Current International Volunteers!

It�s time to highlight our current International Volunteers! Meet the 28 wonderful contributors to our NPH USA mission. SO MANY thanks to everyone!

 

MEXICO

 

Danica Sanders, Nurse, NPH Mexico

My experience volunteering at NPH Mexico is difficult to put into words. Every day is filled with hugs, laughs, talks, play, many chores (at times cries and tantrums), but most importantly love. I think before I came I didn't realize the impact I could have on the kids, or the impact they could have on me. I truly cherish every moment with the them, whether it be a one on one talk with one of the girls in my section before bed, making goofy videos, helping with homework, hanging out in patio on the weekends, braiding hair (mainly them braiding mine or teaching me), or snuggling up and watching a movie. They are so open, honest, accepting and loving. I know I am going to miss the million "holas" while walking through the home. I am going to miss hearing my nickname Danicoco (which has spread throughout house) shouted from all different directions. I am going to miss the special moments of watching siblings hang out and play together during their free time. And above all, I'm going to miss the endless beautiful smiles and hugs. I am lucky to have been able to be present in a small, but meaningful part in their lives. They inspire me every day and this experience will forever be with me. I have heard once you are part of the NPH family, you always stay. I feel lucky to now be a member and be able to watch my family here in Mexico grow.

 

Kaleigh Barret, Women�s Empowerment, NPH Mexico

If I had to pick one word to describe my experience as the Girls Empowerment Coordinator, I would choose transformative! I could never have imagined just how much my views would be challenged, broadened, and transformed to include the perspectives of these amazing young women. These girls are so wise and talented, and I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to help them find their inner greatness. I am so proud of who these girls were, who they are today, and who they will be in the future!

 

Aaron Ruder, Caregiver and Communication Officer, NPH Mexico

My time at NPH has definitely been challenging to say the least. But when I look back at all the amazing memories I have made, I know it has all been worth it. From jumping into the pool fully clothed with my section to helping create a terrifically spooky haunted house, these are the times I will remember far into the future when I'm asked how I spent my twenties. Though my time here is wrapping up quickly, I still am eager to see what surprises the next few months have in store and how I can attempt to make my mark at NPH M?xico.

 

 

Katrina Christian, Librarian/Caretaker, NPH Mexico

NPH is a place in which I have experienced more emotions than I ever thought possible. The contrast between utter exhaustion and frustration of a long day followed by the pure joy and overwhelming excitement of a sweet hug and giggle has become my norm over the past year, and I couldn�t be more content. At this place in the middle of rural Mexico, I have found new friends, true happiness, boundless love, and have come to know a more profound sense of myself. Reflecting on the past months and the few weeks I have left, I am filled with love for the messy, giggly, crazy little ones I have spent the better part of a year with, and although I might not miss the surprise cockroach, this place and these people, both little and big, will always have a huge chunk of my heart.

 

Sierra Kaptain, Caregiver, NPH Mexico
No matter how horrible they may have misbehaved during the day, my girls always give me a goodnight hug that is guaranteed to be bigger than the tantrum they had thrown earlier. And the hugs are always accompanied by 'I love you. Please don't go. Dream with your family. See you tomorrow.' Moments like those show me that all the children want here is to love and be loved. I had never imagined I would receive just as much of it as I give back to them, nor did I think I would be called mommy hundreds of times a day. We, as volunteers, may not be a biological parent, grandparent, or sibling to any of the kids, but we love and treat every one of them as if they were our own - and that to me makes NPH a pretty special place. 

 

 

Joey Schiappa, Swim Lesson Instructor & Photographer, NPH Mexico

Whitney Janicki, Caregiver, NPH Mexico

 

 

GUATEMALA

 

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Katie Nelson, SLP Assistant, NPH Guatemala
I am working as the speech therapist in Guatemala. I could make a long list of the incredible moments I've had in the past 8 months here. There are little moments every day I look forward to like walking lazily arm in arm with a couple of the girls and chatting, passing the littlest kids every morning on the way to school and saying good morning to each one, and hugging goodnight to the girls in my home every night before I head back. These are the moments that make the feeling of this being home undeniable.

