Three Generations of Giving

Introduction note from Steve Schmidt, Development Manager, Upper Midwest Office:

The following benefactor story comes to us from a sibling of the Konz Family, Ms. Judith Koeppler.  When I first reached out to Ms. Koeppler I asked how she first became involved with NPH and she shared one of the most beautiful stories of family-philanthropy I have heard to date.  To honor her parents and her family I said I would follow-up with a few photos from NPH.  In the picture, I had the honor of presenting Ms. Koeppler and the Konz Family with this photo book.  In this article Ms. Koeppler tells that story of their family-philanthropy and how the joy of philanthropy continues to be passed down in her family, generation to generation, benefitting organizations like NPH.  Please enjoy this wonderful story! 

Written by Judith Koeppler on behalf of the Konz Family:

When you think of a family tradition, especially during the Christmas holidays, you think of eating, celebrating, trees, lights and togetherness. Our family has added a new tradition and that is philanthropy.

It all started with Anne and Larry Konz and their strong commitment to their Catholic faith, Catholic education and their love of travel. They traveled all over the world, but their favorite country was Mexico. They loved the countryside, the people and the culture. Prior to one of their trips in the late 1950�s, Father Ray Zagorski, a priest at their church in Appleton, WI, told them about Father Wasson and the orphanage that he established. They made plans to meet him and see the orphanage. As always, they brought a couple of duffel bags full of clothes to give to the children. They were impressed and stayed in the local village to learn more about Father Wasson�s vision and decided that they like the philosophy he embodied for the families of the children. All children from one family would never be separated. All of the children were educated and worked on the farmland to help produce food and embrace communal living.

The Konz family quickly grew to a family with nine children. The entire family learned from early on that you cherish your family and bring sunshine to those less fortunate. It can be a smile, a bouquet of flowers or a home cooked meal.

The meeting of Father Wasson and the children started a friendship that lasted for years. Anne and Larry sponsored one little boy for years who finally graduated from College. Judie and Maribeth, two of their kids, were fortunate to meet this young man in Mexico City in 1980. He was all smiles and so very grateful for the opportunities the Konz�s made possible for him. How proud they were to meet him.

Anne Konz passed away in 2001 and in memory of her giving spirit, the family established the Granny Annie Fund through the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. Anne embraced philanthropy in a simple way � with �heart�. A women of profound faith, she always considered others before herself. Her authentic concern for humanity continues to thrive in the extended Konz families. Donations are made throughout the year by family and friends. Every Christmas Eve they gather together and collectively discuss charitable opportunities and decide worthy programs to fund. Anne�s giving spirit was quietly contagious and is now embodied in the hearts of three generations that follow in her legacy. Her favorite NPH, quickly has become everyone�s favorite because of what it meant to her and Larry. Their philanthropic spirit has spread through the generations.

As the families gather together this Christmas Eve they will decide on her behalf where the dollars generated from her fund will benefit. They will capture the true meaning of what it feels like to give.

Amidst the chaos, fractured housing and penetrating unknowns, St. Damien Children�s Hospital is an oasis...

Angelo Rose is an attorney and musician from Rochester, NY. Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, he wrote a song to raise funds for St. Damien Hospital there. He released a second song last year in response to Hurricane Matthew: www.haitisrain.org. He recently visited St. Damien in January 2017, and below is his reflection. Click here to make a gift and support the life-saving work of St. Damien Hospital today!

 

 

Le gen lanmou, gen doule'

 

Somewhat ironically, I will start this brief reflection where physically my journey to Haiti ended�

 

Dazed and tired, I shuffled into my Ft. Lauderdale hotel and took my first shower in days. There, under the warm embrace of pulsing jets, I was overcome: The thundering guilt of having a home, a bed, clean water to bathe in and my God, the seemingly infinite power to turn the faucet to quench my thirst were collectively just too much to own. Haiti suffers at the most base levels of existence and until I experienced it first hand, its devastation remained an abstract truth. Now, there is not a day I don�t recall a face, or silently chant, �Thank you� when I drink a glass of water or sit down for dinner. It is the difference between watching a video clip of someone on a roller coaster and actually sitting in the first car of an old, wooden Skyliner as it claps along tired rails. I knew, however, that ride was going to end for me, that I would fly out and leave behind the countless children I met, the selfless people giving so much to change the norm there. They remain, twisting and turning in markedly inadequate shelter and structure, exposed to the raging elements of nature and consequence of desperation. Children and adults alike are in critical need of nutrition, education and water. The country as a whole flounders in political corruption, unknowns and hypocrisies. The weight of it all was too much and I collapsed to the perfectly tiled shower floor. Sobbing and shaking, I tried to make sense of it all�

