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

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

"Padre Tortilla" Makes Special Contribution to NPH Honduras

For more than 15 years, Fr. Ken Hume (affectionately known as “Padre Tortilla”) has been making NPH Honduras his second home, spending several weeks every year living at Rancho Santa Fe and building strong friendships with many of our staff, volunteers, and pequeños in Honduras.  Fr. Ken first met Fr. William Wasson, the founder of NPH, more than 50 years ago.  Since then he has served in the U.S. Navy, become a Catholic priest, and served in many communities around the world, including his current home of Oregon City, OR.  But it is at NPH Honduras that Fr. Ken has found true inspiration, happiness, and family.

Fr. Ken first became a godparent to Marta, an NPH Honduras pequeña, 13 years ago.  Since then he has supported Marta all the way through medical school and become a child sponsor to 17 other children in Honduras!  Through the years, “Padre Tortilla” has watched many of our students grow up, and although he doesn’t speak Spanish, the children flock to his humor and attention, making it clear that Fr. Ken is part of the family.  His mantra is “people with a good heart speak the same language,” and you can tell that Fr. Ken is as proud of the children he sponsors as if they were his own grandchildren. 

In addition to the children he sponsors, Fr. Ken helps out at the Ranch saying Mass, presiding over baptisms, and helping in the kitchen during mealtimes.  His support has also grown over the years to help NPH with many important projects, such as solar water-heaters, lockers, and printing.  Over the years Fr. Ken has generously donated more than $375,000 to NPH Honduras – an unbelievable commitment that has had a deep impact on the lives of our children there. 

Most recently, Fr. Ken decided to make a special contribution of $25,000 to NPH Honduras in honor of NPH President Reinhart Koehler.  Fr. Ken shared that he has been so moved by Reinhart’s total dedication to the children of NPH and his leadership in Honduras and beyond through the years.  He told us, “I just want Reinhart to know how much I appreciate his devotion, and I hope everyone in the NPH family will join me in appreciating Reinhart’s impact and contributions.”  Fr. Ken’s gift will go to support three programs that are important to Reinhart and the Ranch: 1) Casa Eva, the home for the elderly at NPH Honduras; 2) the Hermanos Mayores program, which sustains connections with, and supports our older brothers and sisters (NPH graduates); and 3) Education at the Ranch, especially the vocational workshops, which always need funding.  After learning of the gift, Reinhart shared, “I am very honored and humbled by this gift, and by Fr. Ken’s generosity over the years.  We are so lucky to have him as a friend and part of the NPH family.”

We were excited to welcome Fr. Ken and his sister to Seattle a few weeks ago, as he was able to concelebrate the graduation Mass for our Seattle Leadership Institute students and see several of the students from NPH Honduras with whom he has built lasting friendships.  Padre Tortilla, we are so grateful for your unfaltering support and unconditional love and service to NPH and our children!

I have been searching for a community for many years like NPH Honduras...

Below is a testimonial from sponsor Patty Tarpey about her involvement with NPH. Check it out!

What do I experience while I’m visiting NPH Honduras?  I feel profound love for the children and staff, and that love is returned. It’s wonderful to walk into the babies’ room and see the children smile and get hugs from the Tias. It’s wonderful to walk around the ranch and get hugs from the children, and it’s wonderful to meet the volunteers from all over the world who are working at the Ranch.

Words seem inadequate to communicate my experiences volunteering with NPH Honduras. I have been searching for a community for many years like NPH Honduras that I could volunteer with, so during my first visit in November 2014, I felt my search had ended.

My first visit to NPH Honduras was 10 days long. I spent the majority of my time with the babies, who ranged in age from six weeks to under two years. I wasn’t prepared for the weeping I experienced on my trip home. I so profoundly missed everyone at the Ranch, and I missed being there. I knew I had to plan my next trip, which ended up being a 12 day trip in March 2015. When I arrived I felt I returned home. 

During this trip I also spent my time with the babies. I was privileged to unexpectedly go on their annual beach trip. How wonderful it was to be able to spend time with the children, Tias, and staff again. I knew before I left I needed to plan my next trip, which I did for later this year. However, after a couple of weeks at home, I knew I needed to plan an earlier trip to visit, which I have also scheduled. At the end of 2015 I will have visited NPH Honduras four times!

All the children touch my heart at the Ranch. I'm so blessed to know one child in particular, Cristofer, who has touched my heart deeply. Cristofer is such a gracious child who gives me gifts while we are together, like seashells from the beach. On my last trip the Tias knew it was my last night with him so they let me spend more time with him that evening. As he was falling asleep in my arms Sister Kolby sat next to me and shared, "Isn't it wonderful God has someone to love for everyone?" How true. As he was falling asleep in my arms, I was weeping knowing I was leaving him the next day.

