Casa Nuevo Horizonte is the Mission home located in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. In Spanish it means “House of New Horizon.” The students picked this name because it captures the new life that the house represents for them.
The students in Casa are all females, with the exception of a young boy named Julio who joined us in 2007 along with his sister Karen.
The students generally stay for 5 to 6 years (the time it generally takes to complete a bachelor's degree program in Bolivia).
Students in Casa receive lots of intellectual, emotional, and spiritual formation through a program we designed called “Integral Education.” The girls in the home either grew up in an orphanage or small villages. They have no professional role models because no one in their family has ever graduated from university. When they arrive at the house, there are so many significant adjustments: living in a city, going to university, and facing all the other challenges that young people face today.
Integral Education aims to fill the gaps that a university degree cannot provide. We design programs tailored to their specific needs. Every month there is a new topic to study ranging from public speaking to health issues. They hear presentations from outside speakers. They make presentations themselves. They carry out projects that they design. And eventually, they take on the role of helping run the home itself.
Many KTF graduates have indicated that the Integral Education program, in particular, played a pivotal role in their success not just as a student but as a person who makes a difference in the world.
An essential part of the KTF mission is service. All students in the scholarship programs learn early on that they are being blessed so that they can go out and bless others. The students in Casa do numerous service projects every year, including helping out at local orphanages; cleaning up trash in our barrio; serving as catechists and singers in local churches; and visiting homes for the elderly.
Casa is also a place where all of our students can just hang out and have fun. They study, play games, watch movies, have beauty nights, do karaoke, celebrate birthdays, celebrate Carnaval, celebrate St. Patrick’s Day(!), and do traditional Bolivian dances just about every chance they get!
Most importantly, Casa means home and a second family for our girls. We are not an institution, we are a real home. We celebrate our wins, and struggle together through our losses, just like any other family. We all gather together at least once a year, including our graduates, to celebrate the Mission, our friendships, and our bonds as a second family.
After a student graduates and it is time for them to live on their own, we always help them get started with their new place. For example, we provide essentials like a bed, linens, and basic cooking utensils.
Even after they leave, many of our graduates have continued to regularly participate in the house. They help the new students adjust to the rigors of higher education and give advice on how to succeed. Some of our graduates now have families of their own. They and their children regularly stop by to visit and catch up.
