"I have never felt more welcomed into someone’s home in my life..."

Below is a blog post written by India Zietsman Donor Relations Manager in the Midwest Region - enjoy!

I started working as the Donor Relations Manager of our NPH USA Minneapolis office on March 9^th, 2020. Even before that first day at the office, I dreamt about my first trip to one of our NPH homes. I knew that traveling was part of the job when I applied and it was a highlight of the job description for me. I value that NPH USA sends their fundraising employees to visit the homes so that we have a deep understanding of our work.  

During my onboarding, I spoke with numerous co-workers to learn all about my day-to-day work as well as the general mission of NPH. When coworkers spoke about our programs and kids, they lit up. They explained that there’s something intangible and indescribable that makes NPH truly special. Every co-worker would say, “When you visit a NPH home, you’ll understand.” 

My third day in the office, my boss Stephanie and I decided I would plan to visit NPH Guatemala and NPH Nicaragua during the summer of 2020. However, as we all watched the world shut down with the arrival of the pandemic, I knew my chances to visit a NPH home in 2020 were extremely low. 

Fast forward a year and a half. The United States is slowly opening up with the arrival of the vaccine. My co-workers are buzzing because finally, we are planning our first trip to a NPH home since the pandemic hit. And guess who’s on the list of attendees? ME! I truly screamed with joy when I found out that I’d be traveling to NPH Honduras in August 2021. I had watched all of the videos on NPH USA and NPH International’s YouTube accounts. I had read almost every article, webpage and brochure about our programs and our kids. I had learned as much as I possibly could from afar. After a year and a half, I’d be able to experience it all in-person. 

I have never been more overwhelmed with both joy and nerves at the same time in my life. A million questions came up: What did I need to do to prepare for this trip? Would the kids like me? Would the kids be excited to meet us? Would my Spanish (which I hadn’t used in 5 years) come back? And many more that I’m too embarrassed to admit in a blog post.  

We landed in Honduras at 3pm on a Tuesday and began driving to NPH Honduras, also known as the Ranch. Everyone who’s been to Honduras knows that driving there is slightly terrifying. Cars don’t just drive with a purpose there… they drive aggressively; constantly trying to overtake slower cars ahead of them on one-way roads. When we arrived at the Ranch, I think we were all grateful to be off the highway and inside the gates of the safe, gorgeous, calming property. We were also in awe of the enormous size of the Ranch. I got lost almost every time I walked around up until the last day of our trip. 

After three days of quarantine and a negative rapid COVID test, we could finally meet and spend time with the pequeños. Once again, my nerves and joy took over. I could feel myself shaking with anticipation. My first night with the kids, I had dinner with some of the older girls in their hogar, which is Spanish for “home”. When I stepped through the door, all of the girls ran up to me. They immediately gave me hugs, said “hello” or “hola” and asked me to come sit and eat with them. They were so excited to have me there and talk with me in my rusty Spanish. I have never felt more welcomed into someone’s home in my life. After dinner, they convinced me to dance and sing with them to American songs. I typically refuse to sing in-front of ANYONE. But looking into their eyes and hearing their pleas, I couldn’t say no. 

I walked back to the visitor’s center that night with the biggest smile on my face. My heart was overflowing with love for the girls I had met. They were all incredible. They immediately opened up to me – telling me about themselves, sharing laughs, and asking me all about myself. Now that I have had time to reflect, I recognize that I’ve never experienced anything like it in the United States. I was a stranger to these girls when I first arrived but left their home as a friend, as a member of their family. 

Hogar after hogar that I visited each day after that first dinner with the girls, I had the same experience. Kids running up to me just to offer a hug and say hello while I walked past the playground. Kids yelling my name as they watched me walk by their home. Kids sharing their passions and interests with me either through words or actions. I fell in love with all of them. I finally understood what my co-workers meant when they said, “When you visit a NPH home, you’ll understand.” 

I now have seen with my own eyes that NPH is truly unlike any other organization. NPH understands that every one of our kids is special and unique. While in Honduras, we were asked to describe NPH in two words. My words were holistic and human. I knew about our holistic programs before traveling to Honduras. I had read that they encourage our kids to be fully themselves, and that they have the power to empower. However, I only connected to the deep humanity of our work when I met our kids. Meeting them has given me a face to think about when I talk about our work. Today, I sit in my office and smile knowing that the work I’m doing is supporting them: those kids with beautiful dreams, incredible talents and huge hearts. 

The love that exists on the ranch is palpable, and I was lucky to have been there to experience it in person...

