The window that we share into each other�s world...

International volunteer Zena Lapp puts you in our kids shoes with this story!

There are so many facets of life at NPH Bolivia that it is impossible to capture my volunteer experience with any one story. So instead of telling you a story, I�m going to have you imagine something.

Imagine that, at the age of two, the government decided that your parents didn�t have the resources to take care of you and your two older siblings. They put you in a home with children who come from similar situations. You don�t remember much about your first few years in the home, but you do remember that there were always people taking care of you, holding you, hugging you. You remember playing with the other children, going to birthday parties, drawing pictures, and eventually starting school. You moved into a different house with a new caregiver and children similar to you in age. You began doing chores, you got to eat meals with your biological siblings on the weekends, you started playing football regularly, and you realized that many of those pictures you drew as a child were for your godparents from other countries. You also began to realize that some of the people you interact with are volunteers and visitors who are there to get to know you and to work at the home alongside the local staff. In addition to your caregivers, you began to have meaningful relationships with some of your godparents and some of the volunteers. Your godparents are one of the only constants in your life. They write regularly, they ask you how you are, and they teach you about life in their country. On the other hand, the volunteers and visitors come and go, but you still learn a lot from them. You see how people from other places and backgrounds may be different in some ways, but that in many ways they are similar to you. They like to play, laugh, and tell stories. They teach you, without you realizing it, important lessons about cultural diversity. You understand, years later, that because of those collective experiences, you have gained a cultural awareness that you wouldn�t otherwise have had.

One of the questions that I have struggled with in my time here is, �Are all the resources that I have spent just to be here offset by the difference that I have made in the lives of the children?� The simplest answer may be that the cost of a volunteer is much less than the cost of an employee, signifying that NPH saves a lot of money by having volunteers. Or it is possible that something I said or did might have had a direct impact on one or some of the children; I try to be a good role model for them. But I think what may be even more important is the window that we share into each other�s world.

Maya Angelou, a poet and award-winning author, once said: �It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.� NPH is doing just that by exposing our children to people from cultures that are vastly different from their own. 

Top 5 Accomplishments of 2012 from NPH Bolivia!

1. In 2012 NPH Bolivia focused on getting sustainable projects off the ground and running. The children began to plant a vegetable garden this spring, which now yields a considerable harvest. They have been working with an agricultural expert to learn how to run the garden independently. About twenty of the older children are being trained in special leadership workshops to teach the other children and surrounding community members sustainable agriculture practices. 

2. This year we were able to buy a flock of "Ovejas de Pelo," short-haired sheep adapted to the climate in places like Bolivia. We expect the sheep to multiply and eventually help enrich the menu at the orphanage. Our new flock of sheep has begun teaching the children new responsibilities and how to care for livestock. 

3. The Austrian Embassy in Lima began funding a reforestation project on our NPH Bolivia site this year. The benefits are numerous. Most noticeably, the fruit- and shade-bearing trees--which now occupy a formerly deforested area--work to enhance the quality of life. This project allows the children to visually learn about the great benefits of sustainability. 

4. The connection between sponsors and godchildren has grown stronger and deeper this year. In contrast to previous years, we�ve had several godparents from other countries visit NPH Bolivia in 2012 to spend time with the children they sponsor. We feel very fortunate that sponsors are willing to travel to our home. 

5. The connection between NPH Bolivia and other NPH homes has also grown stronger and deeper in 2012. Three of our older children participated in important NPHI leadership workshops at other homes. Two of them went to Guatemala and one of them went to Honduras; we also sent an older child to the NPH-wide soccer tournament in Mexico. Thanks to these travel privileges, the children have felt more like part of the global NPH community, which was at first difficult to achieve because of NPH Bolivia�s remote location.

October Homes Update!

We'd love to share with you just a few great and wonderful things happening in our homes. 

In Mexico we had a new group arrive just a few weeks ago, including a baby, just 1 year old, with his brother and sister, along with another set of siblings. In Miacatl?n we have a new sustainable project called Biobolsa, which is a �biodigestive� system. It uses the pig manure to create gas in the kitchen. 

In Haiti at St. Helene, we once again opened our doors to 26 new children, and twenty of our oldest children moved to the Don Bosco program to continue their studies. There are plans underway to drill a water-well on the St. Helene campus, and in addition there will be a water purification system put in place so that our 410 children will all benefit from clean drinking water. We'll no longer have to buy water and wait for it to be brought up the mountain by truck. At the Father Wasson Angels of Light (FWAL) program we held a great  summer camp where we had many activities for the children including basketball, volleyball and soccer. The St. Anne Baby House accepted 7 new toddlers and infants and has a solar project on the way to provide electricity in the new house for its 37 children. Also, construction of the FWAL Preschool is almost finished!

In Nicaragua our dance and music team is currently touring throughout the US sharing with everyone about Nicaragua, NPH and our culture by showing off their talents! The Samaritan Project continues to provide physical and occupational therapy to patients on Ometepe Island, and the construction at Casa Padre Wasson are going well. 

In El Salvador, Elena, one of our youths just graduated from nursing school, and is eager and able to begin her professional life! We have also had 10 successful months of supporting two of our children most in need, Manuel and Wendy, and their healthcare needs. 

In Guatemala we just celebrated our 16th Anniversary!  

In the DR we recently welcomed five new children (3 girls and 2 boys) into our home, and we also began our first year of 10th grade in our on-site school. 

In Bolivia we had 21 sheep arrive at our home this month to begin the new farming project. This project not only allows a new vocational workshop for our students but also a sustainable program to provide food for our home. The construction of our clinic and 4 classrooms is advancing quickly and should be completely finished around the spring of 2013. 

Thank you for all your support to help build our facilities into homes for the children who rely on us.