Casa de Corazones

Project Completed
Back to Latin America

Casa de Corazones

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Project Managers: Adrian and Cheri Ramirez

Casa de Corazones is a Central American mission established in 1998. Through its “El Tren de Alegria” program, Casa de Corazones provides motivational presentations for children in orphanages, hospitals and schools, complete with music, skits, and activities.

Their “Baby Wrap” program focuses on pregnant women in need. Care packages containing handmade baby blankets, a layette of baby clothes and a cuddly toy for their baby. Each mother receives personal counseling concerning their delivery, and follow-up includes food items, vitamins, medical supplies, clothing, and other items on a case-by-case basis. 

Co-Manager Cheri Carner Ramirez offers continuing education classes to local traditional midwives. Training ranges from washing techniques to checking blood pressure, coupled with educational handouts.

Guatemala City, Guatemala


The food line, as the children receive their meal.

Cheri Ramirez training midwives how to take blood pressure.

Distributing items to the needy, including food, toys and clothing.

Teaching women and children in a remote Indian reservation

We made a visit to a remote Indian reservation way up in the mountains where only a 4x4 can get you close and the rest of the way you walk. Or should we say, clomp, because the trails are covered in thick slippery mud due to the frequent rains and jungle trees that keep the sun from drying up the path. The Indians live under tin roofs with semi closed sides of roughly hewn wood -- no electricity and no running water. Their children are often sick and there is much they could learn to help them do better in their care, hygiene and nutrition. There is a school where the missionary is teaching some of the men up to 6th grade in Spanish. We will be coordinating monthly visits there to help in teaching and training the women.

Relief efforts: Working through the difficulties

When Hurricane Stan hit, hundreds died in Guatemala and southern Mexico, and hundreds more were missing and feared dead in a wave of mudslides that left entire villages buried in mud.

Our Hospital and Prison Ministries

Every Tuesday we have an established day of visitations to local hospitals. Because the children do not have other entertainment, they especially look forward to our weekly visits. Long term residents in particular need the morale booster, as do the the short term patients and their families.

Meal for Street Kids and the Homeless

On holidays like Christmas, Valentines Day etc. we organize meals for the homeless and poor in the downtown center. This includes a hot meal of pasta in salsa, hot dogs, tortilla chips, bananas, cookies and a drink, and usually serve well over 1000 plates to hungry and thankful folks of all ages. For their entertainment and inspiration our youth team also sing and perform puppet shows while the crowds of people move through the serving line. A large percentage of the crowd attending was children who either live in the streets or in very humble situations. Also among the crowd are usually plenty of troubled youth involved in drugs and crime. Many of these "tough kids" are the most responsive during the presentations.

Food Pantry

On a weekly basis we supply 35-40 families with fruits, vegetables and bread. The families that benefit from these provisions are deeply thankful. Most have at least 4-5 children and these kids suffer a great deal from malnutrition. The mothers are so eager to receive their weekly portion that they line up as early as two hours before we begin to be sure they don't miss a full portion. We always give away all that we have available each week and yet there are times when more people are in line than we have supplies to share.

The Mothering Garden

Casa de Corazones’ educational programs are based out of their Mothering Garden facility in Guatemala City. The Mothering Garden fosters awareness and parenting support, with an emphasis on family life and children.

Other Disaster Relief

More activity photos.

Personal Counseling

More activity photos.