Below is a reflection written by Alec Helmke who volunteered at NPH Honduras earlier this year. Let's see what he has to say!

It’s been months since my unexpected departure from Honduras, which is truly hard to believe. Shortly after I returned, the idea of being “stuck” caught my attention. As I tried to stay up to date on news in Honduras, the same headlines seemed to pop up: “Massachusetts woman finally home after getting stuck in Honduras,” “Allen, Texas resident stuck in Honduras desperate to get out,” “Medical professionals back in U.S. after being stuck in Honduras.” As someone who faced an oncoming pandemic in Honduras and was aware of the under-resourced healthcare system in the country, I was certainly anxious to find a way back to the States. But was I “stuck?” And is this the type of language I want to use to describe my experience? Now, these may seem like unnecessary questions in a time where more pressing concerns abound, but the connotations of “stuck” are almost unquestionably negative: “My truck got stuck in the mud,” “She got stuck at a job she didn’t enjoy,” “He was stuck for hours in traffic.” Simply, people get stuck in bad places, and I want to change the narrative. Absolutely, I needed to leave Honduras—for the safety of the kids, my friends, and my loved ones back home. But I was never “stuck.” And now—in a time dominated by uncertainty and negativity—I want to focus on exactly the opposite. That is, rather than writing about the challenges, both physical and emotional, that I faced leaving early, I want to speak to the blessing it was to spend nine months in Honduras.

In hogar is where my NPH story must start. Spanish for “home,” hogares are groups of children who live together under one roof on the larger NPH ranch in Honduras. The hogar to which I was assigned, a group of boys between the ages of eight and fifteen, was named San Francisco. I may be biased, but I lived side-by-side with the best group of kids on the ranch and I cherish the connection I formed with each boy. My hogar became, fittingly, a new home for me—a place where I was able to center my experience at NPH. While the surgery center where I worked was a rapidly-changing environment, with new medical brigades arriving every week, San Francisco stayed the same: a place where I could go every night to spend time with the boys I cared about—playing games, joking, listening to music, working on homework, and so much more. The special moments we shared together have left an indelible mark on my heart. I’ll mention a couple that stand out to me. The pijamadas, or sleepovers, were always a great (although not exactly restful) time to share with the boys. The tios, or caretakers, would cook a special dinner, I would bring popcorn, and then we’d all spend the night on mattresses spread over the floor, watching movies until we fell asleep. It usually followed the same pattern too. First, within fifteen minutes, Teodor, the littlest boy in my hogar, would fall asleep. Then, the other younger boys. Then me. The older boys would wake up the next morning bragging about how late they stayed up, always making sure to mention the one or two movies they watched after I had fallen asleep. 

The work was hard, but, for some reason, I always enjoyed doing chores on Saturday mornings. Usually, we would spend a few hours using machetes to cut the grass around the ranch, and, let me tell you, learning to wield a machete is not easy! For the first few months, I would stand in awe as the boys, even the youngest ones, would whack at the grass for a couple hours, cutting huge swaths into the overgrown lawn. Meanwhile, I’d have to take a break after 30 minutes as blisters began to swell on my hand, barely having cut through a few feet. But, I always loved the chance to be with all the boys outside working together towards one goal. It was certainly a big change from what I was used to as a child, where Saturday mornings were reserved for cartoons and a nice, big breakfast! 

Memories abound. From trips to swim in the pond, to pizza nights, to simply the meals we shared—the time I spent with the boys in San Francisco will always stay with me. Nor will I be able to forget how I felt in the smaller moments: as the little boys sat nestled against my chest while watching a movie, as the older boys laughed with me during our conversations around the kitchen table, and as I walked home from San Francisco in the cool night air—absolutely drained of all energy, but filled with a sense of love and appreciation as I relived the joy I had shared with my little brothers that night. They say you can’t choose your family, and—although it may seem as though I chose to be a part of San Francisco by signing up to volunteer at NPH—that’s not the case. God put me in my hogar, and the boys welcomed me to be a part of their family, leaving me with a sense of gratitude I’ll never be able to fully express.

Honduras is an overwhelmingly beautiful country—from the pristine white-sand beaches and turquoise waters of Roatan, to the thick, verdant jungles surrounding Lago de Yojoa, to the roaring, orange-tinged waterfalls near Valle de los Angeles, to the simple, yet awe-inspiring vista from the peaks just above the ranch—but I digress… The most beautiful part of Honduras, and of the ranch itself, was the people I encountered. Of course, the boys in San Francisco are the cutest ones on the ranch, but there are a bunch of other great kids too!

