It's so easy to sing the praises of NPH and all they do to improve the lives of the children in their care...

Below is a testimonial from Lorraine Riedl in our Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Region who recently visited NPH Guatemala!

 

Amazing! That's how my seven year old granddaughter, Magnolia, described her stay at Casa San Andres, the NPH home in Parramos, Guatemala.

 

July 24th through July 28th, my son, granddaughter, a friend and I travelled to Guatemala to visit the children that we sponsor. Although it wasn't my first trip to an NPH home, or my first trip to Casa San Andres, it was as exciting as if it were.

 

There's an immediate connection with the children and staff that makes you part of the family. My granddaughter and her godsister were inseparable, and she enjoyed playing and spending time with all the children. It was fun for the adults, too. I fell in love with a 6 year old lovely little girl, a kitten lover, who I am now sponsoring in addition to the goddaughter I went to visit.

 

Everyone at the NPH homes receives a first rate education. They are also given the opportunity to learn a trade, such as baking, cooking, woodworking, or welding, to name a few.  Sports are also a big part of their daily lives. They are nurtured physically, mentally and spiritually.

 

I return from each trip energized. It's so easy to sing the praises of NPH and all they do to improve the lives of the children in their care. Because of those who sponsor children, volunteer and dedicate their time, and share their love and knowledge with the children, those young people have the opportunity to achieve a bright future.

 

Please visit your godchild, or visit an NPH home and sponsor a child while there, and discover the miracles that NPH, with your help, can perform.

 

 

Saravia's Journey

Below is a speech by Saravia, a young woman from NPH Honduras who is currently in the Seattle Leadership Institute and is goddaughter to our Northwest Regional Director, Katie Hultquist! Saravia gave this speech recently at a friend and fundraising event in Portland! Check it out!

Hi everyone! My name is Saravia and I am from Honduras.  I want to tell you a little bit about my experience with NPH.

WHY NPH?

When I was 8 years old, my mom died.  Bad�. YES.  But it really had no effect on me.  She had not been in the picture in years, because she had gone to the United States.  In the U.S. she had another daughter, and only returned to see me and my sister a few times each year.  My Father was not around either, at least not yet, not until I turned 16.

 

I was raised by my stepfather, then my aunt Emoly.  When Emoly died, my grandmother came down from the United States to take care of me, my sister Maria and 2 cousins, Allan and Johana.

Eventually, my grandmother returned to the United States to take care of my younger sister. 

Now, all my family lives in the US, except for the 4 of us.

After my grandmother left, the government stepped in and placed us in NPH. 

I was 12 at the time. 

NPH�,  Not my family.

At first, NPH looked like a place to take advantage of.  Anything and everything I could put to my use was for me. 

However, this attitude I had eventually drove me to escape.  This place was way too confining, too many rules.  So I finally� ran away.

Lucky for me my father took me in for a couple months.  I did anything and everything I wanted.  No rules.  That is what I thought I wanted.

Now I was truly on my own, and I thought this was good � being free. No studying, No responsibilities.  Awesome.

 

But the reality was different. Sometimes freedom meant danger, and sometimes it meant there was no direction and no opportunity.

One day I woke up and I asked myself, what am I doing with my life?  Is this it? 

No, I needed more.

I wanted more.

Those 4 years being at NPH DID change me.

I�ve seen what you can achieve. 

There is a lot more to life.

I picked up the phone and called a social worker at NPH.

They told me I could return to NPH if I spoke with the directors of the house. Not just the National Director of Honduras, but also the directors of all the boys� and girls� houses. 

Lucky for me, they took me back.  

I am thankful that I had the guts to call that social worker and ask to come back.

From that day forward, I changed.

I started attending leadership meetings. My house, Hijas del Pilar, ended up choosing me to represent them at these meetings.

But�, it�s not the way you would think. 

I was chosen because I represented something different.

I had run away. 

I was a taker.    

I was a negative leader.

Now there�s a term for you, a negative leader. 

How did I feel about this? 

At first I was disappointed.  Then I realized this was the person all my brothers and sisters knew.

They did not know the NEW� me.  They could not relate to me, but I would let them know through my actions and my words that I had changed. 

That I was one of them. 

That I belonged.

That this was my family and my home.

Sure, I had my biological family, but now NPH was my family also.

The leadership group changed me.

I started to look at life differently.

I began to take on more responsibilities.

I became aware of the role I play in NPH and in our greater society.

I never could have dreamed it would happen, but I graduated from high school.

