Happy Mother's Day!

At all of our NPH homes, even though many of our children come to us because their biological mothers can no longer take care of them, our pequeños are not motherless by any means. They have many "mothers" in their lives, and a strong and supportive family that lets them know they are truly loved.


"To them, I was a mother figure (yes, some of my girls called me “Ma” and “Mommy”), a sister, an aunt, a friend, a teacher and a mentor. What they were to me was an inspiration. Each day, I was encouraged by their ability to overcome any and all obstacles. They made my time at NPH fulfilling, and I was able to fill a void in their lives." -Kelly Hettic, volunteer at NPH Mexico 

"When the sun sets and the moon comes up, our mothers don't tire; they continue their work. As Charly, a Tía from Casa Santa Maria Reina, says, "there isn't a day to say everything that we as mothers have done, because every day is something special for a mother." Every day is Mother's Day; however, on this day we open up and remember all the help, encouragement, and love that each mother has brought into the lives of all the children here at NPH and in Honduras." -Benjamin Katz, Home Correspondent at NPH Honduras

"In their service, the mother figures live out and offer the very core values that NPH works to instill in its children: love, security, sharing, work and responsibility. Their presence of positive motherhood is vital for the healthy growth of our children, many of whom have experienced loss and abandonment by loved ones. Learning by their example, we hope that our pequeños will know the gifts of service, love and responsible motherhood in their own futures." -Hailey Rademacher, Communications Officer at NPH Honduras

Holy Family Surgery Center Medical Brigade at NPH Honduras

Doctors, nurses, medical students, along with various people from many other walks of life traveled to NPH Honduras from April 12-19th to drastically change the lives of hundreds of people by providing necessary medical support for both the children on the Ranch and the outside community that otherwise would be left neglected. The Holy Family Surgery Center is a godsend for the poorest of the poor in Honduras because they are not only provided with access to healthcare, but they are also treated with the dignity that they, as humans, deserve. Stepping inside Hospital Escuela, the public hospital in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, gives a sense of how desperately this is needed. The chaotic, dangerous, and underfunded hospital cannot provide efficient or even effective support to those most in need. If someone needed any type of surgery—after arriving at Hospital Escuela, they would first be required to go across the street and purchase the proper equipment. To those struggling, this is an extra burden and often impossibility. 


Kate Clitheroe, the coordinator for the Holy Family Surgery Center that volunteers at NPH Honduras wrote the following, “During the April Medical Brigade, a group of more than 40 medical professionals came here to the NPH home in Honduras. These specialists (orthopedics, gynecology, ENT, and general surgery) gave consults to over 700 patients and preformed 94 surgeries. Many of these consults were for members of the NPH family and at least 10 surgeries were performed on NPH children and employees. The community members here, our neighbors, give thanks to the physicians, the Daly Family, and everyone who helped during this medical brigade.” 


Here is a brief interview with one woman’s whose life and family were drastically impacted by this wonderful work.

This experience not only impacts the lives of those in Honduras, but it also touches those who participate. Below are reflections from two of the participants from the April Brigade: 


I think this was my 6th or 7th brigade to the Holy Family Surgery Center at the NPH site in Honduras. Each trip brings its own unique challenges and rewards. It’s amazing how far we’ve come from those first brigades when only a few surgical cases were performed. On our latest brigade we performed nearly 100 surgeries and saw 800 patients in clinic, truly staggering numbers. It’s remarkable to witness how people come together over the course of the week to become an effective, efficient team. Folks with no medical background pitch in to become valuable team members, students contribute their youth and enthusiasm, and the long-term volunteers inspire us all with their dedication. Importantly, all this surgical/medical activity is set against the backdrop of the “Ranch:” 300+ children at once smiling, crying, laughing, failing, and succeeding. Each child has their own story to share and inspire us in turn. It’s these children that continue to motivate me to be better, try harder, and return time after time. 


-Michael Forseth, MD 


The Blue Flame 
Traveling the world as a missionary evangelist, my partner was a gifted minister & very successful businessman. We always kept an eye out for people, causes, & missions to support that could qualify as "blue flamers" - called such because that’s the cleanest, most efficient part of a gas fueled flame. Ministries that qualify are surprisingly hard to find. 


