We are delighted to announce that on Thursday, September 22, we finalized the purchase of our third home — the first for girls. The home will be named Casa Teresa in honor of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
The home is at 173 Mariano Moreno in Brena, Lima (Try that on Google Earth) and features nine bedrooms, four bathrooms and a patio at the rear of the property. Unlike the previous two homes, Casa Teresa requires no immediate renovations. In fact, portions of it were recently painted to make ready for sale.
Over the next few months, Paul and Asociacion Casa Javier(our sister board in Peru) will secure furniture and appliances and identify suitable “house parents” with hopes of inviting the first girls to the home early in 2012, toward the end Peru’s summer and in time for the beginning of the new school year.
Eventually, the garage will be renovated into a storefront office for ACJ.
While the first two homes, Casa Javier and Casa Ignacio, was funded entirely by donors to the Paul Lammermeier Foundation, Casa Teresa was a collaboration between Asociacion Casa Javier(ACJ), which contributed $ 22,000, Boys Hope Girl Hope International(BHGH) which contributed $ 94,000, and the Paul Lammermeier Foundation(PLF) which contributed $ 164,000. We hope to gain the support of girls high school in Cincinnati and Cleveland to assist with ongoing operational funding, just as Casas Javier and Ignacio have been supported primarily by alumni of St. Xavier (Cincinnati) and St. Ignatius (Cleveland) respectively.
The PLF owns the house, and Paul Lammermeier and ACJ will be responsible for daily operations. Consorcio Xavier, a combined board with members from PLF, ACJ, and BHGH, will meet annually to make strategic recommendations to be considered by PLF and ACJ.
Our special thanks go to Gaston Manrique, ACJ President, whose is an attorney, Jim Keane (St. Xavier, ’79) who also is an attorney, and Roxana Davis, a translator. Gaston, Jim, and Roxana volunteered countless hours to ensure that all documentation was in order and approved by the Peruvian Consulate in Chicago and by the appropriate governmental agencies, both federal and local, in Peru.
And finally, Thanks to all who have been supporting this mission with donations of time, treasure, and talent. Truly, “la manu de Dios”(the hand of God) is working through many.
Dear Paul and Team,
I have had personal connections with St.Xavier H.S(Cinti.)through volunteer work and family graduates, as well as a patient of Dr. Joe Pflum for many, many years.
In these settings the wonderful workings of your foundation have often been discussed! It has always been with grim disappointment that the programs were geared toward young men and therefore others would discourage me from pursuing any opportunity to become a volunteer in Peru.
As I periodically do, today I visited your website, and to say the least, am THRILLED and UPFLITED to read about Casa Teresa coming to fruition! Hopefully now the time is getting nearer for me to gain the opportunity to volunteer in some capacity/in any manner that you deem necessary…education, manual labor child care etc.
In 6 weeks I will be retiring with 30 years of teaching from the Sycamore School District in Cincinnati, OH. Throughout my years of teaching I have taught all grades and subjects from preschool through grade 4.
In 1997, I completed a Master’s Degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). For the past 11 years I have been the sole English language teacher for approximately 35-45 international students each year, grades K-4 at Symmes Elementary. A prime example of our student population would be in these past few years. We have averaged 28-30 different languages each year, with those students arriving from approximately 32 different countries.
As I was born in Cincinnati,OH, graduated from Mt.Notre Dame H.S.(Reading,OH), Thomas More College(KY) and the U.of Findlay(OH) my fluency is in English. After studying 4 years of Spanish, long ago in H.S., and working with many Hispanic families, I dare to say that my current Spanish aptitude is still minimal, but a tad better each year.
It has been a life-long, God-like nudge for me to be a volunteer in Lima (or other location) in Peru. I can’t anwswer why this inner calling has stayed with me for so many years or why the Peru location is defined, but it still is and has been. Now that I’m retiring from a full teaching career, it is imperative to me, that someday soon, I answer this call.
I humbly ask that you review your volunteer needs and the time of year these needs occur.
Depending on the needs of your community, I wish to stay for 1 month on my first trip. Planning this for the near future means I am available from mid-June,2012 through mid-July,2012. Then any 4 weeks between January 2nd, 2013,and the end of March,2013 would also be possible. (A family reunion is in July and new grandchild is expected in early fall, thus the break between the June and January dates).
I hope to hear from someone in regards to whether your Casa Teresa or boys’ programs will be in need of volunteers…or not. It will be most helpful, if you would address my request, even if you do not foresee a future need for volunteers. I will understand and look elsewhere for an alternate opportunity, if necessary. Any additional insight pertaining to other area programs, would be greatly appreciated!
Wishing you the very best in your newest, Casa Teresa, endeavor!
Respectfully,
Nancy