Sponsors Meet Godchild After 12 Years!

Below is a reflection written by Mary Waldmann regarding the impact meeting her godchild had on her life

In 2002, we began sponsoring four-year-old Boris at NPH Guatemala. Over the next 12 years we exchanged drawings (his), photos and letters. Sometimes it was a little frustrating when letters weren’t very detailed or responsive to questions, but we kept at it. In July 2014 we were fortunate enough to travel to NPH Guatemala with a Seattle group, with the primary goal of meeting Boris. I was prepared for him to be a little standoffish since he’d never met us and and was now a 16-year-old teenager...and I’ll admit I was a little nervous. The first afternoon we arrived, Donna Egge was giving us a brief familiarization tour of the grounds when she spotted Boris on a balcony and called to him. In a flash, he was down the stairs wrapping his arms around me. As he planted a big kiss on my cheek, it really hit me just what a significant role godparents play in the lives of the pequenos. At that moment I was so glad I’d kept up our correspondence, even when it was challenging. And I was so grateful to finally meet the wonderful young man that little Boris has become. Over the next week we were able to spend a lot of time with him and learned much, much more about him. With his smattering of English, our smattering of Spanish, some help in translation and a lot of smiles and gestures, we were able to communicate pretty well and our correspondence will be much richer for it.

To those who are not yet sponsors, I can tell you what a difference you can make in a child’s life—please consider becoming a godparent. If you already sponsor a child, please consider visiting your godchild—it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life!

A Grateful Heart for NPH

Below is a letter written by visitor Claire Krummenacher to her parents and aunt who introduced her to NPH

Dear Mom, Dad, and Auntie Randy,

Thanks so much for this wonderful opportunity.  I’ve had a lot of fun with the pequeños but also learned a lot of valuable lessons.

1.       It’s okay to accept help with things you don’t know, even if it’s a six year old correcting your Spanish grammar.

2.       ADAPT ADAPT ADAPT.

3.       Be willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

4.       It’s good to meet new people but remember the ones you came with too.

I’m not doing a very good job of explaining the experiences that really made this trip special for me, but it’s hard to put into words because they can’t really describe the sound of Levi’s* laugh or Mackenson’s* smile or the sunlight on the mountains in the early morning or how Concha wanted me to sit with her at Mass and how Zolia* couldn’t talk but still held my hand and those are just a few of the beautiful moments.

But thank you for giving me good reasons to come home: a loving family that has always supported me, delicious food, a comfortable bed, the opportunity to go to school. Thanks for working so hard and for teaching me good values.

And thanks so much Auntie Randy, for introducing us to NPH in the first place. I am so happy we came and feel so lucky to have had an experience like this that changed my life.

If NPH has taught me one thing, it’s that it takes a village to raise a child. Thanks for being my village, and for giving me roots and wings.

Always,

Claire

*names have been changed to protect the privacy of children 

Bringing “First Moments” to Donors and Sponsors as They Visit NPH Homes

Below is a reflection written by Gaby Driessen, Regional Manager of Child Sponsorship in NPH USA’s Midwest office, about the wonders of introducing new visitors to NPH homes for the first time. 

I directed my first trip to NPH nearly three years ago, so my first NPH visit experiences are long gone.  I don’t feel the nervousness of driving into NPH for the first time; rather, I feel comfort and familiarity.  I do not get anxious about meeting the pequeños for the first time; rather, I feel excited to see them again and pick up right where we left off a few months ago.  I do not get to fall in love with NPH for the first time; rather, I continue to fall more and more in love with the organization and its people.  Since I no longer have those “first moments” when I visit a NPH home, bringing new donors and sponsors to visit one of the NPH homes is, in my opinion, the best part of working for NPH USA.  To witness someone step onto NPH grounds for their first time, build meaningful relationships with the pequeños, and feel so at ease and at home is so remarkable.  With each trip that I lead, I am given the unique opportunity to see the light flicker in someone else’s eyes when they realize that by visiting NPH they are helping break the cycle of poverty.

