Friends of the Orphans

Our Stories: Supporters

Stephani
Godparent, Upper Midwest Region
2,200 miles, 500 orphans, 20 youth, 10 days, one final destination: love.
August 2007

Stephani and her Goddaughter Evelin

The 10 days I spent at Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH, Spanish for "Our Little Brothers and Sisters") Honduras in August were the most rewarding days of my life. It did not occur to me, until then, what an impact that young children can have. I learned more about myself, my faith, and the role of unconditional love than I ever imagined.

On my first visit to the hogares (homes), a little girl walked up to me, took my hand, and led me to a table where she and her friends were eating dinner. She introduced me as her new friend and they all treated me as if they’d known me forever, offering me food and engaging me in their conversations. Although there was a language barrier, the girls and I found other means of communication and it didn’t take long for us to bond. Every night I found myself in their hogar playing hand games, listening to music, coloring, helping with homework, and learning new dances.

In no way had I ever seen such compassion presented to a complete stranger as I did that first day in the hogares. It occurred to me that NPH is a family, and the foundation of the family is love. This love is found in every aspect of the children’s lives. They devote their time to each other; they respect, share, and cherish everything.

I will never forget the day before my youth group left NPH. We were at church and I was embraced in the hugs and hands of the 8-to-11-year-old girls in the Hijas de Maria section when Father announced that our group would be leaving the next day. The girls looked up at me with sad eyes and said, “No vayas, Estefania. ¿Por qué necesitas ir?” (Don’t go, Stephani. Why do you have to leave?) It broke my heart to tell them that I needed to go home to my family and that I didn’t know when I would be coming back. It was right then when I understood that the reason I had been called to Honduras was to experience the truth of unconditional love. I knew that I needed to take the love that these girls had shared with me over the duration of my trip and bring it back home to share with others. I continue to think about and pray for the children of NPH everyday, for they are truly the light of God. My ahijada (Goddaughter), Evelin, is a constant reminder to me of my goal to love unconditionally, and, in a way, she is also my role model.

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Related Information:
• Child Sponsorship Program
• NPH Honduras Fact Sheet/Visitors Guide

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