Rescue a Malnourished Child in Guatemala

In Guatemala, Casa Jackson is known and respected for the care and support we provide to malnourished babies and their families. By providing high-quality medical care to the most severely affected infants and children and much-needed education regarding basic nutrition to their families, we offer permanent recovery to malnourished children.

One of our lesser-known roles in the community is to serve as a temporary ‘save haven’ and nurturing environment for infants and children abandoned by incredibly impoverished, desperate parents. 

Santos David is a playful, loving 5-year-old who was recently given up by his overwhelmed, desperate parents. With 7 other siblings to care for, they felt unable to care for Santos David any longer. They brought him to a hospital and filled out the paperwork necessary to turn him over to the Guatemalan child protection agency (PGN).

Santos David arrived at Casa Jackson trembling, afraid to look at any of the nurses, volunteers or children around him. Tears streaming down Santos’s face as he spent his first evening at Casa Jackson rocking in the arms of a volunteer, whimpering from time to time that ‘Mommy left.’

Thanks to the steady stream of loving, playful volunteers each day and his new best friend (fellow CJ patient three-and-a-half-year-old Azucena), Santos David has spent more of his days smiling and giggling than crying. He has a wonderful sense of humor and an immense appetite! He loves playing futbol (soccer), coloring, singing songs and—as most 5-year-old boys do—being mischievous!

Santos David faces an uncertain future. Due to the halt in foreign adoptions in recent years, he may grow up in an orphanage unless a local foster family or adoptive Guatemalan family can be found. While his future is uncertain, by looking into his smiling eyes it is clear that his time at Casa Jackson is making an impossibly sad and difficult time a little easier for him.

You may not have been aware of our important temporary safe haven work for infants and young children, but your donations help support this important service we lovingly provide. Please, help us welcome more abandoned children into warm, nurturing, protective custody with your generous donation.

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• Learn more about all of our babies!

When Alberto arrived at Casa Jackson in late March 2011, 2 months shy of his second birthday, he weighed only 13 pounds. His stomach was riddled with parasites and the resulting diarrhea gave him a rash so severe that his bottom was cracked and bleeding. He had been malnourished for so long that he was not only too weak to walk; he had never had the energy to learn in the first place. He was not yet talking, and communicated his considerable distress through near-constant cries and shrieks.

Alberto was gravely ill and he made it to Casa Jackson just in time. Two years ago, Alberto’s 14-month-old brother was admitted to Casa Jackson in a similar state. Unfortunately, Alberto’s family sought treatment for his brother’s malnutrition too late. Little Denis passed away after only a few days in our care. Determined for history to not repeat itself, we immediately began giving Alberto the vital calories and nutrients he needed, as well as the affection and attention he craved.

His parasitic infections were treated and he began to heal. The process has been slow.  Now December, Alberto is still  in Casa Jackson, nearly a year after he arrived. With each passing day, Alberto grows healthier and stronger. At two-and-a-half-years-old, he can finally walk, dance, clap and sing along to his favorite silly songs. The sad, frail baby we met in March is gone, replaced by a vibrant, affectionate toddler who will soon go home to his family.

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• Read about all the babies on our site.