aka, Wish List!
Buen Pastor is currently looking for funding to move forward with some wonderful projects listed below. This page is constantly updated.
1. Organic gardens
One of the main priorities the Sisters of the Good Shepherd have set for themselves for the upcoming year is Ecology. This encompasses practicing sustainability and educating the people they serve about stewardship. We at Buen Pastor have started recycling and monitoring water usage. We would like to begin composting and teach the women and girls about the food cycle. But our greatest hope is to build an organic gardenss. This would teach the girls how to use compost, grow their own food, and harvest it. We see this as a real way to incorporate food appreciation, stewardship, and responsibility in the girls.
UPDATE: We kicked off the garden project the last week of December 2009 with two garden beds.
2. A Solar Energy System
Energy and gas bills for the 70 people who live at Buen Pastor are staggering. Buen Pastor could do much more if the madres weren't crippled by the energy bills.
UPDATE: The Hilton Foundation has sent Buen Pastor forms to fill out and will approve up to $10,000 USD for a solar system if the grant goes through. Lori mailed it off on September 12th, 2009.
1. Organic gardens
One of the main priorities the Sisters of the Good Shepherd have set for themselves for the upcoming year is Ecology. This encompasses practicing sustainability and educating the people they serve about stewardship. We at Buen Pastor have started recycling and monitoring water usage. We would like to begin composting and teach the women and girls about the food cycle. But our greatest hope is to build an organic gardenss. This would teach the girls how to use compost, grow their own food, and harvest it. We see this as a real way to incorporate food appreciation, stewardship, and responsibility in the girls.
UPDATE: We kicked off the garden project the last week of December 2009 with two garden beds.
2. A Solar Energy System
Energy and gas bills for the 70 people who live at Buen Pastor are staggering. Buen Pastor could do much more if the madres weren't crippled by the energy bills.
UPDATE: The Hilton Foundation has sent Buen Pastor forms to fill out and will approve up to $10,000 USD for a solar system if the grant goes through. Lori mailed it off on September 12th, 2009.
3. A Spanish picture book library to encourage literacy
Madre Lourdes, the Mother Superior at Buen Pastor, has recently started reading to the girls in the "internado" before bed. She says that she's noticing changes in their behavior. They're starting to incorporate the lessons they're learning from the books in their play with one another. Each night as Madre Lourdes begins reading, all the girls lay on their stomachs, heads in their hands, as they listen intently. They love it. We're hoping to increase the number of books available to the girls. Currently, there are three books.
UPDATE: A whole bunch of brand new books were donated over the summer. Madre Lourdes accompanied a literacy loving family and picked out the books she would like to have. During the first week in October of 2009, Juanita ran a fund drive and doubled the picture book library.
Madre Lourdes, the Mother Superior at Buen Pastor, has recently started reading to the girls in the "internado" before bed. She says that she's noticing changes in their behavior. They're starting to incorporate the lessons they're learning from the books in their play with one another. Each night as Madre Lourdes begins reading, all the girls lay on their stomachs, heads in their hands, as they listen intently. They love it. We're hoping to increase the number of books available to the girls. Currently, there are three books.
UPDATE: A whole bunch of brand new books were donated over the summer. Madre Lourdes accompanied a literacy loving family and picked out the books she would like to have. During the first week in October of 2009, Juanita ran a fund drive and doubled the picture book library.
4. Bodywork
Most of the girls and women at Buen Pastor have experienced violence and sexual abuse. Acupuncture and massage allow them to reconnect to their bodies and begin the healing process. Everyone has responded very well to the bodywork they have been receiving. Thus far, the acupuncturist and massage therapist—both accredited in the United States—have volunteered their time, equipment, and supplies. It would be wonderful to make their work sustainable by subsidizing their services.
UPDATE: Liscenced massage therapist, Juanita, was awarded a grant by Mary's Pence to provide "compassionate touch therapy" for the women and Madres during 2010. Lori, our acupunturist, continues to visit every Wednesday with her needles and her Bach Flower Essences. This combination swiftly improves the phychological and physical health of the women when they enter treatment. Lori's work is sponsored by an anonymous donor and she received an additional award from DoJiggy Giving in February 2010.
Most of the girls and women at Buen Pastor have experienced violence and sexual abuse. Acupuncture and massage allow them to reconnect to their bodies and begin the healing process. Everyone has responded very well to the bodywork they have been receiving. Thus far, the acupuncturist and massage therapist—both accredited in the United States—have volunteered their time, equipment, and supplies. It would be wonderful to make their work sustainable by subsidizing their services.
UPDATE: Liscenced massage therapist, Juanita, was awarded a grant by Mary's Pence to provide "compassionate touch therapy" for the women and Madres during 2010. Lori, our acupunturist, continues to visit every Wednesday with her needles and her Bach Flower Essences. This combination swiftly improves the phychological and physical health of the women when they enter treatment. Lori's work is sponsored by an anonymous donor and she received an additional award from DoJiggy Giving in February 2010.