Brittney Byrd, Nurse, NPH Guatemala
I am three months into my year as a volunteer nurse at NPH-Guatemala and I feel confident saying volunteering with NPH is the hardest thing and the best thing I've ever done. Being a volunteer is tough; there are countless challenges that accompany learning a new language, and living in a culture and country that is not your own. But these challenges pale in comparison to the joy that the children have brought into my life. I have realized it is the small moments with the children, that is what makes it all worth it. These little moments are by far the best. When a child runs up to give me a hug, shouts my name from across the soccer field or waves to me at mass to come sit with them; holding a child's hand as they have stitches removed, or reading bedtime stories with a sick child spending the night in the clinic; these are the moments that fill my heart and make me overjoyed to be a part of the NPH family.

 

Willis Allen, Activities Coordinator, NPH Guatemala

 

Matthew Callans, Montessori ESL teacher, NPH Guatemala

 

 

 

HONDURAS

 

Claire Magnuson, Women�s Empowerment, NPH Honduras
NPH has turned me into a person I would not have recognized a year ago. In all the best ways. This complicated, frustrating, loving, and incredibly strong family has shown me what it means to be human, and they�ve accepted me unconditionally as a human and as a new part of their family. Whether it�s from my Chicas Poderosas, my Hijas in hogar (household), or my fellow volunteers, I feel as though I�m always learning: about society, about love, and about myself. I am so grateful to NPH for the unconditional love it�s given me and taught me to give, and for introducing me to another side of myself.

 

Monica Meeks, Holy Family Surgery Center, NPH Honduras
15 months later, I am still in Honduras! I decided to extend my service at NPH in order to help start a surgical outcomes research program at the Surgery Center. I also am enjoying having a few more months with the lovely ladies of Hogar Guadalupe. It's sad to think that my time to return home is drawing near, but I'm so grateful for the wonderful experience I've had volunteering at NPH. It truly has been the best year and a half of my life.

Alex Hanel, Communication Officer, NPH Honduras
As the Communication Officer in Honduras, I am lucky to have the opportunity to work and spend time with both children and staff from all areas of the home. I found out about NPH through high school trips to Guatemala, and jumped at the opportunity to spend a full year after college. I get to spend my nights with the oldest boys, 15-18 years old, and still am continuously learning from them and the rest of the kids about how important and beautiful family can be, biological or otherwise. It has been a great but challenging nine months so far, and I'm looking forward to what's to come as I wrap up my year. 

 

 

Lauren Pach, Caregiver, NPH Honduras
As a t?a for the babies of NPH Honduras, my days are always filled with laughter, tears, stories, songs, hugs, and kisses. It has been so rewarding to watch the children grow and learn over the last nine months of my service. I have watched kids take their first steps, say their first words, and go to school for the first time. I am thankful for every single one of them and the love and friendship that they give me. 

Alexandra Hickman, Holy Family Surgery Center Brigade Coordinator, NPH Honduras
My time spent at NPH so far has been the most amazing experience of my life. Though I am still young, I hope that I will take with me for the rest of my life what I have learned from these kids: to love without fear, to be happy with what you have, and to realize that life itself is a blessing. The kids love in unexplainable ways, they are happy even though they are from backgrounds and situations that children should never even know about, and they live life like it is a blessing. Every day here is a reminder of why NPH is such an important and special place.

Josh Pfau, Tutor, NPH Honduras
A quote from our director, Stefan Feuerstein, my first week at NPH describes how I wish to spend my time here: "If you allow your heart to open fully... you will experience love." This has become a mantra I use when spending time with our kids. Making an effort to be open means becoming incredibly vulnerable but it is necessary for developing deep and lasting relationships. When he said "allow your heart to open" it implies that it takes a constant and conscious effort. This effort yields the fruits of our labor; love.

 

Erin Comber, Teacher, NPH Honduras
If you told me that I would live in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for over a year awhile back, I would probably tell you that you are crazy. Yet, moving to Honduras and working with Nuestros Peque?os Hermanos has been an amazing experience for me. My days are always filled with excitement: teaching English in the Montessori school, tutoring 10 to 15 year olds, and working in an hogar for adults with special needs. I have fallen in love with the culture, country, and people here. I treasure every hug, every time I hear �Teacher!� screamed from across the ranch, all the dance/ Zumba parties, and each great conversation. I am really excited to continue to grow, learn, and love as I continue my time here.