I can’t recommend enough how wonderful a community NPH Honduras is to visit. If you schedule a trip to visit, be prepared to plan future trips.

I will never be whole again as part of me remains at Rancho Santa Fe...

The below post is written by wonderful friend and supporter, Jenna Bishop, who recently visited NPH Honduras. 

I'm not sure how a single trip can simultaneously blow my mind and break my heart, but my recent trip to Honduras accomplished just that. Traveling to NPH Honduras was eye-opening, challenging, incredible, and unforgettable. I will never be whole again as part of me remains at Rancho Santa Fe... 

Though I wouldn't call it a "vacation" (unless you traditionally spend part of vacation in a henhouse or shoveling bunny turds), I can say without a doubt that it was a meaningful getaway. Away from some modern luxuries, I discovered a different pace of life, was given new opportunities to experience joy, and witnessed what hard work really looks like. The staff did [and continues to do] so much with relatively so little, and yet they are raising beautifully strong children on a daily basis. Their overall work ethic was humbling to say the least, and the sense of family/community present on the ranch was equally awe-inspiring. NPH's dedication and commitment to children is almost tangible; what a gift that I was able to see it firsthand.

Welcome Elzer!

Jose Elzer Sabillón came to NPH Honduras with his older sister at the age of four. Since graduating from university and receiving his teaching certificate, Elzer has been working hard and gaining experience teaching in Tegucigalpa. Knowing Elzer, his love and dedication to NPH and the rest of his younger brothers and sisters, he was approached to help us in two key areas; projects and visitors. 


Jose Elzer is incredibly bright and dedicated. He is fluent in English and has the unique perspective of having grown up on the Ranch at NPH Honduras. He has had the opportunity to travel, visit other NPH homes, speak at fundraising events and assist Friends' initiatives in the US. This experience, his personality and work ethic, along with his heartfelt desire to serve his NPH family, makes him uniquely qualified to take on these roles. 


As Projects and Visitor Coordinator, Elzer will help to provide visitors, offices, and the entire international community direct access, based in personal experience, to the realities of life in our home. It is our hope that this perspective will help make more tangible still, the work that we are all together striving to accomplish for our children. So please welcome Jose Elzer to his new role! We are so proud of him and grateful to have him as part of our family. 

Stories from Honduras #2

Check out another volume of stories written by the students of Glen Urquhart School in Beverly, Massachusetts who visited Rancho Santa Fe at NPH Honduras and learned about the various facilities at the ranch and all the hard work that goes into making this a home for the children who need it most.

Hortaliza
by Jack Hay


We walk down the never-ending rows and the dust springs up in our faces, as if to warn us. The plants are still; there is no wind to cool us. The sun beats down, and beads of sweat have already begun to form on my forehead. We walk through the fields of the hortaliza or gardens. An endless desert of rows awaits us as we put down our bags. We have to put the plants in the holes and then cover them up. Anything is easy in a small proportion. Transplanting these plants is no exception, but when you add the element of quantity, that changes everything. We are working for a good cause though, not for money. That seems to make it a bit easier for me. The orphanage is one big ecosystem. Everything makes something else work. That’s the beauty of a place like this. They don’t need outside food. They make it, and the other pro is that it’s fresh.


I begin work. The sun still lurks behind me, but also behind three layers of 50 SPF sunscreen. The plants that we are working with have been cut from the ground in another location, so we have to twist them in the holes so there is enough space. In some places the men have left more than one plant, which complicates things. As you try to hold several plants down and put dirt in the hole, there is a big margin for error.


We were given about 20 rows and we were halfway done. Katya and Cobo move toward the backpacks for a water break, and Sra. Kelley, Jenny, and I soon follow. “Can we eat these oranges?” questions Katya. “I suppose,” replies Sra. Kelley. “As long as you peel them.” The oranges in question look as if they came from a compost pile, but as Cobo and Katya peel them, they begin to look more inviting. Before I can join in, it’s back to work and the hot, blistering sun. We now plant in the rows that have been drowned by water. The holes are filled to the brim. This makes it much harder to fill them in. It makes a mud bath. I start draining the holes in an attempt to make the work more manageable and to save the plants from drowning, but the young men tell me to stop. There are about four of them helping us, the año familiares. They are the kids who will go into high school after their year of service.


We are almost done. There are only three more rows left. As we take a final water break, one of the young men runs down the field and the three others start throwing the hard, concrete-like chunks of soil at him. Luckily for him, they usually miss. We soon finish planting the rows. The sun has risen in the sky, and it will soon be time for lunch. We grab our bags, bid our fellow workers farewell, and take our leave of the fields. As we duck under the barbed wire fence near the road, I think about how muchwork goes into growing this food. The staff in the hortaliza is so dedicated. They work so hard for the orphans.