 

Le gen lanmou, gen doule�

 

When our small group landed in Port au Prince, it was readily apparent that Haiti was strung together by the thinnest of threads. Amidst the chaos, fractured housing and penetrating unknowns, St. Damien Children�s Hospital is an oasis. The doctors, nurses, employees, volunteers and Fathers Rick Frechette and Enzo Del Brocco, tirelessly devote each day to saving lives. The hospital is a clean, incredibly well run sanctuary for an endless sea of children in dire need of medical care. Father Rick and Phadool, the Human Resources Director at St. Damien, provided a vast amount of information during daily visits to the hospital.  Clean, potable water is infinitely sparse. Quality medicines are desperately needed at St. Damien, as are funds to acquire vital medical equipment.  

 

I was awed by doctors and nurses who repeatedly, selflessly and unconditionally gave all they had. Each morning, mothers line up outside the gates to seek ambulatory medical care for their babies. As this group patiently waits to be seen, the more serious cases are evaluated and treated on the other side of St. Damien. Mothers of children who are required to have lengthy stays are relegated to sleeping in upright metal chairs or on a concrete floor underneath their cribs. Jacqueline Gautier, National Director of St. Damien, confirmed that hospital grade reclining chairs are among the vital equipment needed. The children I met radiated with love, for in the arms of St. Damien they were fed, given medicine and genuine opportunity to heal. Though I am now several weeks removed from my trip, the penetrating eyes of hope travel thousands of miles daily to visit me. A musician often moonlighting as a trial attorney, admittedly I had limited medical skills to offer. This glaring deficiency seemed to matter very little at St. Damien. What the children sought from me, I could aptly provide. Often it was simply a smile, or a hug, or a fingertip-to-fingertip touch that calmed and soothed. The doctors superbly managed the medical needs and I was at-home simply being there for anything else. My ego was consumed. Gone were daily worries about email and developing trends in recent case law. The next life-or-death argument concerning which divorcee would get the engraved soap dish took its proper place in oblivion.  

 

Le gen lanmou, gen doule'  

 

Adjacent to the hospital is the beautiful and rustic Chapel of St. Philomena, where a daily morning mass is assembled. I discovered that most of these early masses are tragically, in fact, vigils for children who died in the preceding days. The first such mass I attended was before the bodies of seven children, wrapped in light-blue paper and gently placed in reusable cardboard coffins. Of the four caskets laid before us, three contained not one, but two tiny bodies. I was overcome. Life and death in Haiti are perpetually at odds and sometimes there is simply nothing that can be done. That reality, amidst some of the finest medical professionals the world has to offer, was immeasurably painful. And yet, as mass concluded, the small congregation (often comprised of the aforementioned doctors, nurses, employees, volunteers and Phadool) breathed life into an old Creole Hymn and ferried the coffins from the Chapel to an awaiting flatbed. The bodies were then transported to a spot beyond the hospital for cremation. No family members were there to say goodbye, but there was little doubt about the reverberating weight of each loss. These daily masses are a divine opportunity to reflect upon the immense need in Haiti, the tragedy of such profound poverty and the senseless deaths of innocent children. I saw no greater demonstration of love than during the masses, where the forgotten are remembered and hearts are torn open in the remembrance of the gift and fragility of life.  

 

Le gen lanmou, gen doule�    

 

When there is love, there is pain.  

 

 

The Promise of Honduras...

Below is a blog post by Dr. Jim Bruckner, a dedicated NPH USA supporter from the Northwest.  Thanks to Jim for sharing his experience visiting Rancho Santa Fe with his family last year!

 

I had the opportunity to visit the NPH Ranch outside of Tegucigulpa, Honduras in October 2016 with my family. The thing that struck me immediately about Honduras was the extreme poverty. Based on many previous conversations with young Hondurans I had the sense that the Honduran people are almost resigned to living that way because of the corrupt government that is in their way.  But after a few days I had the sense that Hondurans wanted something different.