This is one of the greatest celebrations of my life.

I felt proud.

Everyone I cared for was there to see it.

My future was looking up.

Maria Teresa, my sister, got her High school degree and moved out of NPH. My two cousins left NPH and started their own family.

Only myself still in NPH. 

After seeing what happened with my sister and cousins, both leaving NPH, I was going to stay with NPH.

I could see that people who leave often don�t realize their own potential.

I realized what I wanted, where I want to go, and NPH would help me with that journey.

When I finish my year here in Seattle, I plan to move onto my next dream, university and an advanced degree. My interests are criminology, electrical engineering or even going to Haiti to learn about disaster relief.  Right now, I can�t decide so I�ll just figure it out next year when I go home.

In addition, I want to find a way to return my services to NPH.   

I have been blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime, maybe even 2 lifetimes� given my situation.  The understanding and willingness shown to me only reinforces in me the NPH way. 

To all of you, from me,

and on behalf of my fellow leadership students and all my brothers and sisters in NPH,

thank you for your support. 

You make all this possible.

If you have any questions, feel free to talk with me or one of the leadership students.

We would love to answer any questions for you.

 

Meeting our God Daughter after 15 Years!

Below is a post written by Northwest Regional sponsor, Barb Schultz! Last month she visited NPH Nicaragua and got to meet her goddaughter for the first time in person! Here is her story: 

We first encountered NPH through our parish in Sumner, WA.  My daughter, Megan, and I attended an event to see the dancers from one of the homes perform, and then heard the amazing stories from some of the pequenos.  God led our family to a decision to sponsor a child � so my daughter picked little Marbely from the photos posted on the big board in the lobby of the church.  Her birthday was the day before Megan�s so she thought that was pretty special.

For these past many years, we have sent our monthly donations, and written letters and cards back and forth with Marbely.  I always thought it would be wonderful to meet her someday, but to be honest, I never really believed it would happen.  Nicaragua seemed another world away.

Then this spring, I got the annual postcard in the mail announcing the NPH NW�s yearly trip.  I was just ready to send it to the recycle bin, when suddenly it hit me.  This year they were visiting Nicaragua, Marbely, now 22,  would soon be leaving the NPH home there, and Megan�s summers at home in between college may be limited in the future.  This was our chance!

We took the leap of faith and booked the trip � so excited to meet our god daughter after all these years.  Luck was with us and Marbely was at the home on break from the university where she had just begun classes. 

I was a little anxious about how our meeting would go since our communication had been pretty basic in letters due to the language barrier.  But when we first met, all fears dissolved.  We hugged as if she was truly another daughter/sister.  A little shy at first, Marbely was more and more talkative as the week went on.  Her basic English and Megan�s basic Spanish (and both laughing at my attempts to speak) worked well enough for us to share how excited we were to meet her and see the home that has been hers for all these years.  We talked, we laughed, we taught each other card games and played soccer.  It was truly a touching experience for all 3 of us.  We even managed to involve my husband and son by sending voice messages over a phone ap. 

By the end of the week, Megan felt like she truly had a sister and I another daughter.  There were lots of tears and hugs when it came time to say goodbye � for now.  We�ve already been in touch several times since arriving home.  We have a real person on the other end of our letters and messages now, rather than just a name and photos.  She is part of our family and we love her!

 

I became a sponsor because Kendra, Madelin, Lily, and Livia changed my world...

My name is Anna Ricci from Renton, Washington.  I want to share a bit about why I became an NPH sponsor.  I had the privilege of traveling to the home in Honduras and becoming more involved with NPH last year.  While in Honduras, I met my adorable and fantastic Goddaughter Livia.  While there are many reasons that I could share about why I felt compelled to sponsor Livia, the most impactful of these occurred during my visit to Honduras. To try and give you the best image of my experience I would like to introduce you to a couple of people who I had the blessing of spending time with while I was there�.

First is Kendra.  Kendra is a feisty, strong-willed 10 year old who grabbed my hand one evening and insisted that I sit next to her during dinner.  Kendra�s house eats in silence, so we didn�t have much time to get to know one another.  Instead we broke bread together without words.  Kendra held my hand, taught me the norms of her family with grace and compassion, and laid her head in my lap when she finished eating.  The innocence that Kendra accepted me with was truly moving.  She didn�t need to know anything about me to invite me into her home, her family, and to care for me.  She accepted me without conditions and without question.  I did not have to do anything to be worthy of her praise, I just was. Kendra embodied Christ�s grace in the most raw form.