I always had a lot of fun during activities, which brought together pequeños from different hogares so they could spend time with one another as brothers and sisters. There were movie nights, where I could usually expect one or two younger kids to use me as a pillow as they crowded around the projector screen in the brisk night air. There were dances, where—if I wasn’t showing off my killer moves—I was dancing with some of the pequeños or playing tag with the younger kids who didn’t want to dance. There were plenty of soccer games too, and—from my very first game on the ranch, where a girl kicked me square in the face with a soccer ball, to my last game, where the boys seemed to score on me effortlessly—I never seemed to get the hang of the game. Celebrating holidays together was a special treat, and I remember New Year’s Eve especially well. During the day, I made a new friend: a little seven-year-old girl, who—no matter how fast we had to run nor how long we spent searching for clues—held my hand for the entirety of the ranch-wide scavenger hunt. Later that night, as I sat near a crackling bonfire, I was surrounded by a group of some of the youngest boys on the ranch, and we laughed together right up until the fireworks were launched at midnight. Between the embers of the fire, the fireworks, and the smiles on the boys’ faces, I really can’t say which shone the brightest. 

And there were little joys of living with the kids on the ranch too. I always loved weekly mass with the pequeños, even though it might not have been the most solemn religious experience. In no other church have I felt the same spirit as I did sitting on the concrete pews among hundreds of kids. Sharing the sign of peace was an especially beautiful moment for me, as the hugs and smiles always filled me with a sense of happiness and belonging. The songs we shared were beautiful too. They weren’t always in tune, but they were always filled with a sense of joyful energy that was unique to the ranch. This same energy was infused in almost every conversation I had with pequeños, as the kids breathlessly shared their excitement about an upcoming activity, asked me about their friends and siblings on other sides of the home, or joked with me about daily life on the ranch. This spirit of excitement extended to even the youngest of the pequeños. As I walked home with another volunteer from a long day at work one afternoon, I recall passing by the chiquitos: the toddlers who lived on the ranch. When we turned the corner and came into view, a happy noise shot up among the little ones. And, before I knew it, one of the chiquitos was waddling towards us, his little belly bouncing as he awkwardly tried to navigate the bumpy path between us. He reached up, his arms extended towards me, and I wrapped him in a great big hug. As I joked about taking him with me back to the volunteer house, hoisted him over my shoulder, and took a few steps in that direction, I could hear his little laugh wash away all the challenges of my busy workday. 

The love that exists on the ranch is palpable, and I was lucky to have been there to experience it in person. The laughter, the smiles, the hugs, the hundreds of personal connections I’ve made with these kids—all of it has left a mark on my soul. So, what more can I say? I could continue reliving countless memories and describing more of the incredible people I had the privilege to meet in Honduras, but I think it’s time to get to the point of this story, that is, to say thank you. And since words will never do the sense of gratitude I feel justice, I’ll keep it simple. Thank you to every boy in my hogar for filling my time in Honduras with joy and for blessing me with a new family. Thank you to the children of NPH for welcoming me and for offering me memories that I will cherish for a lifetime. Thank you, Honduras, for letting me witness the beauty of your landscape and your people, and for letting a chele feel like a catracho for just a little while. And thank you God, for nine months that challenged me, shaped me, enlightened me, and filled me with an irreplaceable and unforgettable sense of joy. 

I was never “stuck” in Honduras, not even at the end. Every moment I spent in the country was a blessing, even the difficult ones. And the deep connections I have formed at NPH mean that the space Honduras fills in my heart certainly doesn’t match the space the country fills on a map. No, I was never stuck in Honduras, but Honduras will stick with me forever.

The Promise of Honduras...

Below is a blog post by Dr. Jim Bruckner, a dedicated NPH USA supporter from the Northwest.  Thanks to Jim for sharing his experience visiting Rancho Santa Fe with his family last year!

 

I had the opportunity to visit the NPH Ranch outside of Tegucigulpa, Honduras in October 2016 with my family. The thing that struck me immediately about Honduras was the extreme poverty. Based on many previous conversations with young Hondurans I had the sense that the Honduran people are almost resigned to living that way because of the corrupt government that is in their way.  But after a few days I had the sense that Hondurans wanted something different.