 

 

Katie Kaiser, Holy Family Surgery Center, NPH Honduras
The days here are full but life overall is simple and really sweet. I walk a mile to and from work, past cows and horses. I take cold showers and kill cockroaches daily. I sometimes start work before dawn (or right after), but the stars and the birdsongs at that time of day make it worth it. I get a lot of hugs and I learn a TON every day. The days consist of three main things: time with my fellow volunteers and housemates, my job in the surgery center (aka the �quirofano�) and hogar (Spanish for home) with the 4-8 year old girls. We spend 6-8 pm each night and every other weekend in hogar. Mine is with the 4-8 year-old girls in Casa Suyapa, the house with the youngest kiddos on the ranch. Each night, we eat dinner together and help them get ready for bed. As my parent friends can imagine, it gets pretty chaotic sometimes trying to get 16 girls in (and out) of the shower, jammies on, teeth and hair brushed and in to bed. But the reward for all the chaos are the little voices coming out of the dark asking --"Duermeme?" or essentially "will you cuddle with me while I fall asleep?" Having a six year fall asleep in your arms while you sing to them is pretty much the best feeling in the world. I don't know much yet about where the girls came from or their lives before NPH, but I am grateful for that ignorance. It gives me the opportunity to know them for who they are now and not what has happened to them. I can already tell they will be the hardest part about leaving this place.

 

Jason Abbott, Holy Family Surgery Center, NPH Honduras

Grace Callow, Nurse, NPH Honduras

 

 

Noah Forrest, Tutor (7th � 9th grade), NPH Honduras

 

 

Morgan Gagnon, Nurse, NPH Honduras

 

Lauren Nun, P.E Teacher, NPH Honduras

 

 

 

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

 

Kelsey Agather, Sponsorship and Communications Assistant, NPH Dominican Republic
It is very hard to summarize being a volunteer for NPH into only a few words; however, being surrounded by so many open, accepting, and loving children teaches us many things. We learn our flaws do not matter as much as we think because everyone has flaws. We learn to laugh and seize the moment. We learn to dance like no one is watching. It is marvelous to walk outside and hear a child scream your name or your nickname (mine�s crazy), turn your head and watch as one, two or three children race toward you to give you a hug, nothing, absolutely nothing beats this moment. You have a rough day at work, or you are feeling homesick, the children here always have the remedy. 

 

Alexa Bryan-Capellas, ESL teacher, NPH Dominican Republic
I'm currently serving at NPH Dominican Republic as a primary school English language teacher. Along with working in the school, I am also offering classes in the neighboring bateyes and starting a few outreach projects there. My house placement is with the ingresos (the newest boys coming into the NPH family) and while we are a full house, we are a very happy one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 
Hannah Mulhausen,Visitor Coordinator, NPH Dominican Republic

 

 

NICARAGUA

 

Emily Doyle, Communication Officer, NPH Nicaragua
My time as an NPH volunteer has been the most challenging and the most rewarding experience of my life. From getting to know all my coworkers, to holding every conversation in Spanish, and especially to starting and ending my days with "my" 5- to 10-year-old boy, I know that this is something unique and wonderful that I will never forget! I'm so grateful to be a part of the NPH family.

 

 

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Give a year, gain a lifetime of love...

2016 International Volunteer program recap. by Vicky Medley, NPH USA International Volunteer Program Coordinator

 

Happy volunteer appreciation week; I love this week! Each year we take the time to recognize our volunteers who help in our offices with events, fundraising, translations and lots of other behind the scenes contribution. We also recognize and celebrate our International Volunteers, who live and serve at NPH for a year or more.

