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Children to benefit from Mexico City-Chicago ties By Michelle Martin For the five children who traveled from an orphanage in Hidalgo, Mexico, to the Chicago area, the week-long trip was a cultural exchange, a chance to see a new country and do new things. For their host families, members of Catholic Charities’ Adoptive Parents Guild, it was a chance to open their homes and share their lives with young travelers, and maybe give them a chance at a life with a family instead of an orphanage. And for officials from Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of
Chicago and Catholic Charities’ partner adoption agency in Mexico,
the journey provided an opportunity to raise awareness that there
are older children awaiting adoption in Mexico, and that Catholic
Charities can help facilitate adoptions for Chicago-area families.
The arrangement is part of the increasing closeness between the
archdioceses of Chicago and Mexico City. Irma Solanode Peñaloza, a volunteer with the social service agency in Mexico City that facilitates adoptions with Catholic Charities, said that older children like those who came to Chicago might have a better chance of being adopted by families in the United States than being adopted in Mexico. “In Mexico, people who want to adopt want a baby,” she said. “They think a big child is a problem, but it’s not true. If you give him love, a big child can be a good son.” Chesebro said the trip’s main purpose was to provide a cultural exchange for everyone involved. But Catholic charities also wanted to give the children a chance to experience family life, she said. “I think it’s worked out very well,” she said. “Our families have been tremendous.” The children, four boys and a girl ages 5-10, spent the week in a whirlwind of fun and cultural activities, with trips to the Mexican Fine Arts Museum, Brookfield Zoo and Kiddieland. In between, they made time for McDonald’s, swimming and video games. Ten-year-old Lupita enjoyed swimming with her host family, the Grogans of Tinley Park, even though she seemed cautious at first, said Annette Grogan. “Once she saw the other kids jump in and start splashing around, she was fine,” Grogan said. Lupita also enjoyed watching the Disney movie “Pocahontas,” even though it was 4 a.m. Apparently, she awoke the same time she would have in the orphanage, Grogan said. Lupita said her favorite part of the trip so far was spending time with the family, which includes three adopted children. Two brothers, Antonio, 6, and Sergio, 8, spent the week with Diane and Bob Hamilton of Wauconda. They took to the video games, and the family pets, Bob Hamilton said. “I don’t think they have animals indoors at the orphanage in Mexico,” he said. “And of course, when we came home from the airport, the first thing they saw was the cat running by the front door, and then the two big black Labs.” They didn’t get to see the horses until the next morning, according to the Hamiltons, who hosted a picnic for the whole group on a Sunday afternoon. Despite seeming a bit overwhelmed at times, neither of the boys cried or even seemed to complain—perhaps because they had one another to talk to, since no one in the Hamilton household speaks fluent Spanish. Pedro, who stayed with the Salvino family in Beverly, also didn’t complain, despite not having a companion to speak with in Spanish. He had bonded with the Salvinos’ son John, who gave him piggyback rides. The chaperones from Mexico’s Departmento Integral Familiar—an agency similar to the Department of Children and Family Services— said Pedro was 9 years old, but he told the Salvinos he was 11. “He’s been really a very good boy,” said Carole Salvino. “He’s playful, he’s full of life, and he gets up and makes his bed.” The youngest child, 5-year-old Ivan, stayed with Lynne and Chris Dransoff of Batavia. The Adoptive Parents Guild paid the cost of the airfare for the trip, which is one outgrowth of an agreement signed by Cardinal George and Mexico City Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera in 1999. The agreement calls for the two archdioceses to work together in the area of charitable services and cultural exchange, among other things. This fall, Cardinal George will lead a pilgrimage from the Archdiocese of Chicago to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. On July 28, all of the host families, the children, and people who are interested in adopting children from Mexico gathered for a dinner at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Cicero. Pastor Father James Kastigar, better known as Padre Jaime, welcomed the families because he sees a need to raise awareness of foster parenting and adoption in his community. Chris and Adolpha De La Pena, both Mexican-American, need no convincing. They already have submitted their paperwork to adopt two siblings from Mexico, through Catholic Charities. The Chicago couple attended the dinner at St. Anthony and watched as the children chased one another around the church hall, playing with the balloons that had served as centerpieces. “This really does give you confidence,” Chris De La Pena said.
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