So to experience NPH Honduras - the ranch, and surgery center - was a revelation. A self-sufficient ranch, using resources wisely, a home for orphans that is their family rather than a holding tank for adoption. 


Children receiving an academic education as well as being offered not just the spoken word of God, but His love in action. 


A surgery center that is doing more than healing individuals, it is building community. 


Biggest blue flame I've ever seen! 


I went as a volunteer, came home a supporter.


XO, Randy Cleary

Valentina and Anita at NPH Dominican Republic

Read this wonderful post by awesome Friends, Sadie and Suraya Whitley!


My daughter and I planned on visiting the DR soon after our first trip to the NPH home in Honduras (July 2011) but, little did we know at that time, that we would have the honor to meet and spend time with Valentina and Anita. A couple of months before our trip, I had asked my friends that signed up to sponsor a child at the Seattle gala in October 2011, if anyone had sponsored a child in the DR so that we could visit their godchild on their behalf. Lucky for us, one of my friends signed up to sponsor Valentina, and now our trip was filled with excitement and joy to be meeting Valentina and her sister. Thanks to Laura Useche who took the time to contact the NPH organizer for the February Trip, I was immediately contacted by Catherine letting me know that she had informed Valentina and Anita that I would be coming on the trip, and she included a current photo of the girls in the email, showing me how excited they were to meet me. So, I signed up for Godparent celebration day with excitement. 


I met Anita while she was visiting with her godparents from Italy. She turned around and asked me what my name was, and as soon as I said my name and made introductions, she asked me if I was there to meet Valentina. I don’t know how she knew it was me, but she obviously did and this turned out to be thanks to the staff at NPH (Catherine) for informing the girls that they would have a visitor. 


Valentina and I spent as much time together as we could during my visit, and Anita was not far behind us. Anita is a happy young girl who loves to dance. She is quite the hostess as well, as she made sure that my daughter and I were introduced to anyone and everyone we walked by; she always had a smile on her face and was extremely polite. Anita made sure that my daughter Suraya was introduced to all her friends, and at one point, they all disappeared to go play together. 


Getting to know Valentina was a sweet surprise. She is a young girl that is happy with hopes and dreams for her future. She is quite the artist and loves to draw Mickey Mouse all the time. Valentina wants to study in college to help kids in her country that have been abandoned by their parents. She said that being a counselor is a gift to help others, and since she has had great mentors at NPH, she wants to be able to help other kids as well. Valentina and I spent a lot of time drawing and coloring together and chatting about girl stuff. I told her all about her godparent, Kathy H. and how much Kathy would have loved to come on this trip to meet her. Valentina was very excited to have received a letter from Kathy and a photo album that I helped put together with photos of the family. She was extremely grateful and thumbed through the album several times with a smile. She said that she was very grateful to have Kathy as her godparent and very grateful that she got to meet my daughter and I. 


Valentina became my dance teacher along with her sister Anita. We practiced until I got all the steps correctly and then, Anita gave me her blessing and said I could now dance on my own. Then it was my turn to teach Valentina to roller blade. We laughed, we sang, we danced and we shared our dreams together. I promised Valentina that I would continue to write to her and that god willing, I will return to the DR to visit with her and Anita again. 


Once again, I was blown away with my experience at my second NPH home. The work and care they take with all the kids is truly amazing. The environment the kids are growing up in is positive, clean and filled with unconditional love. 

Papa Noel

Here are some pictures from great Friend, Doug DeBen from his recent trip to NPH Peru. You can also read his full story on our website, here, and view his Facebook album of pictures from NPH here! 

Mesi, kembe La, kontinie travay pou popilasyon an...

Read this story of hope and recovery reported by Dieuveck Rosembert, Communications Officer at NPFS Haiti about little Lea's overcoming Cholera with the help of the St. Luc Rehydration Center.


Carme-suse Resil heads on her way out of the hospital after spending a grueling night sitting by her seven-year-old daughter's side, Lea Basile. Lea came home from school one day recently feeling sick and because Carme-suse couldn't afford a doctor's visit, she followed some home remedies for little Lea. Her symptoms  though only got worse, and she was dangerously dehydrated, and her skin was pale. Her neighbor soon drove her and Lea to the St. Luc Rehydration Center. 


