Friends of the Orphans - Debbie DiCarlo

Our Stories: Supporters

Debbie DiCarlo
Supporter, Southwest Region
Created Anew
July 14, 2009

In late June, I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip with the youth group from St. Patrick’s in Scottsdale, AZ, to the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH, Spanish for "Our Little Brothers and Sisters") home in Miacatlán, Mexico. The mission of NPH is to provide a loving, supportive home for children in Third World countries who suffer from conditions of severe poverty and lack familial resources with which to overcome these obstacles. Many of the children are not orphans in the strict sense of the word but rather find themselves alone and abandoned in countries with few “safety net resources” to provide for them.

I am not new to mission trips and yet, this experience at the NPH home left me unprepared both emotionally and spiritually. I was not just a volunteer who for a week received the privilege of understanding and living the Catholic Social Teaching concept of solidarity. No, I was created anew in the daily experience of holding hands, wiping tears of happiness and sadness, reading books, tucking into bed at night, reminding to say “por favor” and “gracias,” combing hair and eating meals. I was in a real and shockingly authentic relationship with Emmanuel, Stefani, and José. And the 700 other children in the home were in this same relationship with the other 56 loving adults and teens surrounding them. It was truly nothing short of the reign of God present and glorious.

Find out how you can help the children of NPH.

Related Information:
• NPH Mexico Fact Sheet/Visitor's Guide