 

NPH has clearly established strong and stable roots in Honduras and in my opinion it is doing something almost unprecedented.   NPH provides for orphans, abandoned, and abused children a stable home and a strong family.  NPH provides a promise that no matter what the hardship, there will always be a family for the children in their care. And through this promise, Honduran children are thriving and becoming doctors, nurses, teachers, plumbers, electricians and most importantly, leaders who return to NPH to fulfill the promise for the next generation of Hondurans.

 

At the NPH Ranch, I had the opportunity to have long conversations with three bright and capable young men, all part of the NPH family, one a teenager in high school; one a young adult and college student; and one a physician, now married raising his own a family. My godsons, Vilches and Nelson, and Dr. Merlin Ant?nez, MD, were all raised at NPH-Honduras. They shared with me their care and compassion for their NPH brothers and sisters and their desire to give back to their family � in fact they all felt there was no other choice for them than to continue to build a better life in Honduras.  They believed in the future in Honduras.

 

Vilches, the teenager, is concentrating on high school, figuring out how to live more independently in the city, and chart his own path for the future. Nelson, now a young adult, has narrowed his academic focus, and is dedicated to completing his college degree and becoming a social worker. He has fully embraced service to others, and as part of his degree, has undertaken a fundraising effort for school supplies for needy children in his rural hometown.

 

Dr. Merlin, one of the first pequenos at NPH to go to college, became a physician, was subspecialty trained as an orthopaedic surgeon, and returned to NPH as the surgery center director. Dr. Merlin is a remarkable example of the NPH promise. The reputation of the surgery center speaks for itself. It is one of the finest in Honduras. Through Dr. Merlin�s leadership at surgery center, many Hondurans have experienced a level of healthcare that has never been available to them. Community members are beginning to learn that there is a better way to live. That sort of cultural change takes time to produce meaningful impact, but I heard in the words from Vilches, Nelson, Dr. Merlin, they all believe change is happening.

 

As the father of three sons, I know the dedication and challenge it takes to raise boys to become good men and to instill in them the commitment to family, to community, and ultimately to country. I am proud to say that because of the dedication of so many in the NPH-Honduras family, together, we have raised Vilches, Nelson, and Dr. Merlin to be good men who are committed to family, to community and to their country. They are the promise of Honduras.


- James D. Bruckner, MD

 

 

 

 

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!

It was hard for me to fathom how so much compassion and humility could fit inside such small bodies...

Below is a blog post written by Upper Midwest Associate Board Member Katie Lawler.

Silvia told me that earlier in the day, every few hours Claude would ask her how long it would be until we got to Kenscoff.  When she and I were walking out of the hospital with him, she had to tell him three times to slow down so that we could keep up. His excitement was palpable, and it was a happy ride out of the heat of Tabarre and up into the fresh air of the mountains.

Arriving to find a home of twenty running shouting little boys was a rude awakening, however. Overwhelmed by the disorder, he shrank back in apprehension and pressed himself into us as if trying to disappear. When Silvia and I took him to the clinic to get his medications organized with the nurse, he fell apart completely and melted into my lap, crying in despair. The next day, I could see the salt marks from his tears on my black skirt. We tried our best to distract and console him, but it was no use - his shrieks when they finally peeled him away from us were heart-wrenching.

Later that night when the younger boys were getting ready for bed, we went back to check on him. He was calm, subdued. When his caretaker told him that it was time to bathe and put on his pajamas, he stood motionless, small head hanging, and frail shoulders hunched. I was about to move to help him start undressing when I saw another little boy already in motion. He knelt down in front of Claude and started patiently taking off his shoes. When he got down to the socks, he folded each one neatly and placed it inside the shoe. When Claude got back from the shower and stood shivering in front of his bed, a second little boy arrived with a towel and gently patted Claude dry.  He then helped Claude put on his new pajamas, taking care to button each button and to straighten Claude's collar when he was done.

I stood frozen, speechless, and awestruck...it was hard for me to fathom how so much compassion and humility could fit inside such small bodies. To me, this is a testament to the fact that this is a home where love is.

NPH has given me more than I can ever "repay"!