Once at the hospital, the physicians immediately started Lea on an intravenous drip to put serum into her body to fight the dehydration caused by the Cholera, which is what they ultimately determined had affected her. Oral rehydration fluid was the next part of the recovery process. 


While Lea sat on her lap, Carme-suse looked confused as she tried to figure out when, how and where her daughter was infected. "I don't know if it was at school or at home. Perhaps, the plastic bottle I fill up for her lunch every morning was not clean," she said. At home, they use treated water to drink and water purchased from a truck for bathing, washing dishes, utensils and clothes. "The bacteria could have come from that water." It was easy to read the expression on her face that showed concern for her other 6-month-old child at home. 


Of course, the water on the truck was not treated. Carme-suse assumed that because she wasn't using the untreated water for drinking and cooking, her family was safe. She was alarmed and enlightened by her visit to the hospital. Untreated water should not be used for bathing, showering, brushing teeth or washing dishes.  


Lea was prescribed several medications that Carme-suse could not have afforded anywhere else. One of them was the oral serum that would help reverse the dehydration. The second was the Metronidasol—an antibiotic to fight the Cholera infection. She was also prescribed Zinc to help reduce the irritation and inflammation to the intestines. Carme-suse repeated several times that she could never have afforded another hospital. 


St Luc Rehydration Center provided the medical care and medication her daughter needed free of charge. When asked for a final thought to close the interview, she said that the staff treated her and her daughter with respect and courtesy. She wanted to tell St Luc Rehydration Center, "Mesi, kembe La, kontinie travay pou popilasyon an."—"Thank you, stay firm and continue helping the population."

U.S. Secretary of Health visit St. Damien at NPFS Haiti

The United States Secretary of Health was a guest of St. Damien Hospital recently. She was hosted by our beloved Father Rick Frechette together with Dr. Jacqueline Gautier, Director of St. Damien Hospital. On her first visit to Haiti, the Secretary met with the Administration of the Hospital, participated in a Q&A session and toured the entire property which ecompasses the ARV (AIDS) clinic among others.


Given the fact that the U.S.A. is partners with Haiti in fighting AIDS there were many questions posed that addressed serious concerns. With reference to medication and travel, one of the patients asked if it is possible to imagine a medicine that will completely cure AIDS.  The Secretary's response was that it is in the works. Father Rick further added that there is current research being conducted to prevent the body from rejecting AIDS medications, which is common in those suffering from the disease. There was lots of good news at the session. Another question addressed the possibility of an AIDS infected person being granted a Visa to travel to the U.S. The Secretary's response was that it is possible if that person is traveling to seek treatment.

You are not only making a tremendous impact in their lives, but also one in yours...

Below are reflections by three great Friends about their trip to NPH Guatemala!


John Hutt – Sophomore
For six days I had the pleasure to live in the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos Orphanage, in Guatemala with the children there. I go to Brophy College Preparatory, and every year an immersion trip is offered to the student body. I applied and was accepted to venture to Guatemala with 40 of the Brophy brothers. While down there we worked in the field, saw the country from an insider’s point of view, but most importantly we created relationships with the children down in NPH. I grew more emotionally in those six days than I have in my sixteen years. I was able to sponsor a child, Pablo Alfonso, and he has changed my life. We became friends instantly and went everywhere together. He is my best friend, and I write to him every chance I get. I cannot talk highly enough for the people down there and especially Pablo. They truly are the most sincere people I’ve ever met and had the pleasure to live with. In the days and months before we went down, everyone was curious about what we would be building or doing for them. In reality, they do more for me than I do for them. They have impacted my life in a monumental way, and I will never forget those six days for the rest of my time on Earth. My life has been changed for the better, and I can thank NPH, Brophy, and all of the staff and children in Guatemala for that.




Peter Haenel - Junior
Upon reflecting on the NPH trip to Guatemala and the sponsorship program, I had a realization. Initially, I thought the person to benefit would be my pequeño, Diego, but these pequeños give you something far greater than your dollar a day. Diego taught me how to be genuine, generous, and hospitable; traits that are hard to come by living in the United States. It is not a one way street, in the sense that both Diego and I benefit from the relationship. Diego gets financial aid and a buddy, while I get a genuine friend and learn priceless lessons. Everyone should sponsor a kid in need and visit an NPH campus, because you are not only making a tremendous impact in their lives, but also one in yours.