 

NPH has clearly established strong and stable roots in Honduras and in my opinion it is doing something almost unprecedented.   NPH provides for orphans, abandoned, and abused children a stable home and a strong family.  NPH provides a promise that no matter what the hardship, there will always be a family for the children in their care. And through this promise, Honduran children are thriving and becoming doctors, nurses, teachers, plumbers, electricians and most importantly, leaders who return to NPH to fulfill the promise for the next generation of Hondurans.

 

At the NPH Ranch, I had the opportunity to have long conversations with three bright and capable young men, all part of the NPH family, one a teenager in high school; one a young adult and college student; and one a physician, now married raising his own a family. My godsons, Vilches and Nelson, and Dr. Merlin Antúnez, MD, were all raised at NPH-Honduras. They shared with me their care and compassion for their NPH brothers and sisters and their desire to give back to their family – in fact they all felt there was no other choice for them than to continue to build a better life in Honduras.  They believed in the future in Honduras.

 

Vilches, the teenager, is concentrating on high school, figuring out how to live more independently in the city, and chart his own path for the future. Nelson, now a young adult, has narrowed his academic focus, and is dedicated to completing his college degree and becoming a social worker. He has fully embraced service to others, and as part of his degree, has undertaken a fundraising effort for school supplies for needy children in his rural hometown.

 

Dr. Merlin, one of the first pequenos at NPH to go to college, became a physician, was subspecialty trained as an orthopaedic surgeon, and returned to NPH as the surgery center director. Dr. Merlin is a remarkable example of the NPH promise. The reputation of the surgery center speaks for itself. It is one of the finest in Honduras. Through Dr. Merlin’s leadership at surgery center, many Hondurans have experienced a level of healthcare that has never been available to them. Community members are beginning to learn that there is a better way to live. That sort of cultural change takes time to produce meaningful impact, but I heard in the words from Vilches, Nelson, Dr. Merlin, they all believe change is happening.

 

As the father of three sons, I know the dedication and challenge it takes to raise boys to become good men and to instill in them the commitment to family, to community, and ultimately to country. I am proud to say that because of the dedication of so many in the NPH-Honduras family, together, we have raised Vilches, Nelson, and Dr. Merlin to be good men who are committed to family, to community and to their country. They are the promise of Honduras.


- James D. Bruckner, MD

 

 

 

 

I was so happy to be part of it...

Below is a testimonial from Joanna, a Northwest regional Board member who has visited NPH Honduras several times and participates actively in supporting the work and events of the Northwest region!

When the plane hits the tarmac in Tegucigalpa airport I can't wait to get to the ranch to find my godson. I drop my bags off at San Cristobal, the visitors' house, and hit the gravel path headed towards Buen Pastor, the Boys' Side of Rancho Santa Fe. I can't help it. I tend to spend most of my time over there since I have been watching the "boys" grow up over the years. Many of them don't remember me at first, but it doesn't matter if they do or don't because after the first couple of days I'm friends with everyone. That's just how it is. Visitors, no matter how many times they've been, or not been, are welcomed into the family. As soon as they know your name you hear it being called wherever you go.

This year was especially great because my godson was celebrating his Quinceañera. The whole day was full of festivities. The girls started with hair and make-up around 10am and about 20 minutes before the 5pm mass the boys went to hogares to get changed. All of the dresses and suits were made at the Ranch, all the way down to the boys' shoes. 

Wind blew the pelting rain through the church during mass and we lost power for about 20 minutes at the reception, but it didn't get in the way of the celebration. All the 15 year olds looked so grown up and I got a little misty-eyed during the waltz. It was such a fun night and I was so happy to be part of it.

Your heart will be the fuller and your life the richer for it...

Below is a testimonial by son and mother, Carson and Anna Stevens, who recently visited four NPH homes! Caron, a volunteer who has worked at NPH Honduras from 2014-2015 went with his mother back to Rancho Santa Fe (Honduras) as well as the homes in Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala! Read about their journey below!

 

 

My mother and I recently visited four NPH homes in North & Central America (October 11-24, 2016) as a follow-up to my volunteer year at NPH Honduras (June 2014-July 2015) and as part of our mutual dream to see any and as many of the NPH homes as possible.  On our trip we saw, in order:  NPH Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.  We had earmarked two weeks to make the trip but the main pitfall was obvious as soon as we were leaving the first home (NPH Mexico): the visits were too short (2-4 days at each home)!  Nonetheless, we got a flavor of each home and felt welcomed and befriended by countless pequeños (the resident children), staff and volunteers within minutes of arriving in each location.