 

In 2016 we were lucky to have 43 volunteers serve for 6 months or more, totaling $100,980 in salary savings to NPH. Together, those 43 volunteers worked in Sponsorship, Communications, as Visitor or Volunteer Coordinators to provide information for the NPH network of websites, assist donors and visitors and volunteers find their place at NPH. Volunteers worked in education and kept the libraries running smoothly, taught ESL classes, and tutored hundreds of peque?os. Our volunteers provided occupational and speech therapy, on site medical care and coordination in the Holy Family Surgery Center. Volunteer caregivers helped the peque?os get up each morning, assisted them with homework and chores and discipline, and tucked them into bed each night. Volunteers at NPH work long, hard days with rugged conditions. They must be flexible, patient, have strong intercultural skills and most importantly love children.

 

And while this week is about expressing our gratitude to NPH, it�s also an opportunity for former volunteers to express THEIR gratitude to NPH. To volunteer at NPH is to offer your heart to be broken open, filled with love and challenges and growth. That heart will never be the same. Some of our current volunteers have this to say:

I hope that I will take with me for the rest of my life what I have learned from these kids: to love without fear, to be happy with what you have, and to realize that life itself is a blessing. -Ali Hickman, Visitor Coordinator NPH Honduras.

NPH has turned me into a person I would not have recognized a year ago. In all the best ways. This complicated, frustrating, loving, and incredibly strong family has shown me what it means to be human, and they�ve accepted me unconditionally as a human and as a new part of their family. �I feel as though I�m always learning: about society, about love, and about myself. I am so grateful to NPH for the unconditional love it�s given me and taught me to give, and for introducing me to another side of myself. -Claire Magnuson, Women�s Empowerment NPH Honduras.

In my 17 years of being involved with NPH, I�ve had the pleasure of building friendships and professional relationships with many other former volunteers. This year I reached out to ask former volunteers how NPH has changed THEIR lives:

Nine years later, NPH continues to touch and impact every part of my life. When returning from NPH, it was hard to find my place in the U.S. I longed to be back with my friends at the ranch. I immersed myself in the local NPH office only to meet the three women who I now call my best friends- one a former volunteer herself. The idea of volunteering is to give, to serve others; but volunteering at NPH is so much more than that. I am forever indebted to Fr. Wasson and the NPH family for not only two years of kindness and support, but also a lifetime of unconditional love. -Annemarie Hansen, NPH Honduras.

NPH changed my entire life! After graduating, I was intent on only filling a 2-month volunteer position at NPH Mexico. They were looking for someone to coordinate the summer activities. Growing to know the children and values of NPH not only made it impossible to leave, but gave me a sense of real purpose. After three years, I was sure that I was called to a career in service. The NPH experience served as the backdrop in my post-graduate studies. Even though my subsequent experiences in non-profits were formative and valuable, no place felt like NPH. The sense of family always made the really challenging work worthwhile. Developing trust that allows us to really support our children in their development is a true gift. The people at NPH have become lifelong friends, and I was lucky enough to meet my wife during our time as volunteers. We now have two children who are growing up at NPH and could not feel more grateful. We will be eternally grateful for this amazing family that Fr. Wasson began! -Christopher Hoyt, NPH Mexico, NPH Guatemala and now NPH International. 

It�s been over 18 years since I arrived in Honduras as an NPH volunteer. There is no question that NPH has made a profound, lasting impact on my life. There are the obvious impacts: I fell in love and had my wedding on the Ranch, my oldest son was baptized at the Ranch, and I now work at another children�s home in Honduras and on a daily basis implement the many lessons learned at NPH to improve lives and provide love to over 120 orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children. But to only focus on that would neglect the story of transformation. At NPH I learned to love. I learned that unconditional love doesn�t mean being blind to the flaws of others, but loving them truly and deeply because and in spite of those flaws. How did I learn that lesson? It wasn�t because I was so good at loving my girls and all the kids unconditionally, but it was because I received immeasurable amounts of unconditional love from the children. They tried to fix how I dress and encourage me to style my hair, and still loved me when I never quite got it. They loved me and my imperfect Spanish and my endless cultural gaffes. They loved me and my gringa ideals that made me think I was going to fix them, fix NPH (which only needed fixing in my idealistic and inexperienced mind), and fix Honduras�. all in 13 months. They loved me for staying longer than planned and they loved me after I left. They loved me when we picked lice out of each other�s hair, when my English classes didn�t go as planned, and when the volunteers� needs took priority over time with the kids. I chose to serve with NPH because I was committed to sharing unconditional love with the children. Instead the gift of unconditional love that I received has been something I�ve carried with me throughout life. I�m still not as good at it as the children are, but I am still trying. -Amy Escoto, NPH Honduras

Oliver Wendell Holmes said �A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions�. I think that is true for our hearts. I would say �A heart that is stretched by NPH can never go back to its old dimensions�. We former volunteers will forever be grateful to NPH for stretching our hearts and minds and showing us unconditional love.