Below is a reflection written by Upper Midwest Associate Board member Kyra Knoff. 

It's been almost a year since I returned from a year of volunteering at the NPH Guatemala home. Even though I don't live at the home any more, I am still active with NPH: I sponsor a child, volunteer in the office, and am on the Associate Board of the Upper Midwest Region. 

There are a lot of reasons that people get involved with NPH in the first place. Ultimately though, I believe that everyone's heart is in it for the kids of NPH, whether someone has a personal connection with a child or just hears their stories from afar. I recently re-read the testimonial that I wrote before leaving Guatemala and found a piece that I wrote about my section of boys. It's a reminder to me of what makes NPH exactly what it is.

"...I accompanied a section of 13 boys ages 9-12. At first, I could hardly tell them apart, but they soon became dear to me - I learned their quirks, favorite foods and games, and how to make each one laugh. These were the boys I sat next to every Sunday at mass. They�re the ones who never failed to prolong bedtime by giving me hug after hug and insisting on pillow talk. They ate up my scary 'brains' (aka cold spaghetti) within the first 10 minutes of the haunted house we volunteers put on for Halloween. They�re the boys who wrestled me, purposefully messing up my hair so I�d have to walk all the way home looking like I don�t own a comb. It�s them who begged me to teach them how to make s�mores, knot friendship bracelets, and play Crazy 8's. They�re the boys that captured my heart this year, and they are the ones who make it so hard to say goodbye."

NPH has given me more than I can ever "repay"!

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.

A Year Spent at NPH Mexico

Below is a reflection written by volunteer Leslie Ford after serving at NPH Mexico about how the NPH family impacted her life  

Words fall short of describing an entire year of life, especially one which so profoundly touched my heart, opened my eyes, molded my perspectives, changed my values and lifestyle, and left me with hundreds of new brothers and sisters and a new place to call ?home.?

NPH Mexico has over 700 children and 200 employees, and we were a team of 10 international volunteers working as teachers, caregivers, and clinic staff. I experienced some of the hardest moments of my life there, but every single one of those moments was quickly and completely overshadowed by the opposite: some of the most extreme, pure, genuine moments of happiness I have ever felt. I spent my mornings working as a nurse in our on-site clinic, which mainly involved giving health education chats and providing primary nursing care to children who came as "walk-ins" for minor injuries and sicknesses. In the evenings, I worked as a caregiver for 21 amazing, bright, joyful, absolutely wonderful kindergartners, which is where I learned about unconditional love and the importance of patience, laughter, and the small things. Being able to share love and happiness with those kindergartners (as well as with all the other children, employees, and volunteers in the home) is something I will forever be thankful for and will never, ever forget.

Although it?s time for me to continue on a new path, my actions, perspectives and heart will now always reflect the lessons I learned and the love that was shared together as a part of the NPH family.

A safe home...

Below is an excerpt from a blog post by Fr. Christian Mathis, Chaplain at East Tennessee State University, reflecting on his experience visiting the NPH homes in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

My experience with NPH has shown me that despite the fact that the majority of orphaned and abandoned children in these countries continue to live on the streets, there is something that is being done for the ones who are fortunate enough to find their way to these houses where they are cared for. One such example is a young man described to us by Fr. Ron. This peque?o began his life abandoned by his mother to die in a heap of garbage in El Salvador. Fortunately he was found by the man who worked at the dump who adopted him and cared for him as his own child. He grew up only to meet with tragedy once again when his foster father was later shot and killed in their home. Finding himself alone once more, he got a job riding on a banana truck, hired to guard the produce as the truck made its daily deliveries. Eventually he was lucky enough to be taken in to the NPH house in El Salvador. There he was given a safe home where he received food, shelter and education. He finished high school and college and has plans to attend medical school.

Read the full post on Fr. Christian's blog here.

Supporter Voices

I am a member of the Upper Midwest Region Associate Board for NPH. I became involved with NPH during college when I joined the NPH club on the Notre Dame campus and traveled to the Honduras ranch for a week. Since then, my husband and I have started sponsoring Vicente*, a peque?o from Honduras. We have both returned to the ranch to visit him and to help at the Holy Family Surgery Center. Vicente, although shy upon first meeting him, loves to clown around and make everyone laugh. We've loved getting to know him, and cannot wait to get back to Honduras to visit him. Here's a picture of my husband and I with Vicente when we gave him a tour of the surgery center!