 

 

 

Casa San Salvador, NPH Mexico (in Miacatlán), the genesis of NPH and most populated home of the four, felt like a safe, secure and peaceful fortress or campus despite its original use as a sugar plantation (which, we were told, extends all the way back to descendants of the Conquistador Cortez).  We met lovely toddlers, kids, youth and staff and learned a lot about the home´s past, its present projects and the future direction of the home.  Many people made the trip amazing, but particularly the kind and gracious Volunteer/Visitor Coordinator, Daniel, and Farm Director, Doctor Julio.  Dr. Julio explained to us how he manages the crops being grown, the philosophy behind it, and how the children are a huge part of the harvest, not merely because of the labor they provide (after school hours), but because of the education they receive in learning responsibility and how to respectfully live and grow alongside nature.  We were able to spend time with Marion, the pioneer and face of the Taller de Arte art therapy program, and her students as they carefully prepared papier-maché skeletons and skulls for El Día de Los Muertos (the November 1 Day of the Dead holiday).  We also sampled the wares of the Taller de Arte giftshop, where students donate mosaic creations (e.g. picture frames, vases and crosses) to support the art program, in keeping with the founder of NPH, Padre(Father) Guillermo (William) Wasson's principle of giving pequeños a sense of responsibility and contribution to their NPH family, or community.  Additional highlights of the trip included visiting a third grade class during a health lesson, dining and conversing with the pre-Kinder group, and attending the despedida (goodbye party) in honor of Maestra (Teacher) Eva, a teacher who taught at the home for 40 years AFTER having grown up in it.

 

 

 

 

Casa San Andrés, NPH Guatemala (in Parramos), immediately had a different feel because the home is located high in a cool mountain region.  Apart from some midday heat, it was much cooler in the morning, afternoon, and evenings than at the other homes.  The setting was stunning- on a high hill encircled by close mountains all around with a volcano (Volcán de Acatenango) nearby.  When we arrived, the school year had just ended and vacation had just started.  Things were quiet and calm, with a relaxed schedule of chores in the morning then recreational activities and free time in the afternoon.  So many people in NPH Guatemala were friendly, welcoming and eager to get acquainted with us.  Casa San Andrés had a higher ratio of volunteers (19 volunteers: 300 children) than Mexico (8:500), Honduras (19:450) or El Salvador (0:300; currently no volunteers).  We received incredible help and orientation from the Visitor Coordinator, Michael.  Among the many inspiring people we encountered at Casa San Andrés were Ismar Velásquez, hermano mayor (former pequeño) from NPH Honduras, as well as an old friend "on loan" from NPH Honduras:  Juan Bautista, a University student whose drive and focus allowed him to pursue his studies in Guatemala, with NPH Guatemala's support.  Highlights of the visit included sampling the snacks at the “Tienda Sonrisa” (The Smile Store) run by Special Needs pequeños and supervised by a youth in her año de servicio (pre-university service year pequeña, also referred to as año familiar), admiring and purchasing a few items from the Taller Recreativo (recreational workshop), a special needs recreational therapy workshop that makes artwork and jewelry for sale, with the proceeds going to the project and NPH Guatemala.  Like the Taller de Arte giftshop in NPH Mexico, both projects are great examples of Padre Wasson´s principle of giving pequeños a sense of responsibility and contribution to the home.  One final unique experience for us was seeing the pequeños divide into teams for the Guatemalan home's upcoming 20^th anniversary, an experience in NPH Honduras known as “Las Olimpiadas.”

 

 

  

 

 

Casa Sagrada Familia, NPH El Salvador (in Santa Ana), was unique because it was the youngest, smallest and least populated of the four homes we visited.  If anything, the smaller space and lower population of the home allowed us to get acquainted more quickly with the home and its pequeños and staff.  We were also struck by the warmth and graciousness of the Casa Sagrada community of pequeños.  Everyone we passed- from the youngest preschoolers through the oldest año servicios- stopped, looked us in the eye, shook our hand and greeted us warmly.  Our visit was facilitated by the friendly employee, Carmina, who gave us a very enjoyable and helpful tour.  An additional highlight included meeting Brenda, one of the home´s administrators, who has worked there since the home opened in 1999.  We were able to visit two days of classes and spend our time in the most structured manner of the four home visits because of the timing (NPH El Salvador was getting ready for exams and was therefore in more of a regular routine; Mexico had been busy with a special event- the celebration for the retiring teacher- Guatemala had just ended their school year, and the Honduras visit was during the weekend).  We had breakfast and lunch with the school-aged groups and dinner with the casa de bebes ("baby house"), where the youngest pequeños (ages 3-8) live.  The little kids treated us to an unforgettable dance session, which included punta (traditional dance popular in Honduras, a homage to my Honduran “roots!”) as well as choreographed routines to pop music and several renditions of their NPH anthem.  We were impressed by how well the children of different ages got along with and looked out for each other and how close and friendly staff members and children were to each other.  We attended a beautiful, uplifting mass on Saturday morning before departing.  The two most noticeable differences between mass in El Salvador and Honduras were that NPH El Salvador has a more traditional, large church for their masses with amplified live music, while NPH Honduras uses an amphitheater and acoustic music.

