Find out what’s happening at the Casa right now in this letter from our Executive Director to you.
Dear friends and Global family,
The year’s calendar is approaching an end … we hope that it is the same around many other events happening this year.
We wish all of you and your families are doing great, and thriving, as we all learn to raise up our vibration to fully awaken the fantastic alchemists we all are.
Life in the Sacred Valley keeps moving forward, just like the once sacred Vilcanota river continues to flow, pushing away to the shore all the rubbish produced by humanity …
Thanks to the generosity of donors, our youth at home are doing very well. They all are healthy and growing up like strong trees!
All kids in high school are happy with our homeschooling program, which includes:
- Biodance classes to learn about their bodies, themselves, and contact with other bodies
- KnowYourself Workshops;
- Math, Geometry, Trigonometry and Exact Sciences
- Music
- Peruvian and Universal History
- Kundalini Yoga and Yoga Philosophy
- Shamanism
- Breema and The Art of Being Present.
At the same time they’re learning about composting and organic farming and raising chickens; they also learn about building with stones and mud by exposure to local stone workers and carpenters.
We have daily walks in the mountains Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:30 am; on Sundays, we have an all-day outing to explore this amazing valley.
I’m currently learning more about working with youth with Asperger’s and Hyperactivity. I recently gave one of our young men a test to see if he has Asperger’s or any other Autism disorder. He has Mild Asperger’s. He has a brilliant mind for everything that has to do with numbers and algorithms, but he’s unable to connect with others. We are now doing Behavioral Therapies for him to learn to communicate and share closer contact with others. He feels comfortable with all at home, I trust he will learn to do the same when encountering others. Biodance is great for him! and the Know Yourself workshops are showing him that although it is not easy to lean on others he can learn new behaviors.
Another of our Niños is Hyperactive, and at times this does not allow for him to be still, particularly when he’s in a social setting. We work on him learning to feel his own body and his own presence; we also access his magical thinking for him to connect his body movements with his inner self.
On another note, we have few of our kids wanting to go to Israel in the same program Doris went. Rayshiel, Jose and Zenobia would like to go this coming April-May. This is making me look into the need to develop some specific connection with Kibbutz Samar, which is where Avishai’s brother lives, because I see the enormous positive influence this place can have on shaping our kids life. Doris returned magnifying her fantastic self; she learned to trust her own voice and she saw how she’s capable of everything; now she’s ready to build her future free from fears of the past knowing that she can trust herself and others as she continues to bloom.
Note from Lauren: Raising funds for their airfare to and from Israel will be challenging! If anyone has connections with a community that might want to help, please let me know! lauren@ninosdelsol.org
Avishai spends long hours with the boys, teaching them work ethics and how to function in the world. He exposes our boys to different types of manual labor like cooking, building, planting, recycling … and consciously loving themselves, others and the Earth.
We all are grateful that all at home are healthy, holy, happy. We have challenges, we look at the valley where we live, and we give thanks for everything we are given as well as for everything we are not given. We pray that the new world paradigms will bring light and consciousness to all of us humans and that we will grow like the light beings we are supposed to be.
Here is a report about each kid at home:
Rayshiel, Guadalupe and Soraida, came back home when the pandemic began; they had to leave their rented places once their jobs were suspended. Both Ray and Guada were working for the companies running the Machu Picchu trains; Soraida was working at a local pharmacy.All three girls recently moved out from home, Ray moved to Cusco where she’s working at a Vet’s shop; Guada and Soraida are both working and living in Urubamba, each one in their own places. Guada works at a Chinese Restaurant and Soraida was re-hired at the pharmacy where she worked before. Their jobs don’t pay much, but they’re happy to be able to continue developing their independence and their own path.
Ermelinda, is working on her thesis, a not so easy task now that all is virtual. She needs to have access to a laboratory to test her theories regarding natural methods to clean drinking water; we’re waiting for the university to open up the lab and at the same time looking for alternative places where she could complete her work. At the same time, Erme is learning to be a businesswoman, producing Probiotic foods and developing power bars.
Zenobia, is working on producing fantastic chocolate with all types of dried fruits, nuts and natural essences. She dreams of developing her own chocolatery and special place for exquisite desserts.
Ada, is working at a local pet’s shop and becoming indispensable at the vet’s clinic. She’s also studying Agricultural and Animal Care and Production at the La Salle Institute in Urubamba.
Maria Flor, We’ve arranged for her child to live with his father and aunt while Maria Flor puts her life in order … an ongoing challenge for her. She has visits with her son, and we are working with her on how to be a mother and best ways to provide for a child. She’s currently attending a weekend college where she learns Cosmetology. Maria Flor must still complete her high school education (she left school to give birth to her son).
Lisbet, she’s a great artist! She’s happy to complete all her artwork at the same time that she becomes an educated woman. She loves telling me about the various types of art and the biographies of famous artists.
Doris, she just returned from almost two years in Israel. She’s now in quarantine at an Airbnb in Cusco, she’ll be coming home next Monday. She’s returned strong, conscious, free, knowing herself, although at the moment she’s going through a heavy duty culture shock.
Marlit, she’s fascinated by Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and she loves learning about critical thinking, wondering how it is that they had never taught her this at school? Marlit enjoys not having to do any “distant learning”, she tells me that this year she’s learned more than any other year going to school.
Soledad, our “poster child” … is now a teenager going through her own growing pains, learning to accept others and to let go of that which is unnecessary to carry in her heart. Sol is profound and strong; we see a fantastic young woman coming up!
Jose, moved recently to Cusco to begin living on his own. He’s currently working as a freelance video producer and learning about his responsibilities regarding his own well being. He tried working for a company and learned that he prefers to be his “own boss” even if this means triple work!
Belisario, is completing his 3rd year at Economy School. His school reports are brilliant as he continues to excel on his studies and research. The high school kids at home love the Math and Sciences classes with Beli as their teacher.
Jorge, he’s advancing in his studies of International Business Administration at the same time that the current situation shows him the importance of developing skills such as working the earth, building with mud and stones, and learning to work with his hands. He enjoys working outdoors and talks about developing a business current that could allow him to be in nature most of the time.
Raul, lives in Cusco at his aunt’s home. We continue paying his school’s tuition. He’s doing well at school, he comes home every other weekend or when we have group activities.
Ivan, a great addition to the family! He’s very sensitive, writes beautiful poetry and practices guitar looking forward to becoming a singer and a music producer. He too goes through painful cultural shock every time he visits his family in Lamay. We talk about the many ways in which he can support his family while growing up.
Sonq’o, is struggling through his adolescence a bit. We’re looking now into having him work with horses at a local ranch, hopefully this will help …
Luis, he’s a delight! helpful, thoughtful, profound, curious; enjoying homeschooling and wishing for the school system to change. Similar to Marlit, he states that this year he learned more than any other year when attending school.
Rusbel, becoming more outspoken and learning to trust others. He’s sensitive, helpful, artistic, and very creative.
Much love and gratitude to each one of you. May you all have a meaningful Thanksgiving Day.
Viviana