 

 

I am so blessed to have met such incredible children, and be part of such a positive and giving community�

Below is a reflection by Amy Vachon of Saint Anselm College who went on a Mission Trip to NPH Dominican Republic.

My trip to the Dominican Republic through Saint Anselm College to Nuestros Peque?os Hermanos was a life-changing experience that I am so grateful for. The organization impressed me so much as it clearly has a tremendous impact on the surrounding San Pedro/San Maricos area. Having traveled outside of the site � it is evident that NPH offers a fantastic home for kids that might otherwise not have one. It also is a site that offers schooling to outside students that might otherwise not get to go to school. I am amazed at the selflessness of the t?as (caretakers) who run the various casas there. These women have their own families outside of the site and yet they are able to take the time to serve a population that needs them so much. I am also so impressed by the volunteers at the site who help us as visitors to have the best experience. 

Most importantly however, I am amazed by the children at NPH. The young and the old alike are so caring and patient, especially with our group who did not speak Spanish very well. I connected with so many children specifically one girl. Even though she would joke sometimes that I did not speak great Spanish, she would help me frequently to learn more. By the end of the trip I definitely had a very hard time saying goodbye.

As I sit and write this, I frankly find it extremely difficult to put into words how I feel about this trip. It is an experience that will be burned into my memory for the rest of my life. I even now feel compelled to change my post-grad plans as a second semester senior after taking this trip. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibility as far as years of service are concerned. Many in my group hope to partake in that, or at least go back to the site over the summer if possible. I am so blessed to have met such incredible children, and be part of such a positive and giving community for a week. Thank you for allowing me to do this � you�ve truly changed so much for me in such a positive way.

 

 

Throughout my time at NPH, I learned more about myself, my faith, and the world around me�

Below is a reflection by Heather Sullivan of Saint Anselm College who went on a Mission Trip to NPH Dominican Republic.

 

Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos is an incredible organization. This program provides children from various unfortunate situations with abundant love, education, and opportunities that would not otherwise be possible. The most significant aspect of NPH is how profoundly enriched the lives of these children are in faith. Upon visiting, I was overwhelmed by the feeling of God's presence everywhere I turned. I experienced indescribable kindness and love in every single child, staff, and volunteer that I interacted with. I have never felt happier or so close to God in my life as I did at Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos. Throughout my time at NPH, I learned more about myself, my faith, and the world around me than I ever imagined I would. This unforgettable experience has inspired me to do a year of service after I graduate and to become a missionary nurse in the future. I look forward to continue learning through the service of others and enjoy a new outlook on life.

 

 

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 peque?os (the resident children), staff and volunteers within minutes of arriving in each location.

 

 

 

Casa San Salvador, NPH Mexico (in Miacatl?n), 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-mach? skeletons and skulls for El D?a 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 peque?os 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 Andr?s, 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 (Volc?n 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 Andr?s 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 Andr?s were Ismar Vel?squez, hermano mayor (former peque?o) 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 peque?os and supervised by a youth in her a?o de servicio (pre-university service year peque?a, also referred to as a?o 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 peque?os a sense of responsibility and contribution to the home.  One final unique experience for us was seeing the peque?os 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 peque?os and staff.  We were also struck by the warmth and graciousness of the Casa Sagrada community of peque?os.  Everyone we passed- from the youngest preschoolers through the oldest a?o 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 peque?os (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 futb?l (soccer) with Casa Emmanuel, the Visitor Coordinator, Steve, and the a?o 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.