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My name is Bridget Holtz, and I spent 19 months volunteering with NPH USA in Haiti, from August of 2011 through March of 2013. My primary focus while in Haiti was to teach three Haitian nurses how to administrate the clinic at the Angels of Light Program. The little one in the picture with me is Daphnee*, who had parasites and severe emotional trauma after suddenly being separated from her mother. Daphnee was terrified of being held, was withdrawn and irritable, and cried constantly. I was very concerned when I first met her, because medical tests showed little physically wrong. So, we undertook a healing program for her, treating her parasites, assigning one staff member to be her "mom," and loving her as much as possible. Within weeks, we saw a massive change in her, and she became my shadow through my entire sojourn; Daphnee was at my side or in my arms. Daphnee has the kindest, gentlest personality. Thanks to your tremendous support, these children are excelling at life, receiving an education and much-needed guidance, and are experiencing love and stability. Such crucial elements to life are in rare supply in their impoverished home neighborhoods and broken families. These children are the future of Haiti.

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During my first year volunteering in 2003 at NPH Nicaragua, I became inseparable with these adorable twins named Gracia* and Emilia*. At barely two years old, they had come to NPH severely malnourished, and in need of some serious love. I spent practically every minute that year with them. After finishing college in 2006, I returned for another year with NPH. This time my husband and I were tios (the main caretakers) of eleven of the orphanage�s youngest boys. I managed to still spend lots of time with Gracia and Emilia, and I was so proud of how they had grown into excited young readers. I was lucky enough to spend yet another year in Nicaragua in 2013. At thirteen years old, Gracia and Emilia are currently the top students in their grade. They dream of studying together at university, and I believe they can do it!

*Aliases are used for all children's names to protect their privacy.  

Little things bring great change...

Below is a blog post written by wonderful supporter, Ursala Houser, about her recent trip to NPH DR. You can also check out Ursala's beautiful photos from her trip on her site here. 

On the first day we arrived it felt like time stood still for us.  I swear I got more accomplished in that one day than I would have in a week here in the states.  We stayed at NPH orphanage in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  We arrived at night, while everyone was sleeping.  The next morning our wonderful Tia (house mom) made us breakfast, porridge and fruit.  Now this wasn�t just any porridge.  If you ask my husband, it was the �just right� porridge that Goldie Locks talks about in the story of the Three Bears.  Twenty-five minutes later I was sitting in my very first Spanish mass.  Something about hearing the liturgy in Spanish made it so much more beautiful.

After mass, a quick tour of the orphanage and then lunch.  Lunch was a humbling experience because we were allowed to eat with the children.  My family got to eat with the baby house, which was the kids who were between the ages of 3-5.  When we arrived we were welcomed by some of the most polite children you will ever meet.  They took their eating seriously, not one of them played with their food.  When they were done eating everyone of them picked up their plates and put them in the sink. AMAZING!  Can I sign my kids up?  When they were done they did chores and then we all played outside.  

On the first day being offered the same meal as the kids I felt guilty.  I shouldn�t be taking food from these beautiful people.  To see the expression of joy on the kids� faces as they partook of the exact same meal that they ate every day, beans and rice, was something EVERY American should see.  Needless to say my daughter, Ana, and I cried into our beans and rice that day.  After lunch and playtime we went to our rooms and debriefed.  That afternoon we took some of the kids to the beach and later that night we went to the director�s house for dinner. Seeing how our different cultures mesh together was perfect. We sang songs, and by the end of this very long day I felt like I was home.

The next day posed a different sort of challenge.  We had made plans to go into the Batey and work within little village outside of the orphanage to help build a house for a family.  A Batey is a sugar workers' village.  The men in the village all work in the cane fields, and the women stay at home and raise the children and cook.  In these more modern times, that definition was a little looser, but most families stuck to the traditional customs.  When we arrived to start building we didn�t know what to expect.  My husband is very knowledgeable in the building process, but he soon realized that the American way had no place in the Dominican Republic.  The �Dominican Way� was king and cement trucks that mix the concrete for you were a luxury.  Here you used the ground to mix the concrete. The supplies were limited, and nothing was wasted, and my husband learned from a boy who was just a bit older than our son, how much water, sand and cement to use.  Humbling, yes, but also inspiring. 

