Everyone at Dorie’s Promise plays an important part in the lives of our children. Not surprisingly, our Special Mothers often form the tightest bonds with our kids.

For as long as many of us can remember, Mama Nohemi and Mama Candida have given the best of themselves to our children—2 Special Mothers, 30 years of love and dedication.

A few months ago, we celebrated both of these extraordinary women as they ended their time at Dorie’s Promise.

Mama Nohemi

If you’ve ever visited our home on a day when Mama Nohemi was working, you know exactly who we mean. Mama Nohemi represented the spirit of our home. She’s fun, welcoming, light-hearted, and dedicated. If she sees you coming, she’ll immediately open her arms, yell your name, and give you the biggest hug. She’s pure joy and love, no matter who you are.

For the last 14 years, Mama Nohemi gave her best to our children. Beginning as a Special Mother during the years when Dorie’s Promise was home to children in the international adoption process, she eventually became one of the supervisors for our girls’ home.

Although she loves all of our children, Mama Nohemi seemed to come alive and become even more amazing as our children grew. When international adoptions ended and we chose to transition to orphan care, she connected even deeper with our children. She poured herself into them, understanding their pain, joy, hope, and dreams. Being a part of their whole childhood was a blessing for her because she is her best when she’s helping people. She believed they each had a great future and wanted to be a part of it.

As our director Alejandra shares, “Nohemi is the kind of person that you can trust to get things done. She loved to play with the girls, to run in the backyard.  She knew the favorite food of each girl and even cooked something special in her house to bring for the girls, just to make them feel special so they could eat something they loved.  She knew how to deal with each girl, just as if they were her own kids.”

Mama Nohemi was the consummate host and mother to everyone she met. At any given time, she could have been dancing with our kids, jumping rope, boisterously laughing, hugging you fiercely, making your favorite food, or praying with the type of passion you felt deep inside.

Mama Candida

In her own way, Mama Candida brought a different spirit to our home. Not one to draw attention to herself, Mama Candida was often found quietly tending to our littlest girls. She was part loving mother and part doting grandmother to the littlest ones.

Like Mama Nohemi, she also joined our staff shortly after we opened. For the last 16 years, Candida has embodied the role of Special Mother in our home. Although willing to do anything, she especially enjoyed babies and toddlers. Her quiet spirit seemed to be the perfect fit for little ones who found their way into our home. Quite often, you could find her sitting on the rug in the nursery, playing with toddlers or rocking babies. Her quiet ways were especially meaningful to Dulce, who sometimes struggles due to her developmental delays.  

Mama Candida had a way of helping the littlest girls in our home feel safe and loved. She could quiet babies and wrangle toddlers without raising her voice. Sitting in the rocker with little girls on her lap, her quiet spirit filled the room. Even if 3 or 4 little girls were singing and dancing, the room felt peaceful with her in charge.

Our director Alejandra recalls, “I still can see in my mind Candida dancing and singing with the little girls.  She loved to get the little girls all dressed fancy and matching. She was teaching them songs and she loved them a lot.”

We’re going to miss Mama Candida’s quiet, steady presence in our home.

With heartfelt thanks

Although we miss Mama Nohemi and Mama Candida tremendously, we are thankful for their time and love for the children at Dorie’s Promise. Most importantly, we are thankful to call them friends. They taught us how to love people deeper, give generously, and embrace our strengths to make a difference.

Mama Nohemi and Mama Candida, thank you for your love and dedication to all of us. 💕