 

 

 

 

Our visit to El Rancho Santa Fe, NPH Honduras (nearest to La Venta), was at least the fourth visit for each of us.  We spent several hours with the residents of Casa Emanuel, the hogar (dorm) I worked with as a volunteer.  Casa Emanuel is the hogar for the older group of Special Needs boys and men at El Rancho.  Mom met some of the surgical brigade staff and briefly helped them get some last-minute lunch food ready while I watched futból (soccer) with Casa Emmanuel, the Visitor Coordinator, Steve, and the año familiar currently working with Casa Emmanuel.  We also met some Honduran brigade-translators in the dorm section of the Volunteer House where we all were lodged; all four were talented, eager and interesting people.  We greatly enjoyed seeing the babies, kids, youth and staff but it was a somber moment to visit because dear Abuela Engracia from Casa Eva, (“Casa de Los Abuelos,” or the home for elderly people at El Rancho) had just passed away.

 

 

 

Each home visit was unique and tremendously moving.  While we would recommend visiting each home, the smaller physical size and populations of the Guatemalan and El Salvador homes seemed better suited for a short trip.  A few miscellaneous tidbits we learned along the way:  The more Spanish you (or someone in your group) know(s), the better your trip will be (this includes the trip to and from the home, especially if something unexpected happens and you have to spend a night, or- like us- TWO nights in a capital city); have backup plans for all transport and lodging-related details; and, finally, you´ll spend less money if you have secured some local currency ahead of time (it can be ordered ahead of time at local US banks and AAA travel club offices).  Because of the distance from the capital city to the home, NPH Mexico was unable to provide transport to and from the airport (the other three homes did).  However, it was easy enough to do that bit on our own, and the bus line the home recommended (“Pulman de Morelos”) stops literally right in front of Casa San Salvador.

 

 

All four homes are filled with wonderful people whom we feel blessed and grateful to have met and hope to see again soon (which we´re sure would be the same case at all NPH homes and communities).  Perhaps as a metaphor for Central America, the homes do an amazing job of providing visitors with breathtaking contrasts that sometimes change instantaneously: from beautiful, calm, quiet views of mountains, fields, farms and pastures to a cacophony of voices, laughter and el latido (the beat) of hundreds of kids living Padre Wasson´s dream.

 

 

While it would be easy for us to plug Mexico as the most populated, beautiful and original home that it is, Guatemala for its pleasant climate, strategic layout and most visitor-ready feel, or Honduras as our deepest emotional connection, we´d like to point out that El Salvador REALLY deserves visits!  Whether it´s due to being the youngest of the 4 homes, having a less-established volunteer program, or other factors, a visit there definitely seems the most unique and special for the home and they REALLY- all ages and roles- show their appreciation!  We encourage those who have never visited NPH to do so because it is a life changing experience, and for those who have been to one home and (understandably!) continue to go back there whenever possible, consider visiting another home as well.  Your heart will be the fuller and your life the richer for it.

 

 

I owe a heartfelt thank you to NPH Honduras…

Below is reflection written by sponsor and Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Associate Board co-chair Allison Ahern.

 

Traveling to the Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH) Home in Honduras in 2012 was a rare and special opportunity. I feel abundantly blessed that I was able to spend time with the children there, as they quickly refreshed my perspective on having compassion for others, showing gratitude, being generous of spirit, and the value of service. I witnessed the children's unquestioned willingness to share love. I also saw the positive impact of the NPH Model, for I was welcomed into a large, considerate family, in which the oldest members care for the youngest, and everyone sacrifices for the good of the whole. I was humbled by what the children have and do not have. Overhearing that some of the littlest ones graciously prayed to God for chicken, watching all of them lick their bowls after each meal and seeing the ongoing efforts to repair the roof over their heads, made the news that the NPH Homes need financial support very real. What these children do have though is a tremendous opportunity to succeed in this life, despite what they have already lost. Through NPH's support, which is truly the support of their "family," they can thrive academically, learn a practical trade, and grow into adults while enjoying happy, healthy and safe childhoods. This leads to what I consider a successful life, being able to support oneself and one's family while giving and receiving the love of God and neighbor. I owe a heartfelt "Thank you" to NPH Honduras for this reminder, and I look forward to journeying back there in the future.