Tortillas
by Ra Gordon


I actually thought I already knew how to make tortillas before I went to Rancho Santa Fe. In fact, I had recently made them at home before the eighth grade trip to Honduras. Making them at the orphanage was certainly quite different than making them at home.


When we make tortillas at home, we start with something called “masa harina” that you get in little bags at the grocery store. It is a kind of prepared corn flour. We mix it into a batter with water and oil and roll out tortillas with a rolling pin. Then we cook them on a griddle, like pancakes. We usually make a batch of about eight at a time.


At Rancho Santa Fe it was somewhat different, although we did work with corn flour mixed with water, into a paste. There were four of us working together: Señora Cardona, Phoebe and Madison. We each took parts of the paste and would take small amounts of it, make it into the right shape, press it, and put it on the large grill. The tortillas had to be made flatter than I was used to. About six hundred tortillas had to be made, although there were other people working in the kitchen. Halfway through, we ran out of paste. We had to go back to the place where the kernels were ground. The corn kernels were in a big plastic tub and we had to wash them under an outdoor faucet. The tub then had to be carried to a small mill to grind them into flour, although we did not do that part. After that, we continued the repetitive process of making tortillas. We worked for about four hours altogether.


The next time I make tortillas at home with my family, I will remember my experience at Rancho Santa Fe. I will think of the people who make tortillas there every day, starting with the big yellow kernels from corn they grew themselves.

La Granja
by Madison Tremblay


Working on the farm was a very exciting experience. Although I was very sick that day, I still enjoyed collecting eggs, feeding chickens, and playing with the bunnies. The farm was one of my favorite workdays; it’s really cool that the Ranch sustains itself by growing and raising their own food. 


When we first arrived at the farm, we fed the chickens. Then we were able to hold the 2-week-old chicks, and they were adorable. The chicks were so soft and fun to hold, that is, if you could catch them. Next we began the never-ending task of collecting eggs. We each got a grey egg carton that held 30 eggs to fill. Each chicken coop had a different name after a certain country; one was called Honduras and another was called Alemania (Germany). When you first entered the chicken coop, it was like stepping into a room crammed with hundreds of people milling around, except instead of people these were chickens. The edge of the coop was lined with wooden boxes where the eggs were laid. Some boxes had up to 15 eggs while others had none. We went around the perimeter of the coop filling our cartons and clearing boxes. By the time we finished, however, there would be 20 new eggs laid. Those chickens can really pump out the eggs! After, we visited the bunnies, which was a lot of fun. We fed them left over cabbage from the garden and played with them. 


Finally we did one more round of egg collecting and then headed back to San Cristóbal. It was an exhausting day, but it never got boring.

Stories from Honduras

Enjoy these candid pieces written by students of Glen Urquhart School in Beverly, Massachusetts who visited Rancho Santa Fe at NPH Honduras and learned about the various facilities at the ranch and all the hard work that goes into making this a home for the children who need it most.

Rancho Santa Fe
By Cole Symes


As you drive through the gate of Rancho Santa Fe, there is a clinic, pharmacy and surgery center on the left. Most people would think of a surgery center in a Central American country as not the best, but when I had a tour it was as good as, or better, than some in the United States. Once you pass the clinic, you see a sign for the school and a walking path leading the other way. It is a small Montessori school for all of the kids at Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) Honduras and a couple of kids from a nearby village. It has classes up to eighth grade, and each kid can learn at their own pace. After eighth grade, NPH will pay for them to go to high school, but they have to do a year of work or año familiar first.


Soon after passing the school, you reach an intersection; one road goes to El Buen Pastor (the Good Shepherd, or the boys’ homes), while the other leads to Talleres (vocational workshops) and San Cristobal (the visitors’ home). After sixth grade, the kids learn a trade at talleres. They can learn metalworking, tailoring, woodworking, shoemaking, carpentry or electrical systems. The last path would bring you down to the farm were they raise bunnies, chickens, and cows.


After San Cristobal, there is the bodega where they keep all of the donations and clothes for NPH. Next to the bodega is the kitchen, where they cook all the food for 600 kids every day. Most days, the food is beans and rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Near the kitchen is the tortilla house where they make 2 tortillas for every child’s dinner. On the other side of the Ranch from the boys’ homes are the girls’ homes. 


