Archive for August 2021
Successful heart surgery gives Esperanza hope
Esperanza (her name means hope) is sleepy after the ten hour all night drive from Guaymas in a crowded van. Soon after she was born, a heart defect was discovered. Some say it was miracle that Casa Franciscana was able to get her to Phoenix where the good Shriner doctors from Utah were holding a…
Read MoreThe Shriners help Jose walk again
Jose has cerebral palsy. He was totally incapacitated and difficult for his family to care for him with his misshapen legs. After treatment through the Shriners, he is able to walk with lightweight molded braces and special crutches that clip to his arms. Jose is happy to attend school and to continue to receive treatment. …
Read MoreShoes give Maria a new life
Maria was born with one leg shorter than the other. As a toddler, she would not walk because it caused pain to her hip and she cried with frustration. Her mother heard about the Casa Franciscana trips to Phoenix for specialized medical care. She took Maria to our clinic where she was enrolled in the…
Read MoreEvery Child Should Have Shoes
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Meet Araceli; she is one of the thousands of children in Mexico who have NEVER had shoes. In the winter her little feet are cold and in the summer she scurries across the hot gravel and dirt and trash. This sweet child wants to go to school. Even though it is…
Read MoreShriners International, Casa Franciscana and Families of the Franciscan Renewal Center
In 1984 the intrepid and visionary Brother Ivo came to the Casa Franciscana Mission. His heart was moved by the many children he saw with disabilities who had no mobility aids and no resources. These limitations often relegated the little innocents to a future life of begging. With his knack for solving problems, his outstanding…
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