In a recent trip to NPH Guatemala, I asked the trip participants to share their “aha!” moments.  What about NPH has surprised you the most?  What has made you realize the importance of you visiting NPH?  What has been your favorite moment thus far?  One participant, who was visiting NPH for his first time, shared that his “aha!” moment was when he realized that NPH is the Kingdom of God.  His answer left me speechless.  My entire education, kindergarten all the way through college, had been in Catholic schools, so at a remarkably young age I had been taught that the Kingdom of God was Heaven.  One high school religion teacher liked to say for those of different faiths, “The Kingdom of God is a place where love is all around.”  The trip participant went on to explain his reasoning for believing that NPH is the Kingdom of God – he witnessed Fr. Wasson’s pillars of unconditional love, shared responsibility and helping others in every child, caregiver, teacher, nurse, gardener, international volunteer, visitor, donor, and sponsor.  He explained that he had never seen so much love in one place, and, in his opinion, all this love could only mean that NPH is the Kingdom of God.  Throughout the rest of the week, I kept an eye out for Kingdom of God moments. 

On the last day of the trip, the youngest boys section walked past me, each boy carrying a large garbage bag filled with folded clothes.  When I asked where they were going with all the bags of clothes, they explained that they were walking into town to donate the clothes to those in need.  All of sudden that lesson from my sophomore high school religion class of love being all around made sense, as did the trip participant’s “aha!” moment; there, in the midst of the Guatemalan highlands, with a volcanic and mountainous background, on the grounds of a place that provides a home, healthcare and education for approximately 300 children, I was standing amongst a group of nine-year-old boys who were, and are, living the Kingdom of God.  

Glen Urqhuart School students visit NPH DR!

Each year the Glen Urqhuart School in Beverly, MA sends a group of 8th grade students on a 1-week service trip to NPH. This year they traveled to NPH Dominican Republic and worked to raise more than $8,600 leading up to the trip! Barbara Kelley, Regional Board Member and this year's group leader collected some short stories and photos from the students so that we could share with all of you! Enjoy!

"Carla" by Maggie Harrison

Walking away from Casa Santa Clara was one of the hardest things I’ve ever been forced to do, knowing I was leaving behind a little girl with an innocent face and a giant heart. Carla was the only girl in her house who wasn’t immediately extremely outgoing; she was a little bit shy, but once you got to know her, she was just as nutty and outgoing as the others. Once she broke out of her shell and became comfortable with me, I knew not only could she change me, but the entire world. The first time I talked to her without the chaos of the other girls, was a couple of days into my trip. She was one of the only girls going back to school. I remember her latching onto my arm as we walked down the road. As I talked to her in my not so perfect Spanish she gently corrected me and told me about school and her siblings. When we reached the school, she said goodbye and gave me a hug.

When it came time to write goodbye letters I knew instantly I had to write a special letter to Carla. I knew she needed the encouragement for her big dreams of being a doctor in the US because it’s not easy, but I could see the potential in her. As I wrote the letter all I could think was, I hope Carla loves this. I went to the house to find Carla the next day. She led me out onto the porch. I gave her the letter, and she crawled into my lap and asked me to read it to her. When I finished, she gave me a giant hug and whispered “gracias” in my ear. I thought she was going to cry as I said, “I am going to miss you,” and she said “Me too.” Seeing her face during that bittersweet moment verified something to me; it doesn’t take much to befriend someone or put a smile on their face or a tear in their eye.

The next morning when it was getting close to the time when we had to say goodbye, I remember walking into the house and explaining to the girls I had to leave in a couple minutes. Carla was outside hanging clothes on a clothesline; her smiling face took an abrupt turn to a frown when I told her. I started saying bye to other girls first, and as I walked back outside to say a final goodbye to little Carla she turned away from me, not wanting me to see a tear run down her cheek. She followed me back into the house as I said more final goodbyes. I knelt down to give her a real hug and wiped a small tear off of her face as I said adios and I am going to miss you. She smiled at me through her tears while I stood up, and I would have given anything thing in that moment to take her with me. Te amo y te extraño Carla.