 

NPH Honduras – a place I feel so at home

Below is a testimonial written by Noel, a sponsor from our Northwest Region!

If you ask my tween and teenage daughters what was the highlight of their summer they will instantly and without a moment’s hesitation reply “the week we spent in Honduras at the Ranch.” But I’m getting ahead of myself because this wasn’t our first trip to Rancho Santa Fe.  NPH Honduras is so special that this was a repeat visit for us!

Three years ago I heard about NPH and that there were trips to the homes in the different countries and thought “that would be a neat thing to do.” Little did I know that I would end up opening my heart to children thousands of miles away, develop a relationship with two children there, sponsor them, and eagerly look forward to their letters updating me on their lives.

Recently my daughters and I had the opportunity to return to Rancho Santa Fe; our experience the summer of 2013 was so amazing that we couldn’t wait to go back; it had just taken us two years to do it!  So on July 17^th we settled into our red eye flight eager to land the next morning in Tegucigalpa and get back to the Ranch.  We knew we would have a great week, but would either of the girls we sponsored remember us like we remembered them?

When we arrived at the Ranch it was a Saturday and after quickly unpacking in the guest house, San Cristobal, we headed off to mass.  What a wonderful way to start our week at NPH with Father Reynaldo, the uplifting music, and the beauty of the outdoor chapel.  My girls quickly scanned the crowd and picked out one of “our girls”.  We had several occasions to see Sarah* over that week.  We had dinner with her and her hermanas in their hogare (the building on the ranch where the 20 or so girls that age live), we saw her perform in an evening of cultural dances, we went to the school and were treated to an assembly full of Honduran traditions that she was a part of, and she and her two younger sisters visited the guest house one afternoon and we got to play cards, blow bubbles, and color.  But my most special time with Sarah was one afternoon when I visited her after school.  She could have easily played with my two daughters who speak Spanish (I don’t) and all of the girls in their hogare, but instead she took me by the hand and the two of us went out to the swing set and monkey bars near Hija Maria, where she lived.   We swung on the swings, went down the slide, and finally just sat, perched atop the monkey bars enjoying each other’s company.  While Sarah always welcomed me warmly whenever I saw her by giving me a hug, the fact that she chose to hang out with me when I could barely communicate because my Spanish was from so long ago – that meant the world to me.  As the saying goes, “your presence is your present” and Sarah didn’t care that I couldn’t speak her language, she valued me being there. 

The week was full of special times like the evening our group was invited to Father Reynaldo’s home and sat out on his porch in the evening with candles lit and had the opportunity to talk with him and some of the leadership students; students selected to come to Seattle to study for a year’s time.  Then there was the afternoon we went for a hike and got to cool off in a watering hole after our steep climb through the woods and hills that make up the Ranch.  A few days later I cooled off in La Posa (the watering hole) behind the farm.  The farm is home to the four-legged critters on the ranch; there are cows, chickens, and rabbits.  One of the great things about visiting an NPH home is in addition to spending time with the kids, you get to actually help out – whether that be with maintenance around the home, chopping up vegetables in the kitchen for that evening’s supper, weeding in the garden, or helping Donya Gloria make tortillas – they estimate she has made millions of tortillas over her 28 years working at the Ranch.  So this day we were to go to the farm and collect the eggs.  While my kids were excited to do this, I was a city girl and not so sure about hoisting up a chicken to search for eggs underneath!  While it was a bit unnerving – I was worried about getting pecked, the chickens were very used to it and obliged my prodding good-naturedly!

One afternoon during some down time I went with another woman in our group to Casa Eva, the home for elderly people who had no one to care for them and had come to live at the Ranch.  I recognized some of the residents from our prior visit and we were warmly welcomed into their beautiful courtyard.  I met a younger woman who was staying there while she recuperated from surgery she had had at the clinic.  She was appreciative of the medical care she’d received and passed the time waiting for her next surgery by crocheting.  Before I left she had given me a pair of booties, the perfect size for my daughter’s doll back home!

