Update from the
President
Reinhart Koehler with children at NPH Honduras
Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos International Dear NPH Family, One of Father Wasson’s favorite sayings was: “A child is only good because of someone.” He meant the kind of people who were present in a child’s life, encouraged, provided love and security and helped guide our children. The bond that grows through this presence is like an inner light that guides the child on to a better path. Please remember though, that at NPH, whether you are present in the lives or our children or work to serve them in other ways, that what you do will contribute to this. A child is good because of someone: YOU! I am writing to also share with you some news and updates on important activities. The NPH International Structure Committee is meeting this week in Seattle, WA, to work together on a revised structure for the NPH International board and general assembly. Our goal is to propose and present the new plan to the current board in October. The proposal will also be sent around to all NPH entities to allow for their input. Donna Egge has been named Director of Family Services for NPH International. Donna found herself drawn to the formation programs for the caregivers in the homes and volunteered for a year in 2006 with the Family Services team. During the last seven years working with the International Family Service team, Donna has been instrumental in bringing the Leadership Development Programs to fruition. She has worked diligently to know and support local staff and pequeños/pequeñas in all of our nine countries. She will Donna during her godson’s baptism continue to focus on developing effective systems for evaluating the homes progress in areas of childcare and formation programs while overseeing the extensive work done by our childcare teams in the homes. Friends at the Dominican Republic home
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Kay Gabriel therapy
We know there are many accomplishments happening in our homes daily. I wanted to mention a few. The NPH Special Needs Program in Haiti opened their fourth facility, Kay Gabriel, which is a rehabilitation center providing therapy for children and adults with neurological disorders. You can read the full story at: http://specialneedsprogramshaiti.nph.org/ Six NPH students from five countries have arrived in Seattle, WA, to participate in the NPH International Leadership Institute. We are very proud of this program and are already seeing the success as our pequeños and pequeñas graduate and give back to the homes and their brothers and sisters. For more information visit: http://leadershipprogram.nph.org/ Three students from NPH Peru have been awarded a full university scholarship under the new government Students in the Leadership Institute program “Pase Directo” that provides scholarships to graduating high school students who have grown up in residential programs for children at risk. A large group of students including our three recipients who had received the scholarship met with President Humala in Lima. We are Scholarship recipients with Alfredo Hernandez hopeful that this program will be successful and will continue to provide scholarships to all of our children from Peru who have the desire and ability to study at the university level. NPH Mexico, Nicaragua and El Salvador folkloric and music groups are currently in the US on a Pequeño tour. We pray that their visits are fruitful and continue to develop relationships with godparents and donors. Thank you for what YOU do for NPH. Sincerely,
NPH Mexio music group
Reinhart Koehler Interim President, NPH International
Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos International
info@nph.org • www.nph.org