Conner Lawston - Sophomore
This year was my first time on the Guatemala Trip, so I went into it not knowing what to expect. Being there opened my eyes to the rest of the world. The things I took for granted, like clean water and grocery stores, were not part of everyday life. The thing that impacted me most was the pequeños, and their never-ending happiness. They were overwhelmed with excitement when we first saw them, running around and yelling "dulces." (candy) The first day I met Fransisco, the pequeño I am currently sponsoring. Going to Lake Atilan was Fransisco's first time on a boat, and he had never been into a big city. Overall, the trip was an amazing experience for me.

Helping the kids to see at Rancho Santa Fe...

Below is a story about the awesome work of great Friends, Mary Lou and Leo Hundt from the SE Region. They recently made a trip to Honduras and helped our kids in a huge way!!! Read on!


Entering into Honduras with the autorefractor went very smooth. When we got to the ranch we unpacked it and set it up to make sure it was working. On Friday we saw 43 girls from the ranch who needed 18 pairs of glasses. On the second day we saw 92 boys who needed 19 pairs of glasses. The third day we saw 77 adults from the surrounding area who needed 56 pairs of glasses. In the following three weeks, we will be making those 89 pairs of glasses with the help of Sally & Richard VanBuskirk and Bob Indre. (All these glasses were later taken to the DR when the Hundt's made their trip there for the International Family Weekend, and they were then transported to Rancho Santa Fe.)


We had wonderful folks to work with while we were doing the eye exams. The VanBuskiek's are outstanding people to volunteer with as both Richard and Sally have so much knowledge about the equipment as well as doing eye exams. Heather Ann Brook, the volunteer nurse, was also outstanding and she will train the new volunteer nurse, Jennifer Cox, so that eye exams at the ranch will continue. The young people that worked with us everyday were Johanna, Belki and Diana; everyone should be so proud of these young people.


What a wonderful time we all had! 


-Mary Lou Hundt


Thank you so very much to the Hundt's and all their support for our kids!

It's wonderful to see that all of them have a chance for a better life.

Below is a testimonial from great Friend and Godparent, Anna Bravchuk, who shares about her recent trip to the home in the Dominican Republic with her daughter. 


Hello, my name is Anna, and I recently visited the Dominican Republic Friends of the Orphans home with my daughter, Polina. I'd been a sponsor for a child in the Haiti home for a couple of years, so when we heard about the trip to the Dominican Republic, I thought it would be a wonderful experience and opportunity for myself and Polina. 


My daughter is in seventh grade, and she was very excited to visit the kids and to see how they live and how we can help. We had many expectations about our trip, and about the children we would meet. We thought we would find children who were struggling and unhappy due to the challenges in their lives. It wasn't the case. I was amazed how happy the kids and adults were there. How full of energy and hope they were. They performed a concert for us, and we had a number of activities together. It was truly one of the the greatest parts of the trip to see the kids enjoying themselves dancing and singing. I was also impressed with how tidy and well organized life in the home is, and so pleased to see all the kids are taken such great care of. It's wonderful to see that all of them have a chance for a better life.


We were both very inspired by our visit. In fact, during the trip my daughter found out that one of the greatest needs there were resources to support and sustain more workshops to educate kids. She decided to do a fundraiser in her own school in Los Angeles, and has prepared a presentation for the whole school to build interest and support.


I thought it was a wonderful experience for me and my daughter to meet the kids and share a day of activities with them. We got to know one particular child very well, a bright, energetic 10 year old girl named Eridania, and we decided to sponsor her as well. The entire trip was very moving and inspiring, and I can't wait to go back to see my new godchild now.

Support Children in Need: Change the World One Child at a Time

An estimated 100 million children live in the streets in the world today. That number is close to the entire population of Mexico. What if these children were suddenly given a loving home, an opportunity for a decent education, and medical care?


Would this change the world?


I believe it would.


Miguel is a perfect example:


Read more of this Huffington Post article by John Iberle here!