Touring the clinic and meeting the orthopedic doctor there, a former Pequeno (boy who grew up at the ranch) was a highlight. The waiting room was packed when we got there; we were treated to a tour of their state of the art operating room, and saw the dental clinic that is being built.  The clinic hosts medical brigades monthly and offers needed care to those at the Ranch as well as surrounding areas/towns; care that wouldn’t be available otherwise. What a gift and how special that a boy who grew up at the Ranch came back to serve as one of their doctors.  We saw this too when we toured the workshops where all the kids learn a vocation.  A couple of the instructors grew up on the Ranch and came back there to teach; I tell you it is a special place!

One evening we were treated to dinner and conversation with the Volunteers.  Every year people come from around the world (quite literally, we met volunteers from Germany, Australia, Spain, the United States) and spend a year (or more) working at the Ranch.  Through an interactive game of bingo we got to know these special young people and I could see the wheels turning in my older daughter’s head as she took all this in.  From her visit to NPH Honduras in 2013 to her visit to NPH Guatemala in 2014 and then on this return visit to NPH Honduras in 2015 she has consistently said that she wants to volunteer at a NPH home when she’s older – the challenge is going to be which of these special homes to go to!

Before our first trip to an NPH home, I was nervous.  I had traveled to Europe but never to Central America and I had lots of questions.  Also as a single mom I thought do I really want to spend my one week of summer vacation at a home for kids where I’d be doing some work – was that what I needed to recharge? Wouldn’t lying on a beach be more the ticket?  There was nothing more restorative for my spirit than a week with the amazing kids and staff at NPH. Everyone told me “you will get so much more back from this trip than you give” and boy were they right.

If you’re thinking about visiting NPH, as Nike says, “Just do it” I guarantee you that it will forever change you bringing much love and happiness into your life.  The world now seems a little smaller with part of my heart residing in these two girls who live in a different country but who I consider to be part of my family. In this fast-paced society where finding connection can be hard, NPH is an oasis. If you take the time to learn about NPH and visit one of their homes where amazing transformations happen, you will have had a positive impact on a child’s life; what a neat remembrance of your summer vacation.  And who knows? Like us, maybe you will make a forever connection that will enrich your life on a daily basis and bring you coming back for more.  I can think of no better wish for you! 

*Name changed to protect privacy.

 

 

A Reflection on Trust

Below is a piece written by former volunteer and current Upper Midwest Associate Board Member, Hunter Johnson.

Gaining the trust of a child at NPH isn’t always easy. While some kids run to you with open arms, becoming your best friend from day one, others don’t. For some it takes a consistent presence for them to confide in you, especially for older children.

 

This was one of the reasons moving back to the US was challenging for me. I felt that in my two years living at NPH, I’d invested so much time and energy into the formation of deep relationships with the children - children that I truly love - and now I was far away, no longer a part of their daily lives. It hurt. There was no way I could remain close to the children and be seen as a trustworthy presence while I was exactly not that - present. I thought my relationships would fade because I wasn’t living there and that there would be no chance for me to get to know new children.

 

But I was wrong.

 

Last March I returned to NPH Honduras for a short visit. During my stay, I spent many evenings with the same home where I had volunteered when living at NPH: a group 14-18 year-old boys. Many of the ones I knew well had gone on to high school, so the group had changed. It now consisted of different boys. I didn't know these ones nearly as well.

 

One particular night I spent with this group, a boy in the home was quite sick. He said he had trouble keeping his food down and felt pain in his stomach. He asked if I would accompany him to the on-site clinic. I went with him.

 

We walked to the clinic and he was given medication. He told me he was hungry since he had not eaten. Knowing by now that he had missed dinner in the home, I grabbed some cereal from my room and we sat outside and talked as he ate several bowls.

 

He opened up.

 

He told me about his abusive household prior to NPH and the death of his parents. He told me about how things were going in the home at NPH. He told me about how he was doing in school. He told me about who he was dating.

 

I was never close to this boy before.

 

By the time I walked him back to the home several hours later, I felt connected to him. And for the remainder of my visit in Honduras, we were close. I could tell the way his eyes lit up when he saw me that he greatly valued our quality time together, as did I. It’s amazing that this connection was made in just a fraction of one night.

 

So what has this taught me? My relationship with the NPH community did not stop growing when I returned to the states.

As I had previously thought, building relationships through consistent presence and familiarity is certainly an effective approach. But through my experience with this boy, I now know a new way: Gaining trust by responding to a specific person’s call for help and listening when they most want to be heard. This is equally, if not more important. And you don’t need two years to do it.