NPH Honduras volunteer handbook 2007

NPH Honduras
Volunteer
Handbook
2007
Basic Information
Welcome & Introduction
On behalf of the NPH family here, we
extend you a warm welcome to Nuestros
Pequeños Hermanos, Honduras. As a
volunteer, you have taken on a great
challenge with immense possibilities for
reward and growth. Volunteers have long
been an important part of the NPH Family.
You have a tremendous opportunity to
guide the growth and development of our
cherished brothers and sisters. This is far
from a simple task. In your time here you
will probably feel everything from
exhilaration to intense frustration.
Although there is no clear path to success,
there are a few things to keep in mind
while you serve:
Be Flexible: There is a great deal of
unpredictability and instability that is
unavoidable in our operations. We must
live within the ambiguity of partial
freedom, partial power, and partial
knowledge. Things will not always go well
or the way you think they should. Try to
see things from as many perspectives as
possible and always remember the BIG
PICTURE, that no matter what, our children
are so much better off now compared to
the situation from which they came.
Be Patient: working with people in
general and children in particular for a
period of one year, is like tending seeds
but never seeing the fruit. You will never
really know how much your words, actions
and example have contributed to the
growth of the children. Try to accept that
things won’t move as quickly as you might
like.
Be Positive: Everything has its good and
bad points. Sometimes we all forget how
much good is being done in the face of all
the problems, both real and perceived. Do
your best to see the good parts and you
will find how much happier and productive
you and everyone around you can be. This
also means treating yourself and others
well.
Be Creative: Find unconventional
solutions to problems, and help create an
environment in which the children’s talents
are fostered.
Be Cooperative: Try to be willing to help
out in whatever needs to be done, whether
it’s your responsibility or not.
NPH Vision for its Volunteer Program
The vision of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos
is to create an intercultural community
based on Christian values such as the
virtues of love, faith, and hope. The
members of our community dedicate
themselves to serve the NPH family with
integrity, responsibility, humility, mutual
respect, and generosity.
NPH Mission
The mission of NPH is to provide shelter,
food, clothing, health care, and education
in a Christian family environment based on
unconditional love, sharing working, and
responsibility. A worldwide community of
donors, staff, and volunteers enables NPH
to help the children become caring and
productive citizens in their countries.
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A message from NPH International
Director of Family Services
Welcome to NPH Honduras. I am glad you
have joined us. May you find happiness
and success in all you do on behalf of our
wonderful children whom we entrust to you
in whatever capacity you will serve them.
Whether volunteering will be a satisfactory
experience of growth or a frustrating
experience of stagnation for you will
depend largely on your desire to look for
the good in what we all try to accomplish.
The two key virtues that will make our
volunteer program a success are a positive
attitude and a deeply felt respect for all the
members of our NPH community. We know
from experience that volunteering with
NPH is a challenge. There will be times of
joy and laughter to relish, and ordeals to
endure. Volunteering is a responsibility
shared between you and NPH. We do want
to make your volunteer experience
memorable by attending to your needs.
One way to help you with your needs and
assist you in reflecting on your experience
is through continuous communication.
There will be regular volunteer meetings
that will give you the opportunity to share
your experience, your joys, and your
frustrations. Also, look for help when you
feel overwhelmed or need advice on a
particular matter.
It is most important to us that you
understand what a powerful role model
volunteers are for our children and youth.
Throughout this handbook, you will find
numerous references to the fact that what
we do has a larger impact on the children
than anything we say. Our mission to raise
orphaned and abandoned children who
often have suffered neglect and abuse is
challenging. We need to prepare them to
become productive citizens in an
impoverished country with few
opportunities. Many of our rules and
norms are based on the fact that we need
to guide our children through positive
examples onto a clear path into their own
future. You may or may not agree with the
way we raise our children. However, while
serving NPH we need your unconditional
support in our way of raising the children.
Adults in any family need to speak the
same language if they want to be effective
in raising their children. We need to be
able count on you to help us fulfill our
mission to help provide a family for our
children who have suffered so much in the
past and who have so much to give to their
country in the future.
God bless you in your efforts to make NPH
a better place.