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"Marily" by McKenzie Perkins
 
I met Marily the first day that we had lunch in the homes. We didn’t have the immediate connection like some people did, but our special relationship surpassed the rest. She was quiet and shy, and not very talkative, but it didn’t matter. She picked me. We had barely talked except at the lunch table, but she chose to befriend me. We did talk a little bit when we were together, but mainly she just wanted to walk, hand in hand, around the park. She was one of those kids that you could tell by her eyes that she had been through a lot. But I hope that I really made a difference in her life. She had been living at NPH for less than a year, and she was 13 years old. The note that she gave me the night before we left made me want to cry because it was so sweet. It was probably the most thoughtful card that I have ever received. Soon I will be an official sponsor of Marily and to definitely keep in touch with her no matter what. She made me a bracelet after lunch one day, and I have kept it on and I don’t plan to take it off until it falls off!
 
In our hogar there was a little boy from Haiti who was staying at NPH with his mom so they could get cancer treatment for him in Santo Domingo. Almost every day Jennie and I arrived before the kids got home from school. We would see the kids come running towards the house. Every day, Marily would come in with the biggest smile and run to the little boy to give him the biggest hug and a huge kiss on his forehead. She gave him more attention than any other child in the home. It was one of my favorite parts of lunch time, that small, thoughtful action. Marily is truly one of the most considerate people that I have ever met.

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"Alicia" by Lisa Owen

I was so nervous stepping out of the visitors’ home on Sunday morning. It was our first full day and the first time seeing the kids. All my worries vanished as a little girl ran up to me and asked me my name. I was immediately pulled over to the trampoline where we just jumped around. After, she continued to pull me around, talking in rapid Spanish. She noticed when I couldn’t understand a word, and then proceeded to act it out. I messed up constantly when I was talking, and every time I did, I’d say that I was sorry. Every time I apologized, she would shake her head and tell me that there was no reason to be sorry. We kept on talking and running around until the day was over. There was so much I learned from her even in the small time we had together, and I find it incredible how quickly we became best friends despite the language barrier.

Once the day was over, she made me promise that I would come back the next afternoon, after school. Every afternoon I came back, and every time her eyes would light up when she saw me. We talked, we danced together, we ate together, we played together, she did my hair, and that’s how I spent the best days of my life. Alicia intended to spend all of the time she possibly could with me, and I wanted to spend all of my time with her, and we did. When she walked past the visitors’ house in the morning on the way to school, I could always spot her immediately; I would wave and shout “Alicia!” and she would always wave back.

For lunch, I always got to her house before she did so I could help with the plates; every day she would run in and give me a big hug. After eating lunch right next to her, she would pull me outside and we would sit and talk. I would walk her back to school, and after school, she would meet up with me again and play or she would teach me how to dance. At the end of the day, she would accompany back me back to the visitors’ house, and tell me that she would wave to me the next morning, and so the cycle began again. 
       
I came back to the United States immediately wanting to sponsor Alicia, because I wanted her to still be in my life far after I left. I wanted to help her, to support her. She taught me how to let go and to focus on the present. She taught me how to be a good friend and how to be a good person. She taught me so much, and I taught her a lot also; she is the best friend I have ever had, and the entire trip was an experience that I wouldn’t have missed for the world. I miss the DR and the orphanage, but mostly I miss Alicia, feeling like I belong there.

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Meeting Father Rick Frechette

Below is a post from Cheyenne, a student from Random Everglades School in South Florida.

(Cheyenne is pictured second over from the left.)

The man, the myth, the living legend, Father Rick Frechette, had been a mystery man for months. At the end of my junior year, me and a group of friends decided that we truly wanted to make an impact in our community. Our goal was to convince our school, Ransom Everglades School, to launch a school-wide global initiative. We planned to do this by adopting an orphanage located in Kenscoff, Haiti. The global initiative is about more than providing supplies collected during a drive or check sent from funds raised at bake sales - it is about a sustainable partnership between Ransom Everglades School and St. Helene orphanage and providing resources through campus-wide engagement. The final step in establishing the Ransom Everglades Haiti Initiative proved to be the most difficult; meeting the man who runs the St. Helene orphanage we planned to adopt, Father Rick.

