St. Charles Borromeo missionaries hope to find good homes for Jenny and other children from a poor Mexican orphanage
An eight-year-old girl, living in an orphanage in Mexico needs to be evaluated by a doctor, and St. Borromeo’s Youth director has found a child psychologist from Metairie willing to volunteer to do the costly assessment of the child.
If the U.S. allows Jenny to come to the United States she will be in St. Charles Parish for one month, and the youth ministry director Janeen Rodrigue, and Fountain of Youth Ministry workers in Destrehan would like to see someone adopt her.
“Jenny was taken from her mother by the Mexican social services officials at the age of 2 and was brought to the Casa de Nazareth Orphanage in Piedras Negras Mexico because of neglect,” Rodrigue said. “When Jenny arrived at the orphanage, she could not walk – her legs were like jelly because she was – left to just lay in a bed all day long.”
Rodrigue says the catholic nuns at the orphanage took her in and started working with her and soon taught her to walk and potty trained her, etc.
“I have been to the orphanage for the past three years and have seen so much improvement in this beautiful little girl,” she said. “Our hope is to get Jenny here for a temporary visit so that the community can meet her and so that we can have her properly evaluated with the appropriate treatment.”
Rodrigue found a local child psychologist who has offered his services free of charge to give Jenny a thorough evaluation so that he can assess her needs and treatment.
Padre Carlos, the head of the orphanage, thinks Jenny has autism but this diagnosis has never been confirmed. While it is true that Jenny has faced challenges in her early life, their severity is under question because of Jenny’s ability to connect to people.
Rodrigue and her Fountain Youth Ministry Teens met Jenny while doing missionary work. “Our goal is to get Jenny’s story out to the local and extended community,” Rodrigue says. ” Jenny has touched the hearts of so many of our missionaries that we feel that if we bring Jenny here for a temporary visit she will continue to touch hearts and God will send her a good, holy family who will adopt her and give her a forever home.”
But arranging a trip for Jenny and television appearances hasn’t been easy.
“We’ve already made one television appearance on Cox Connexion with Brad Grundmeyer, but someone is working on getting Jenny’s story featured on Quiet Heroes with Sally Ann Roberts, a news anchor for WWL-News Channel 4, but it’s still in the works.”
Rodrigue says some donations are coming in to help fund the trip for Jenny.
“The road blocks that we are up against are getting her across the border for a temporary visit,” Rodrigue said. “We are told that we have to get permission from the American Embassy and the Mexican Government.”
Rodrigue hopes they will be bringing Jenny to St. Charles Parish soon.
“We are not sure if money will be an issue in order to make this happen,” she says. “Transportation costs will play a factor here but we do not consider that a roadblock – God will provide,” she continued. “If there is anyone out there who has any insight or contacts, please get in touch with us.”
Rodrigue says long-range plans include placement for all of the orphans somewhere in the United States.
“All children deserve a family filled with love and laughter and these little girls and boys don’t have that,” she said.
“The sisters are wonderful angels in their lives sent by God but they cannot give them a forever family.”
Rodrigue says the orphaned children live very simple lives.
“And Jenny is no exception,” she said. “She is an 8-year-old little girl who has faced many challenges in her young life. She is the most loving child. Her little face lights up when she sees us.”
Rodrigue says her missionaries believe Jenny embodies the spirit and definition of unconditional love.
“This child truly loves unconditionally,” she said. “Every child deserves a home to call their own and a good, holy family to love them and give them all that only a family can give. Jenny is an orphan but God says that He will not leave anyone orphaned . . . so we feel we are being called by God to find Jenny a home.”
Anyone who can help the missionaries bring Jenny to the U.S. please contact Rodrigue jrodrigue@archdiocese-no.org or call 985-764-6383.
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