Next we have Madelin and Lily.  These two highschool girls walked into a space in my heart that my own students at Eastside Catholic School also occupy and made an ordinary evening truly sacred. Immediately after being welcomed into their home, Lilywas braiding my hair, showing me her uniform, commenting on how long her skirt was, and telling me all about the boy she was interested in.  Madelinwas my dancing queen.  She danced the night away with me despite my lack of coordination or rhythm, and my frequent eruption into odd American dance moves.  She was willing to be silly with me, we laughed constantly and ended up sweating profusely-but that still didn�t stop us. At the end of the evening the girls gave me hugs and said that I wasn�t old enough to be a teacher, but they would believe me when I came back with my students.  I still feel the vulnerability of this moment.  The honesty, joy, and authenticity of our evening is what I will continue to strive to create with my own students in the U.S.  They were my teachers and I their student.

And lastly for Livia. Livia was one of the first girls I met when we got to the home.  I brought a coloring book over to color with her, but she was not interested in coloring.  I asked her questions, and yet she didn�t seem to want to chat either.  I was about to get up and leave, thinking maybe she didn�t want to play with me, when she got up and sat in my lap.  She played with my bracelet and sat in silence for about 30 minutes.  I continued to try to make conversation in my broken Spanish, but slowly realized that she was content in the silence. Maybe it is my own hidden introverted tendencies, but something about us clicked.  Throughout the week we went on several walks together.  Always me commenting on the cows, the garden, or the other kids, and her content just to accompany me along the journey.  Sharing with me God�s presence in the silence and simplicity. 

On one of our final evenings in Honduras, Stefan, one of the directors of the home told us �We might not change the world, but we may change their world and that is something.�  I became a sponsor because Kendra, Madelin, Lily, and Livia changed my world.  Now I am looking forward to getting more involved with the Associate Board for young professionals here in Seattle, and I am excited to lead a trip with my students from Eastside Catholic to visit NPH Nicaragua this summer. 

I hope you too will consider and experience the incredible blessing that it is to be invited into the NPH family with these children. 

Thank you.

*Children's names changed to protect privacy.

A godparent's support goes far beyond financial assistance...

This story was reported by Communications Officer Amanda Thomas at NPH Honduras.

Doctor Tuttle first heard of NPH through one of his medical students around five years ago. Doctor Tuttle had been involved with medical missions in La Ceiba, a city on the northern coast of Honduras, but the area had become too dangerous to carry on with the mission trips. When one of his student�s mentioned NPH, he set out to learn more.

When he first visited NPH Honduras, Doctor Tuttle was impressed. "The people are amazing - from the children, to the staff, to the volunteers." Doctor Tuttle now regularly visits the ranch to participate in surgical brigades, which are groups of medical professionals that spend their time and expertise to work for free at the Holy Family Surgery Center. During the brigades, surgeons, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals perform surgeries for the underserved population that live in surrounding areas.

"The patients are so grateful," says Doctor Tuttle. Doctor Tuttle wanted to stay involved with NPH, and so he returned for a second medical brigade. It was during this trip he became a "godparent." An NPH godparent is someone who sponsors a child at one of our NPH homes, develops a bond with them, receives regular updates on their academic and social progress, and exchanges letters and cards with their "godchild."

On a subsequent visit Doctor Tuttle brought his daughter and one of his sons, and each chose a child to sponsor as well. "Now I have five godchildren!" laughs Doctor Tuttle. The relationship that exists between godparents and their godchildren is a very special one. "We bring them small gifts when we visit, and they introduce us to their friends," explains Doctor Tuttle. "They also come to dinner with us while we are on the ranch during the medical brigades. The best part is just spending time together and talking."

Mabel* is the godchild that Doctor Tuttle's son Mitchell began sponsoring during a visit in 2011. Mabel's face lights up when she begins to describe her godparent. "Mitchell writes to me, and I write back," says Mabel. "I tell him how I'm doing in school, about my grades, and the events we have at the home. Mitchell encourages me to do well in school." The importance of her godparent in her life is evident.

A godparent's support goes far beyond financial assistance. Godparents often visit the ranch, attending graduation ceremonies and spending time playing and chatting with their godchildren. Letters they write to their godchildren are treasured and family photos are stuck inside lockers and albums, as our children cherish being part of a family that spans two different countries. Godparents reinforce that NPH is a family, albeit a large, noisy, tangled one, that covers a large part of the globe!

*Name changed for privacy purposes

We have been in their lives and they have been in ours...