As Americans we sit in our world thinking that the people in other countries are poor because they are lazy.  Not true. The people in the Dominican were very industrious.  Besides that, they don�t have the luxury of being lazy. If they don�t cook, they don�t eat.  If they don�t build, they don�t have a place to live.  The young men were taught young how to build and work with their hands. In the same manner the little girls are quickly taught by mom how to maintain a household.  Schooling is reserved for the rich, as there is no public schooling system, and it costs a great deal of money.  In the orphanage the children had godparents from the States and Canada who help cover these costs, so their lives were much different than the children in the Batey.  So, unless there was outside intervention, if you are born poor, you know that your life is going to be one of hard work and labor. 

Depressing? Nope! I must say that the first day in the Batey I experienced a wave of emotions; empathy, compassion, and this last one was strange for me, envy.  As I played with the kids all barefoot, I realized something;  this is true happiness. This is true freedom. 

At one point on that second day one of the men took a little break and came and played with us.  My daughter and I were doing bubbles with the little ones as their father (later I learned his name was Sandy) looked on with curiosity.  I asked him if he wanted to join in and he said that he didn�t know how.  I told him I would teach him, and 5 seconds later I watched him blow his first bubble. So often we feel like we have to do great things to change the world, but at that moment I had the epiphany that little things bring great change. Now, I�m not saying that bubble changed Sandy�s life, but it sure did change mine. 

Here is a slideshow of Ursala's photos from her trip.  

Shirts for NPH USA!

Alex Peck is a great supporter of NPH USA who has a strong passion for NPH Guatemala. Read more about the special way he's helping the children in our homes! 

My name is Alex Peck, owner and designer of clothing line called Peace Action Apparel, which helps raise money for deserving organizations around the world. When my older sister volunteered to move to Nuestros Peque?os Hermanos (NPH) Guatemala location for a year I knew it was a special cause. Since my first visit, I was inspired to lead a project to support and spread the word of NPH.

I wanted the designs to be as organic as possible and therefore chose to use hand drawn sketches done by NPH community members themselves. In May 2013, the orphanage held a design contest in which two were chosen from hundreds of drawings to be used for the front designs. On the back is the official NPH logo of founder Fr. William Wasson holding hands with children of the community.

By purchasing a shirt, you donate all proceeds to the organization. But above all, when you choose to wear the shirt, you are potentially sparking the interest of others who may be willing to donate, volunteer, and even sponsor a child directly benefiting these children�s lives and allowing for a bright and inspiring future.

Check out the shirts here!

Artists: Diana Elizabeth S?nchez Camargo, Cesar Geovany Gonzalez Arriaza 
Fabric: 50% Polyester, 25% Cotton, 25% Rayon

Inspiring One Family's Legacy

On May 7, 2013, NPH lost a dear friend to all of our children. Fr. O. L. (Lee) Hightower was a longtime friend and supporter of NPH for more than 20 years. He was an intelligent and caring person and pastor, who received both a Masters (in Linguistics) and Doctorate (in Philosophy and Theology). He was an accomplished teacher and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the army as a military chaplain. Fr. Lee also served as pastor of St. John Bosco Church in Lakewood, Washington for ten years and recently celebrated 50 years as a priest. Through the years, Fr. Lee supported many of our children as a godparent, most recently sponsoring 3 children in Mexico and 3 in Haiti. In addition, Fr. Lee helped his family start a longtime connection to NPH that has grown through the years. His niece Christina spent a year volunteering at our home in Honduras, and his nephew Craig (who later became a Jesuit priest and active ambassador of NPH) volunteered as our school principal in Haiti. Fr. Lee was even able to travel to visit the home in Haiti in 1993. Most recently, Fr. Lee�s great-niece Molly was a volunteer working with children with disabilities and special needs in Haiti, when she was killed during the 2010 earthquake. Many of Fr. Lee�s family members, including his brother, his nieces and nephews, and his great-nieces and nephews have continued the Hightower family�s commitment and generosity toward NPH and our children. After his death, NPH learned that Fr. Lee had included NPH in his will, and we recently received his contribution of more than $80,000! Fr. Lee�s ongoing sponsorship of our children and his generous legacy gift is a profound example of what one person can do to transform the lives of children in need. Because of his support, hundreds of children who have been orphaned or abandoned have been fed, clothed, and received the health care and education they needed to become healthy, happy, and successful in life. We are so grateful to Fr. Lee and the rest of the Hightower family for their friendship, love and support through the years.

