Christmas 2010

TM
Home
Every child has a story,
every story is unique.
Families have stories too,
and their stories are as unique as the
people within the family circle.

Families are fragile,

and sometimes, families break apart
and are no longer safe for children.

When families break apart,

children need a care package designed
especially for who they are and what
they need.

Send a care package to a

child this Christmas,
and help Casa Viva change the way the
world is caring for children in need.
Casa Viva Care Package
The Right Solution Makes All the Difference for a Child Daisy. 8 months
After 8 months with a Casa Viva family, Daisy is
When Casa Viva is presented with a potential new child, we walk through a TM

RE now adopted into a Costa Rican family

three step process that ends with the Casa Viva Spectrum of Care.
F CA
O

1
Evaluate the Necessity of Care U M
R Children’s
Before we take on the responsibility of
C T Home
caring for a child, we stop and honestly
evaluate her present situation. Abuse and S PE Long Term
Sometimes a child’s
danger require an immediate response,
Family Care best alternative is a
but poverty alone is not a reason to long term residential Augusto. 8 years old
If none of those Augusto and his mom were reunited shortly after
separate a child from her family. care facility, but not
Adoption options are
possible, could a before all other
they took this photo.

Casa Viva Family family based

2
If family options have
Think Short Term reunification is not
care for this child
been explored
When we do accept the long term?
advisable, could this
responsibility of caring for a child, Extended child be declared in
our first response is to provide a abandonment and
Family connected to a
great temporary solution in a Casa
If not the chil d’s own permanent local
Viva family. We start short term aun t
until the best permanent solution
family, is there an uncle or
ily frie nd
solution? Elvis. 11 years old
or gra ndp are nt or fam Elvis spent his first eight years in an orphanage,
can be chosen. that could receive the child? and now has lived three years with a Casa Viva
family.

3
Seek the Best Long
Term Care Package
Once a child in our care is safe,
we begin the process of learning
her story, reviewing her options,
and seeking the best long term
care package possible within the
Casa Viva Spectrum of Care.
Authentic solutions are based
in our creative response, and
Restore Child’s
Biological Family Different shapes and sizes,
Is it possible to return this child to one unique colors and textures.
or both of his parents? What would
have to change? How can we help
the Finding the right solution begins with family, expands
on?
family take steps toward reunificati with creativity and prayer, and is confirmed in the
details of each child and their individual story.
Aaron. 4 years old
As always, we changed the names and/or After six months in a Casa Viva family, we
photos of the children to avoid exploitation reunited Aarón to his mother, pictured here, and
father.
When the Casa Viva Children

“80% of all
ultimately depend on God to leave their Casa Viva Families,
act on behalf of the child. where do they go?
“80% of all children living in 69%
children’s homes have one or 19% 8%
children living in
4% Carisa. 14 years old
two living parents.” Restored to Biological Long Term Adopted by a Children’s Carisa, pictured here with her Casa Viva
mom, is loving the chance to live in family.
Casa Viva Family Costa Rican Home
-UNICEF or Extended Family
Family Photo Credits – The Thomas Family and Abby Birk
*Statistics for past 24 months
Why Not the World’s Children?
by Philip Aspegren

Children should never be viewed in isolation. Children must be seen as part of a family and a
community. Children were created in and for relationship. Our first goal should be to restore
family, if advisable, in the name of Christ.
When the Bible directs us to care for orphans, the orphan always appears together with widows,
the poor, or the oppressed neighbor. When we care for a child without considering her family
and neighborhood, we act outside of the Biblical mandate.
At Casa Viva, we believe in asking questions and finding creative care packages for each and
every child. We first ask, “Is it possible to restore the biological or extended family?” If that is
unadvisable, we choose the next best care solution for each child. If my own children needed
care, our plan and hope is that our boys would be given a creative solution that begins with our
extended family network.
Why would we want anything different for the children of the world? We believe God is calling
for a deeper and wider spectrum of care. We need more safe places for children to sleep, and we
need to keep children close to family. The time is now.

Send a Care Package to Latin America

Make a difference in the life of one child.
Make a difference in the way the world cares for children.
Casa Viva is actively developing care packages for children. We invite you to send
a care package to Latin America, and partner with us as we offer solutions to
children and families in need.

A Casa Viva Care Package

R Engages local churches to start a Casa Viva ministry
R Prepares and supports families to receive children in their own home
R Connects and accompanies children in Casa Viva families
R Restores biological families
R Employs professional staff to facilitate the
care process
R Equips others to broaden their care
solutions across Latin America.

Casa Viva believes there is a wide door of

opportunity before us to connect local churches
and families with children in need throughout
our region. Thank you for partnering with us to
extend our ability to respond.

P.O. Box 120

Wheaton, IL 60187
(630) 427-4040
info@casaviva.org
Follow the Casa Viva Blogs.
TM
Visit the New Casa Viva Web Site.
www.casaviva.org