Hidden away on the fringes of Ciudad Juaréz, Mexico in the colonia of Anapra is a humble building that houses the Santo Niño Project. Within plain view of the United States border, a group of Catholic nuns discovered a call to serve children with special needs. Since 2003, they have crossed the border from El Paso, Tx to offer their services: pastoral care, nursing, prenatal care, and massage therapy in a clinic built of cement, adobe and straw bale. The team of Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati has expanded to include many volunteers: massage therapists, special education teachers, physical and speech therapists, and others who want to share their time, talent and loving service. The extreme poverty of Anapra makes every child one with special needs in education, healthcare, and housing. But the most forgotten are those with physical and mental disabilities. They are the children for whom the Santo Niño project was created.
The Child Jesus, represented by the Santo Niño de Atocha, is especially beloved in Mexico. He is believed to travel throughout the countryside at night performing miracles. He loves to visit sick children to heal them as they sleep. Legend has it that in the mornings, the Christ Child has been found with muddy, worn-out shoes from his nightly healing adventures.
The Santo Niño is known as a helper of the ill, the handicapped and prisoners. He protects children and families, guards travelers and symbolizes peace and hope.