Learn more about the Hightower Kloos Legacy Fund.

Read the updates on the 2013 Award Recipients.

Make a gift to the fund here.

Billy Jean In Miami

On August 27th, NPH USA Raised over $10,000 for scholarships for college students at NPH Haiti. Billy Jean, a recipient, spoke about how he plans on using his education to give back to his country by providing free legal counsel to underprivileged Haitians. He has been volunteering for two years at the home where he was raised since two years of age and is helping NPH USA raise the money it needs to enable the 600 children currently at the home in Haiti the opportunity to go to college just as he did. The event also featured the photography of award-winning Haitian-born photojournalist Carl Philippe Juste, whose politically active family was forced to flee its homeland in 1965. Settling in Miami, Carl has served the Haitian community since 1991 through his work at the Miami Herald capturing the struggles of Haitians in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America. Carl�s father, Viter Juste, who recently passed away at the age of 87, was the founder and creator of Miami�s Little Haiti neighborhood. 

Child Sponsorship table materials at the home of NPH USA Board Member Tomas Hauff 

From left to right: Guest 1 � Vivi Santisteban Guest 2 � Jaime Escandon Guest 3 � Marisa Chauvet 

From left to right: Guest 1 � Lourdes Martinez Guest 2 � Alfredo Benetiz Guest 3 � Monica Ledanzo 

From left to right: Guest 1- Sherman Humphrey Guest 2 � Daniela Humphrey Guest 3- Kristina Fueyo � Child Sponsorship Manager 

Bacardi, an NPH USA corporate sponsor 

From left to right: Guest 1- Theresa Rice � Board Member Guest 2 � Agueda Pol Guest 3 � Guillermo Pol 

Left to right:  Guest 1 � Tomas Hauff � Board Member and Host Guest 2 � Leah Stern � Regional Director Guest 3 � Gloria Burns Guest 4 � William Burdette 

Left to right: Guest 1 -  Kristina Fueyo � Child Sponsorship manager Guest 2 � Charles Webber & Guest 

From left to right: Guest 1 � Art Massolo � Chair of SE Regional Board for NPH USA Guest 2 � Kristina Fueyo � Regional Manager of Child Sponsorship Guest 3 � Leah Stern � Regional Director 

Left to right: Guest 1 � Maritza Jacobson Guest 2 � Rocio Pellerano � Vice Consul at General Consulate of the Dominican Republic, Miami Guest 3 �Ana Oliveira 

Artist Carl Juste with William Burdette who purchased --- "Legacy" shot in Havana, Cuba in 1996: What was once a prestigious private school for the elite now houses a state run day care for infants and toddlers. Toddlers take a look at the outside world through the vintage ironwork of the old and decaying building. 

Billy Jean takes a comedic respite following an emotional speech 

Guests sit outside of Pinecrest Estate listen as Billy Jean delivers an empowering speech about how NPH has saved his life and given hope to thousands of children in Haiti and in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. 

Carl Juste with one of his most famous pieces in the background, �The Mask� and holding �I am a Man,� shot in Memphis, TN. 

Artist Carl Juste with CJ and Madelyn Occhipinti who purchased --- "Leg Up" shot in Port-au-Prince Haiti, 2010: The Athletic Soccer player Wilfred Macena, 25, does a hand stand in jubilation after learning how to walk and kick a soccer ball again using his new prosthetic leg after several hours of being fitted. Guest 1 � Madelyn Occhipinti Guest 2 � Carl Juste Guest 3 � CJ Occhipiniti � Board Member 

From Left to right:  Guest 1 � Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes � Board Member Guest 2 � Edison Sabala Guest 3 � Frank Donaghue � CEO of NPH USA Guest 4 � Olti Mollaymeri Guest 5 � Stephanie Hirschenson Guest 6 � Shawn Rosen - Holtzman