Below is a reflection from great supporter Joe Klag on just how the children of NPH have changed his life and how supporters like him surely change their lives.

Good morning friends, I have been asked recently why my family is invested in NPH. It is my wife�s fault!!! You see she went down with the teens from our church for a couple of years. There she met children who came from life circumstances that you and I could not understand.

Two very special girls, Chave (Maria Isabel) and Marisol age 4 and 2. They are two sisters from a family of four sisters. Their mother died after Marisol was born. Their father could not or would not care for them. Thankfully, instead of being forced to live on the streets all four of them found their way to NPH (Nuestros Peque?os Hermanos). We met them and our lives have been changed.

Since then we have been in their lives and they have been in ours. We go down to see them once or twice a year. One of the great benefits of NPH is that we were encouraged to develop a relationship with the kids. They are now 10 and 12 years old and we look forward to making the trip to Mexico to see them as often as we can. I enjoy emailing them too.

The vision of Fr. Wasson when he started NPH was to take children who had been orphaned, abandoned, abused physically, sexually, psychologically and raise them all as one family. That is why we can not adopt the girls and bring them here. These children who call NPH home did not have a �family� before coming to our homes. Now they are nurtured, educated even sent to the university if they have the grades, nourished and loved. Many of these kids have experienced love in their lives only after they came to NPH.

You see, I thought it would be a great thing to go and see these kids and help them. In many ways, they have done more for me than I could ever do for them. A year ago, Chave wrote a letter to us thanking us for being in her life. She could not understand why someone from another country who didn�t know her or Marisol would come and want to be involved in her life. In that letter, she wrote how much it meant to her. Every time I come back from visiting an NPH home, I realized how I benefit from it. These kids give us more than I think we ever do for them. In their world where they have nothing, they have everything. While they are normal kids, they are given the gift of love by all their little brothers and sisters (NPH) in the home and they know they are loved and they share that love.

As Bob Goff wrote in his book, Love Does, love compels us to act. The work NPH does can happen without great people like you. If we don�t help these children, who will?

However, as many people told me, it wasn�t an adios (goodbye), but rather an hasta luego (see you later)...

Below is a testimonial written by Upper Midwest Associate Board Member Kristen Mages.

 

Three and a half years ago, I graduated from college, packed my bags and hopped on a plane for the Dominican Republic en route to a home called Nuestros Peque?os Hermanos. I knew I wanted to do volunteer work, but I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had found the organization online about six months earlier and thought it sounded like a good fit. It met my three simple requirements for the service year I planned on doing: working with children in a Spanish-speaking country and a faith-filled environment.

Before long, I was hooked. I remember my very first day at the home and how one of the special needs girls ran up to me giggling away as she lovingly tackled me with a bear hug. Since I was walking into a life where not even one face was familiar to me, I vividly remember how welcoming that hug felt. I also recall my second day there, Three Kings Day, and how I was allowed to choose the house I would get to work with (although looking back, it was actually them who chose me). I ended up in Casa Santa Ana, a house of twenty rambunctious teenage girls all hitting the age of puberty. After about six months of my patience being constantly tested by these girls, they started to trust me and open up. I sat by these girls� sides for hours as they talked about their boy crushes, their absent family members, their plans for the future and many other things; as they opened their hearts to me, I found myself doing the same with them. Before long, the thought of leaving after a year became unbearable, and I decided to extend my time there for another eight months.

As my second Three Kings Day with the girls came and went, I realized just how hooked I had become. What had felt foreign in every sense of the word just 365 days earlier, now felt familiar, comfortable and most importantly, right. I had twenty new hermanitas who meant the world to me. Months later, as my time abroad came to an end, I was forced to do the hardest thing I have done yet in life � say goodbye to these newfound family members. I am usually a person who keeps her emotions in check, but with this life event, I wasn�t able to. Even reflecting on those goodbyes a couple years later gets me choked up once again.

However, as many people told me, it wasn�t an adios (goodbye), but rather an hasta luego (see you later). And that was true. Since that difficult departure, I have been blessed to be able to go back and visit once or twice a year. I send letters to Casa Santa Ana every month, and I�m now sponsoring one of those twenty girls who hold such special spots in my heart. I�m also an active member on the NPH Upper Midwest Associate�s Board where I get to spend time with other young adults who possess the same strong connection I feel towards NPH. We host fundraising events and find every means possible to share this piece of our hearts with friends and family in Minnesota.