When I first came in contact with Father Rick through email he expressed his gratitude but explained that traveling for him was difficult and often short noticed. I quickly realized that Father Rick did not just run the orphanage he also got his hands dirty with the daily mundane tasks of the orphanage. Although I wanted to meet with Father Rick and discuss the Haiti Initiative in detail that meant pulling him away from the children I wanted to help. We proceeded with the hopes of meeting him down the line.

Ransom Everglades School launched its first initiative and was able to raise over 750 sheets between both the lower and upper campuses. It was shortly after the first container of sheets shipped that I received an email from Father Rick stating that he planned to be in Miami. I was more than thrilled about the possibility of meeting the man I had only been able to view on video. On December 3rd, I had the pleasure of meeting Father Rick. During his school-wide address he stated that the difference between the children in Haiti and the students at Ransom Everglades was simply the structures of our lives were different. Father Rick, in less than 10 words, shed light on the need for our initiative.

One of the main principals of the Ransom Everglades School is to give to the community more than you have received from it. St. Helene and Ransom Everglades Schools are hundreds of miles apart and we share a similar commitment to community. Just as Ransom alum often come full circle to give back to the institution that gave them so much, children from St. Helene often return to the orphanage to help and contribute to the program that gave them so much.

Having the opportunity to meet Father Rick was truly remarkable. Father Rick has such a passion for his life’s work. Even in the face of disaster and peril, his spirit is one of resilience. His visit today has inspired me and the other members of the Haiti Initiative Committee to do the work that Father Rick so desperately needs help with. This marks the beginning of true sustainable partnership between Ransom Everglades and Father Rick that will contribute to his amazing legacy.

Creative Writing Contest at NPH Honduras

Every year NPH Honduras celebrates the anniversary of Padre Wasson's passing with a special Mass followed by a weekend of celebration. This time of year is a special one as it encourages many at NPH Honduras to reflect about their home and the founder who made it possible. This year volunteer tutor and music teacher Douglas Orofino organized a creative writing contest to showcase the children's talents, and help them further reflect on what they value most about NPH. The following are three winning poems and stories from the contest, which due to their creativity and description, stood out among the rest.

"My Home" by Estefano, 10
From the prettiest rose, from the aroma that gives life, NPH gives life like a caring mother. A mother that treats each child with much love and care and who does not follow the wrong path, but walks to God as their end. Even though I was not born here this is my home because in all of my time here, I grew thankful to NPH for its grand love. When the moon goes away, the sun shines and there is something that only the Ranch has: security, love, and respect. And in addition, nourishment.

"NPH, my home" by Marleny, 11
Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos is my family and my refuge. Here they have given me love. For me, NPH is a change in my life. I want to thank my teachers, caregivers, and directors for creating a special life for me. Because of them, I am in this beautiful and kind home. Thanks to Padre Wasson, NPH is a family of many children where we have a beautiful heart full of happiness. I have grown in this loving family.
Love is a value that Padre Wasson always practiced. Padre Wasson loved every one of his children equally. He always had a thought that I know I will never forget, “I want my children to come to God by serving and loving others.” He also said, "Don't treat me like a stepfather. I want you to treat me like a real dad." At the end of this thought he invited us to imitate this idea and message of peace and glory that he sends to his sons and daughters.

"My inspiration, my home, NPH" by Viviana, 9
Of all that the Ranch has given me, what am I grateful for most? I am grateful for a nice school and a home to live. In school, I learn to write, read, subtract, add and multiply but as well, I am grateful for a home that they have given me NPH. I’m grateful because it feeds me and gives me strength to live well in my home and school.
When I lived outside NPH, I was sad because my mother and father did not take care of me well. They had to work every day, and then one night they brought me to a family called NPH. When I came I was with the youngest girls, which I liked because they cared for me well.
I remember when I arrived at NPH. I was young, but one day I grew up and passed to a new home with the girls. In this house, we are friends and play together all the time with games. They teach me to finish my homework and do it quickly!
I want to thank NPH for the things that have given me like shoes, socks, clothes, food. Especially, I want to thank Father Wasson for a house that he gave us to live in peace with my friends. I am grateful to God as well for the days that he has given me. For this, I always pray in church or in the morning, afternoon and night. Thanks to God and Padre Wasson, we can live in happiness and harmony. Thank you Padre Wasson!