5. English Lessons
In order to be competitive in today’s job market, Mexicans are learning English. The women and children at Buen Pastor have expressed interest in learning English, but currently, there are no funds to provide a teacher and lessons. The ability to speak English would surely pay off in helping the women and girls find work when they leave the convent.
UPDATE: If we get a learning lab (#9) built, we will install English educational programs for the girls and women to practice every weekday.
In order to be competitive in today’s job market, Mexicans are learning English. The women and children at Buen Pastor have expressed interest in learning English, but currently, there are no funds to provide a teacher and lessons. The ability to speak English would surely pay off in helping the women and girls find work when they leave the convent.
UPDATE: If we get a learning lab (#9) built, we will install English educational programs for the girls and women to practice every weekday.
6. Transition coordinator for Women
The women sheltered at Buen Pastor come from every State in the Republic. Some of them can't read, others have never had any kind of formal education, and many of them have never held a job. If Buen Pastor is to truly empower these women, there needs to be a transition program that allows these women to integrate back into society and be financially capable of sustaining themselves and their children. Currently, no such program exists.
UPDATE: Newly hired Fernando (August 2009) hopes to provide computer training to the women. Juanita hopes to seek grants that will create a more ample transition program so that women are given help in finding jobs, housing, and childcare upon leaving the shelter.
The women sheltered at Buen Pastor come from every State in the Republic. Some of them can't read, others have never had any kind of formal education, and many of them have never held a job. If Buen Pastor is to truly empower these women, there needs to be a transition program that allows these women to integrate back into society and be financially capable of sustaining themselves and their children. Currently, no such program exists.
UPDATE: Newly hired Fernando (August 2009) hopes to provide computer training to the women. Juanita hopes to seek grants that will create a more ample transition program so that women are given help in finding jobs, housing, and childcare upon leaving the shelter.
7. Sex ed
Preventing teen pregnancies increases a girl's chance at success. Many of the girls that live at Buen Pastor are not exposed to sex education at all. The madres are interested in beginning a program for them which is absolutely progressive and wonderful.
UPDATE: Nurse Midwife Cynthia from Norwich, Vermont and has been volunteering at Buen Pastor since September, 2009. She's offering the girls a health class which covers topics such as anatomy, menustration, drugs, violence, nutrition, exercise, sexuality, contraception, and relationships!
Preventing teen pregnancies increases a girl's chance at success. Many of the girls that live at Buen Pastor are not exposed to sex education at all. The madres are interested in beginning a program for them which is absolutely progressive and wonderful.
UPDATE: Nurse Midwife Cynthia from Norwich, Vermont and has been volunteering at Buen Pastor since September, 2009. She's offering the girls a health class which covers topics such as anatomy, menustration, drugs, violence, nutrition, exercise, sexuality, contraception, and relationships!
8. Website
Juanita has constructed this website. Eventually, we're hoping for our own domain name, in English and in Spanish, and a functional donate mechanism. An additional plus would be a Buen Pastor blog on the website.
UPDATE: PayPal is up and running. You can sponsor a girl or send a subscription on the Get Involved page. A blog was added to the website the second week in September. Fernando and Juanita translated the entire website into Spanish in January 2010.
Juanita has constructed this website. Eventually, we're hoping for our own domain name, in English and in Spanish, and a functional donate mechanism. An additional plus would be a Buen Pastor blog on the website.
UPDATE: PayPal is up and running. You can sponsor a girl or send a subscription on the Get Involved page. A blog was added to the website the second week in September. Fernando and Juanita translated the entire website into Spanish in January 2010.
9. Learning Lab
As part of a literacy program, we are seeing funding for 20 computers. The women will use these computers to finish their primeria and secundaria requirements. We will install educational software for the girls. Our goal is a mixed-media learning environment where girls can work on their homework and also learn new applications. Lessons on popular software, like Word, will be taught to everyone, including the Madres. English language programs are also highly desired by everyone at Buen Pastor.
UPDATE: Fernando restored a dinosaur computer and equipped it with a harvested internet card. He also wired the room so the girls have a functioning computer with access to the internet! Using a Christmas 2009 donation, he added two more computers to the lab and equipped them with software. Thanks to a DoJiggy Giving Award, two more computers will be added in February 2010 which brings the lab up to 5 functioning computers!
As part of a literacy program, we are seeing funding for 20 computers. The women will use these computers to finish their primeria and secundaria requirements. We will install educational software for the girls. Our goal is a mixed-media learning environment where girls can work on their homework and also learn new applications. Lessons on popular software, like Word, will be taught to everyone, including the Madres. English language programs are also highly desired by everyone at Buen Pastor.
UPDATE: Fernando restored a dinosaur computer and equipped it with a harvested internet card. He also wired the room so the girls have a functioning computer with access to the internet! Using a Christmas 2009 donation, he added two more computers to the lab and equipped them with software. Thanks to a DoJiggy Giving Award, two more computers will be added in February 2010 which brings the lab up to 5 functioning computers!