When I think of how important NPH is to me, a million different faces, moments, and memories come to mind. I remember things from my first day in the Dominican Republic three and a half years ago all the way to the conversation I had with my parents� NPH godchild yesterday, on the day of his graduation from high school. In the end, I realize that NPH has not only changed me, it is me.

 

 

"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 peque?os 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 peque?a, 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.

Meet Some New Children at NPH Honduras and Consider Becoming a Sponsor!

In the last months of 2014, the Honduran version of Childcare Services, IHNFA, was closed down by the government. Most IHNFA programs were promptly shut down or restructured, including the government children�s homes and some of the foster programs. NPH Honduras was greatly involved in negotiations and discussions with the new authorities in order to respond to the needs of the children who had previously been part of these programs. As a result, NPH Honduras has received more than 60 new children between November and December of 2014 as part of new agreements! These children are in need of sponsors and we'd like for you to meet 8 of them below. * All names of the children have been changed to protect their privacy.

ALBERTO: 

Alberto* is 10 and he and his brother joined our family on December 10, 2014.  A total of 45 children came to us that day!

Alberto says:

�If I won $1 million dollars, I would give it to the poor. My heroes are my caregivers and my friend Angel. If I could change anything in the world, it would be that people wouldn�t throw trash everywhere and contaminate the water. If I could have any superpower, it would be Spiderman powers to save people. I like NPH very much, here, there is no need to fight and steal.�

To sponsor him, visit www.nphusa.org/sponsor

ANGELINA:

Angelina* is 13.  She joined our NPH family on December 10, 2014 with a total of 45 children!

Angelina says:

�If I won $1 million, I would gift it to my mother.  My dad is my hero. If I could change anything in this world, it would be that we all live in peace. If I could have any superpower, it would be to make all of my loved ones happy. In the future, I want to be a primary school teacher. I like NPH very much, I have the possibility to study now.�

To sponsor her, visit www.nphusa.org/sponsor

BENITO:

Benito* is 12 and has 2 siblings at NPH.  He joined our family on December 10, 2014 with a total of 45 children.

Benito says:

�Spiderman and Batman are my heroes. If I could have any superpower, it would be Spiderman powers to save people. If I could change anything in the world, it would be that everyone would have clothes and be happy. My dreams for the future are to study in college, have work and be happy.� 

To sponsor him, visit www.nphusa.org/sponsor

JOSE:

Jose* is 12 years old.  He joined our family on December 10, 2014 with a total of 45 children.

Jose says:

�My dream for the future is to be a soccer player. Just God, is my hero. If I could change anything in the world, I would change the danger here in Honduras. If I could have any superpower, it would be invincibility, to save people.  Do I like NPH and has it changed my life? Very, very much.�

To sponsor him, visit www.nphusa.org/sponsor

MARIA:

Maria* is 16 years old.  She has two brothers at NPH.  She joined our family on December 10, 2014 with a total of 45 children.

Maria says:

�If I won 1 million dollars I would donate it to poor children. My hero is my caregiver Mirna. If I could change anything in the world, it would be to make people stop dying. If I could have any power, it would be the power to make miracles happen. I like NPH very much. The help and advice from my caregivers support me a lot. In the future, I dream of becoming a professional trade expert.�

To sponsor her, visit www.nphusa.org/sponsor

CARMINA:

Carmina* is 14 years old.  She joined our family on December 10, 2014 with a total of 45 children.

Carmina says:

�If I could change anything in the world, it would be that everybody would just say the truth.  My hero is superman.  If I could have any superpower, it would be Spiderman superpowers to save people.  I like NPH very much, it changed my life, it is much better here.  My dream for the future is to go to college.�

To sponsor her, visit www.nphusa.org/sponsor

EDGAR:

Edgar* is 11 and is the brother of Alberto* who we also feature above. He joined our family on December 10, 2014 with a total of 45 children.

Edgar says:

�If I won 1 million dollars, I would buy a house for my family.  Power Rangers are my heroes.  If I could have any superpower, I would want laser beams to save people.  If could change anything in the world, I would paint all of the walls pretty so that all of the houses were beautiful.� 

To sponsor him, visit www.nphusa.org/sponsor

JUAN:

Juan* is 12 years old and has 2 sisters and 1 brother.  He joined our family on December 10, 2014 with a total of 45 children.

Juan says:

�If I won 1 million dollars I would buy a house to share with my siblings.  My caregiver, Rafa, and my brother are my heroes. My dream for the future is to work as a soccer player.�

To sponsor him, visit www.nphusa.org/sponsor