitchen for the girls to learn to cook and sell their baking for pocket money. Everyone has chores with a duty roster posted weekly for babysitting, serving at meals and dishwashing. Once a week volunteers take the children on an outing to the beach, or the movies if they can afford it. Local teenagers from a nearby school spend Saturdays at the orphanage playing with the youngest ones and they have a fledgling library. The Board is also petitioning the Federal government to change the adoption laws to make it easier for the children to find homes. “We are working hard to build a model orphanage here in Mazatlán,” says Cristina, “and we are actively reaching out to the community for help. If you know anyone who can donate money, English classes, a few hours of play time for the little ones, cooking classes, cleaning products —anything— we, and the children, would be grateful.” The Mazatlán Orphanage is located at 227-A Zaragosa Centro, telephone 981-2214, email orfamaz@hotmail.com. Attention: Cristina Peña de Herrera, President, Board of Directors. Or drop off your donation at the Pacific Pearl office.