elhogar.org El Hogar Newsletter June 2013 Community Life at El Hogar is truly about community. It begins as a new child arrives on campus in Tegucigalpa. For each child, the fear of arrival at this new home is balanced by their welcome. One can see uncertainty fade in a young child’s eyes, as that child is embraced by other children. The process begins as the new child is introduced to the rest of the school and then taken by the hand to see her new home. The child is escorted, not by teachers or the director, but by her classmates and members of her new family. They are shown their beds (their own bed!), classrooms, the dining room, while being embraced by a crowd of young children radiating love. So, community becomes part of a child’s life from the very beginning at El Hogar. And it stays a part of life in Honduras. When a child returns from Sunday lunch with a service team, and carries in his pocket an extra piece of chicken back to the school campus to share with siblings or friends, every child sees and understands that they are connected one to another. A child or student at El Hogar is never alone, literally and figuratively and every child recognizes that they are part of the family, one that will provide support and be at their side forever. We have heard returning alumni of El Hogar continue to refer to the other students as their brothers, years down the road. As I watch the six young women leave for school from the Santa Lucia Campus each morning, I see them as sisters. They work in collaboration with each other for their mutual benefit and success. They help one another study, they clean and prepare food for each other, all with the secure knowledge that they are far stronger when they collaborate as family than if they were alone. What I now know is that family extends far beyond the walls and campuses in Honduras and into your very homes. Those who have invested themselves into the lives of these children are part of this family as well. Together we are a community. Matt Engleby, Executive Director El Hogar Projects Update on the El Hogar High School girls While there was no doubt in our minds that the young ladies graduating from El Hogar were well prepared and cared for in their education, I think we all held our breath as they made the transition to high school. So many social and emotional factors were in play in the beginning of the school year. Our girls coming from a well-tended environment of 100 children and moving into a community of over 1000 high school students made us alert to the challenges. Girls with Claudia While I can say much about this first term, I will keep it brief in simply noting that our girls were on the honor roll in the first term, several achieving scores that came close to perfection. This is not only a testament to the focus and determination of the young women in the school, but a magnificent reflection of the preparation that they received in their grade school program. Clearly the efforts of Director Claudia Castro and the teachers at El Hogar are paying off. The young ladies rise at 5 o’clock in the morning, prepare their breakfast and lunch, clean their rooms, attend to the chores, and then a few minutes before 6 o’clock be- gin the walk to the park to catch the bus to school. Professor Karen is with them the entire time, although it is rumored that she is a few paces behind on the final stretch up the hill. The bus returns by late afternoon when the girls do homework, wash clothes, chores and prepare dinner. I am astounded at their discipline and generosity. Girls on steps Matt Engleby, Executive Director El Hogar Projects The high school girls: Ana Raquel Varela Funez, Elibe Angelli Castillo Perez, Iris Aracely Munoz Munoz, Lisbeth Celenia Gonzalez Funes, Martha Irene Sevilla Gonzalez, Soila Ale- jandra Martinez Lopez Sponsoring a child is easy! Visit our website to learn how: elhogar.org Tilapia at the Farm This past week we stocked two new ponds with 4000 fish each. The harvest of the grey tilapia went well. The farm school also received a donation of labor and material from the farm adjoining our property. This includes the use of a bulldozer to expand the lower lake, which is our primary source for irrigation water, and to clear some of the fields of the invasive plants that limit our use on the lower property. Tilapia netting Tilapia We have a total of six tilapia ponds, with a plan to harvest fish every month. The students are learning how to grow, care for, harvest, prepare and market the fish. The tilapia will be eaten at the other El Hogar centers, and sold in local markets. Ultimately the revenues will contribute to the sustainability of the Agricultural School and Farm. Service Teams El Hogar’s Service Team program is an accessible and compelling way to experience personal transformation, learn about poverty, see what El Hogar is doing in the lives of young people and contribute to making a difference in the world. To learn more, visit our website: elhogar.org or contact Margo Mingay at 416-696-7682 or [email protected]. El Hogar has a new website! elhogar.org Same address, new content. In addition to a new look and feel, a new logo and more information, some new features include: A Gift Catalogue Automatic debit account (EFT) payment option New Classroom and Workshop sponsorship options New sponsorship levels Specific children needing sponsorship More stories about El Hogar and children Please check out the new site and spend some time getting acquainted with all the information there! . El Hogar Ministries, Inc. 70 Church Street, Winchester, MA 01890 Phone: 781-729-7600 | Fax: 555-555-5555 | Email: [email protected] Privacy Policy | Email Preferences © 2012 El Hogar Ministries, Inc.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Jun 2013 01:19:34 +0000
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