Finally, between San Cristobal and the kitchen are the canchas, consisting of two cement basketball courts and a cement soccer field. Next to the canchas is Casa Suyapa, the coed home for children under six. Rancho Santa Fe is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and has trees and animals everywhere. If you climb one mountain, you can see the whole Ranch. It is one of the most beautiful landscapes you could see.

The Bodega
by Katya VanAnderlecht


The large steel door clangs shut behind us and we descend down the cement stairs into the bodega, temporarily feeling cooled by the slight drop of temperature in the basement. To my left I see almost half the room filled with black garbage bags, and to my right three mounds of shoes ranging in various sizes, baby, child and adult. The ground is littered with sneakers, sandals and the occasional fur-lined boot (Yes, because it's definitely going to snow in Honduras!), which leave only a small section of open floor for us to sit down and start sorting.


We commence searching for the long lost pairs in the stragglers left behind from yesterday’s work, excitedly calling out once we reunited a pair, followed by a chorus of under-enthusiastic cheers and weak clapping, for to be honest what’s so exciting about matching shoes? The matched shoes are either tied, velcroed, rubber banded or taped together and tossed into the corresponding pile. As we settle in, there is an ever-constant flow of talking, singing and occasional shoe pun made by Cobo or me in an attempt to keep up our ongoing pun battle throughout the week. Once it is clearly hopeless that another pair will be discovered, Señora Kelley tips over one of the bags, revealing what that half of the room was full of, bags upon bags of shoes. A layer about one foot high (haha) fills the remaining floor space with footwear and we go at it again, shoes flying every which way after we all claim a type of shoe, collect that type and sort through. I ended up with the task of matching girls dress shoes; you would be surprised at how many makes of practically the same shoe there were. Although it was nice to have so many shoe donations, it is amazing what you can find. There was this one pink snow boot that kept showing up, being a different size and for the same foot, none of them matched. Right on cue, as if he had been planning it the whole time (which he probably was), Cobo comments on how he is experiencing déjà shoe.


Many shoes were not even worth pairing and were thrown into the reject pile, destined for a dump. In some ways, I felt like people thought this was a way of justifying getting rid of something that was no longer usable, because of dirt, grime and heels separated (the poor little souls!) just because you were donating it. Giving up my position of dress shoe sorter to Jack, I make my way across to Jenny to aid her in untangling a mass of tennis shoes that were all tied together. There were probably seven pairs with very similar white laces all bound by the mother of all knots in the center. We successfully got a few pairs loose but it was obvious that no progress was being made and after spending at least 20 minutes on it, that was abandoned.


We probably paired more shoes than we will ever own in our lifetimes, but it still felt like we didn’t make a dent on what was left to come. We may have done a lot but I didn’t feel exactly fulfilled at the thought that I had played a big game of matching the whole morning while I could have been cooking a meal for the children or collecting eggs at the farm. If you take away something from this speech, just let it be to please, and I repeat please tie shoes together when you donate them!

La Cocina
by Orren Fox


Six-hundred hungry mouths needed to be fed each day. Not once or twice, but three times. The kitchen ladies wake up many hours before any of us would ever consider in order to cook breakfast. No days off, and three times a day. The least we could do would be help. If it involved chopping, sweeping, or scrubbing we would do it. It did not matter what task we were assigned, we would do it and we would do a good job.


With my work group of Chris, Cole and Steve, we headed up to la cocina on Friday to start our final work job. That day we would chop about 50 plátanos for the soup. We would make a shallow cut down the center of the banana, and use it to help us peel. After we peeled the plantains, we would chop them to a specific size and shape and then toss them in a large bowl of water. On the outside, they were a dirty green color and very tough. On the inside they were a beautiful color. A mixture of vanilla and peach, this banana-like formation was truly beautiful.


We also chopped many potatoes and luckily, did not have to peel them. Instead, all we had to do was select the rotten ones, throw them out and move on with the edible ones. We then took our huge bowl of potatoes and walked them over to the machine. This 40-inch- high, metal cylinder required a key to turn it on, but unfortunately, the woman with the key came to work around 8:00 a.m. and it was only 7:30. The nice young man who showed us how to do everything in the kitchen had an idea. He grabbed two knives, kneeled down behind the machine and jiggled the knives until the machine seized and turned on. He picked the lock with two kitchen knives! We only had to pour the potatoes in, wait a minute, and pull them out when ready. The machine turned and rumbled the potatoes around until they came out, scrubbed and peeled. The bi-product was a brown mush of potato skins oozing out the bottom into a large, square tub.


While shucking corn and inspecting the cob, it was terrifying to peel back one of the leaves and find an inch-long caterpillar squirming around inside. There were some terrifying moments and some mouth watering ones, but all together the kitchen receives five stars in my book for being a great place to work.