Powdered Peas and Other Blessings

About the Book

Casa Materna was founded in Naples, Italy, in 1905 by Pastor Riccardo Santi. Since then thousands of children from Naples and other economically-depressed towns and villages of southern Italy have lived and been educated there. They have been given the opportunity to leave behind lives of poverty and to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. This book is a collection of the personal stories of 21 former residents who describe what it was like growing up in this home and the impact it has had on their lives. All speak of Casa Materna and the Santi family with gratitude and affection.

About the Author

As a Norwegian-American growing up in Minneapolis, Christine Foster inexplicably developed a passion for Italy. She earned degrees in Italian literature at Wells College and Middlebury’s Italian Graduate School in Florence and a degree in pedagogy from the University of Rome. She is married to the Roman Andrea Meloni and has three fantastic children, Adriano, Marcello, and Nicoletta. She also has three delightful grandsons, Arthur, Paul, and Christian. She has a doctorate in international higher education and is currently a professor at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Her summer at Casa Materna remains a precious highlight of her life.