Sincerely,
Reinhart Kohler
NPHI Family Services Director
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NPH Philosophy
The mission of NPH is based on the
philosophy of Fr. Wasson and centers on
the following principles:
Unconditional love implies that the
children, upon entering the family, cannot
be asked to leave nor can they be adopted.
This is an attempt to ensure that their time
with NPH will be one of stability. As a
family, we attempt to create an
environment that fosters the growth of our
children. Unconditional love also implies
that the children are accepted for who they
are. As members of a family and as
Christians, we believe that every person is
an individual of worth who deserves to be
respected and loved for who he or she is.
Unconditional love is also reflected in the
way in which a person acts toward other
members of our family and toward those
whose beliefs or material circumstance are
different from his or her own.
NPH’s objective is to help the children to
feel loved in a manner that restores their
dignity, hope and sense of security so that
they can develop trust in their new
environment, in other people, and in
themselves.
As Christians, we believe that the
individual is part of a community and that
sharing moves the individual toward
others. In a similar manner, the need to
share helps the children to develop a sense
of belonging to their NPH family.
Through responsibility and work, the
children learn to value themselves for
contributing to the community.
Furthermore, these two aspects of their
lives aid them in forming habits that are
necessary for their growth toward
productive and independent adulthood.
Academic, physical and spiritual education
is essential for the children to become wellrounded adults.
Because NPH is concerned with the poor
and because it operates with limited funds,
those who are part of NPH live simply and
modestly.
History of NPH
In 1954, an American priest in
Cuernavaca, Mexico, took a street boy
home with him. The child, claiming he
needed money to eat, had robbed the
young priest’s church box. Instead of
testifying against the boy, the Father asked
the court for custody.
So began the life work of Father William
Wasson, and it flourished. By 1977 the
Arizona native was the adoptive father of
over 1000 Mexican boys and girls. Over the
past years, the family of Nuestros
Pequeños Hermanos has grown to include
over 3,000 Pequeños in the various NPH
houses. Our Honduran home was legally
incorporated in 1985. In May of 1986, the
first children arrived at the doors of the
new home. September of 1987 and May of
1994 mark the beginning of NPH’s homes
in Haiti and Nicaragua. The homes in
Guatemala and El Salvador were founded
in 1996 and 1999. The Dominican Republic
home opened in 2003, Peru in 2004 and
Bolivia in 2005.
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On August 16, 2006 our beloved Father
Wasson passed away at the age of 82.
He will always be remembered in the
hearts of every one of his children and
all members of the NPH family.
Overview of Rancho Santa Fé
NPH currently cares for approximately 550
children and young adults from the ages of
one to thirty. To be admitted to NPH, the
children must fit the following criteria:
Their mother must have passed away or
abandoned them with no hope for her
return and their father must be unable to
care for them.
All children must come from dire poverty
with no relatives able to care for them.
All sisters and brothers up to the age of
sixteen must be admitted together.
Upon their arrival at the Ranch, the NPH
physician examines the children and a
social worker places them in a group home
with their peers according to age and level
of development and maturity. The
youngest enter Casa Suyapa, the only coed
house, and they remain there until the age
of eight or nine. As in all of the children’s
homes (“hogares”), “tías” and “tíos” care
for them.
After Casa Suyapa, the children move into
single sex houses. From there, as the
years pass, the children move to the
homes for older children and young adults
as they grow physically, mentally,
emotionally and academically. The children
take on responsibilities starting from a
young age. In addition to their schoolwork,
they must complete their chores. The
youngest children begin with little jobs
such as picking up litter or sweeping. As
they get older, they move to different
“hogares” and their responsibilities
increase. They must wash all of their own
clothes, help in the upkeep of the home,
manage all of the cleaning, and even take
care of their younger “brothers and sisters”
in the other homes. They often also have
work responsibilities on the farm or in the
gardens. After completing secondary
school and after each subsequent program
of study, NPH asks that the children serve
the family for a year. The type of service
depends on the individual and the needs of
NPH. Finally, if the children have the
aptitude and desire to continue with their
studies, NPH sends them high school or
university in Tegucigalpa or other parts of
Honduras. Opportunities to study in
Canada, Mexico, United States or other
countries exist depending on the
availability of scholarships.