 

 

Diversity at NPH

In spring, 2016 NPH USA created the Diversity Taskforce within our International Volunteer Program. The goal of our taskforce is to help ensure that NPH and NPH USA are diverse organizations that reflect the children that we serve and love.

 

NPH volunteers from around the world are a diverse group, and don't always fit the stereotype of how others may expect a "gringo" volunteer to look. Volunteers of color can face stereotypes, awkward questions and lots of teachable moments about race and ethnicity while serving at NPH.  Former volunteer and Diversity Taskforce member, Kimmie, shares some reflections from her volunteer year in Honduras in 2010-2011. 

"You look like Mulan.""Are you related to Jackie Chan?"
"Put your hair in a bun like they do in your country."
 
It never occurred to me that my race would come up as a volunteer at Nuestros Peque?os Hermanos Honduras. I�m mixed race (Asian and white), but it honestly hasn�t been much of an issue in the United States. Don�t get me wrong � I�ve experienced a slew of microaggressions (mostly of the "Where are you from? No, where are you FROM?" variety). Most upsetting were the occasions when people wanted me to explain why I didn�t speak Vietnamese. Because apparently bringing up someone�s painful family history is an acceptable consequence of satisfying one�s own curiosity. But I won�t pretend to have it as bad as many people of color in this country do; no, if people make assumptions about me, they tend to be positive.

So imagine my surprise upon arriving at El Rancho Santa Fe and immediately being labeled �la china.� And yes, every one of the above statements is a direct quote from a peque?o. I remember one night early on in my volunteer year, all the kids gathered in talleres (workshops) to watch the latest Karate Kid movie and every time the little Asian girl appeared, I would hear shouts of my name. It was crazy. I don�t even think I look particularly Asian (I know that most people who ask about my heritage just want to know why I�m brown). It wasn�t just on the Ranch. Walking around the streets of Tegucigalpa, people would frequently point at me and refer to me as �la chinita.� I kind of get it. Honduras has a surprising number of Chinese restaurants run by immigrants. Latin Americans are used to gringos looking a certain way (blond, blue-eyed). I suppose they were trying to make me fit into their schema somehow.

I did my best to clarify. My dad is Vietnamese, a refugee of the war. My mom is white. Both are American, as am I. This sometimes backfired. One night, I was eating with the boys in the hogar Arca de Noe and my ethnic background came up. 12 year-old Carlos insisted I must be Chinese. I explained that I was half-Vietnamese and that Vietnam is a country to the south of China. �Ohhhhh,� he replied. �I know. You�re a geisha.� Another volunteer tried to delicately explain what a geisha was, which only resulted in him requesting that I paint my face and entertain him. Fail.

Despite incidents like these, I did have my share of success. I worked in the hogar for the oldest girls, Hijas de Pilar. I developed incredibly close-knit relationships with my girls. Through those connections, I was able to share my background with an audience that cared about me and wanted to understand who I was. It was incredible to watch the girls jump to my defense. When a young boy asked me to say something in Chinese, Mar?a explained, �She�s from the States. She speaks English.� Sometimes they were a little too forceful. Upon hearing me called �chinita�, Sara exclaimed, �She�s Vietnamese, you moron!�

As a volunteer of color, you have to walk a fine line. You want to be respected and have your identity honored, but you have to remember you are in a foreign country with its own cultural norms. In Honduras, it�s quite common to use nicknames based on appearance. One of my girls was �Pecas� (�Freckles�) and a dark-skinned boy in the baby house was referred to as �Frijolito.� This might be considered offensive in the U.S., but we have to be careful that we�re not trying to bestow wisdom on the ignorant natives (hello, Savior Complex). I also recognize that it�s problematic to ask people of color to constantly educate. It�s never bothered me personally, but I think it�s inappropriate to make assumptions about whose job it is. I�m okay with taking on that role, especially with kids, because I know their questions come from a place of curiosity rather than malice.

Being a volunteer of color was definitely an interesting experience, but it didn�t define my year. What defined it was relationships. Relationships like the one I had and continue to have with Carlos. He still calls me Geisha, but it�s now a tongue-in-cheek term of endearment. He recently drew this picture of me as a new mother. He sees my race, but he sees me too. And that�s what�s important.