The home, Rancho Santa Fé, is NPH’s main
project in Honduras. It is located thirty-six
kilometers northeast of Tegucigalpa along
the highway to Olancho. The children study
at the school which is located right on the
grounds and has a preschool, kindergarten,
primary and secondary school. There are
also vocational workshops in which children
can learn a full time trade. These
workshops have a dual function—education
and production.
There are two on-site clinics: one which
takes care of the medical needs of the
children and the other which provides
medical care for people of neighboring
towns and villages. A doctor, a dentist,
several nurses, a laboratory technician and
two psychologists take care of all aspects
of the healthcare needs of the NPH
community. We are currently in the
process of building a surgical center to
accommodate traveling surgical brigades.
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Casa Eva (also known as Casa Abuelos, the
grandparents’ house) is a home for the
elderly which is located on the Ranch. It
serves the needs of those who are weak or
sick and who were abandoned by their
families. This house was inaugurated on
November 12, 1992 and currently provides
care for approximately 7 abuelos.
NPH also has a home in Tegucigalpa, Casa
de Los Angeles, which opened on February
4, 1991. This is a home for children with
very severe mental and/or physical
disabilities such as cerebral palsy,
encephalitis, muscular dystrophy, downs
syndrome and other diseases. There are
about 14-15 children who live in this home
and are cared for by a small staff and
several students studying at the high
school level who live with the children. The
students and staff provide for their basic
needs and offer physical therapy, play
time, and other means of general
stimulation.
NPH currently employs about 170
Hondurans and receives the assistance of
about twenty-five to thirty volunteers that
may come from anywhere in the world.
Daily Schedule ::: School days
Casa Suyapa
The children wake up at 6:00 AM for
showers and breakfast. The children ages
four or five and older who are in
kindergarten or first grade start school at
8:00 AM and are in Montessori classes until
noon. The smallest children who are potty
trained go to Montessori preschool in a
classroom in Casa Suyapa where they are
in classes from 8:30 to 12:00, with the
smallest children taking several breaks or
finishing early. At 12:00 the preschool
children eat their lunch and then change
into play clothes. Around 12:30 the
kindergartners and first graders arrive for
their lunch. The first graders eat lunch at
school a few days a week where they
receive special tutoring. The afternoons are
spent working and going in small groups to
different places on the Ranch to play.
Dinner is at 5:30, then shower and play
time. Lights out is between 7:00 and 7:30.
Boys and Girls in 1st through 6th Grade
The children wake up between 5:00 and
5:30 depending on the home (older girls
get up the earliest as they tend to take a
long time getting ready!). They eat
breakfast, do chores, line up for
attendance, and walk to school with their
tías to be there for classes at 7:30. They
have a half hour recess where they are
provided with a snack, and are dismissed
at 1:00. Upon arriving at their homes, they
change into work clothes, eat lunch and do
chores. The afternoon is divided into an
hour for work, an hour for homework, and
free time— which can be spent playing,
doing homework, organizing their lockers,
washing their uniforms and other clothing,
or hanging out with their friends. Dinner is
at 6:00 and time after dinner is for
homework and relaxation. Bedtime is at
8:00 PM.
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Boys and Girls in Middle School and
Vocational Students
The day starts like that of the younger
children. At 1:00, however, they eat lunch
in the workshop areas (middle school
students eat in the workshops twice a
week and the other days they spend the
afternoon in their home) and continue
working and studying their trade, as well
as receiving math and Spanish classes,
until 4 PM. They go home at 4, where they
have an hour for work as well as time to do
homework before dinner at 6. Their day
ends the same as the days of their younger
brothers and sisters.
Weekends
The weekend activities are planned usually
on Tuesday afternoons by the tío/as, as
well as the director on weekend duty. Mass
is held usually on Saturdays at 5:00 PM.
Other activities often planned for weekends
are sports tournaments, outings to the
local villages, dance parties, talent shows
or karaoke contests, recreational games,
and watching TV and videos. If you have
any special activities planned for the
weekend, please make sure that you get
permission to execute them and that they
are included in the weekend plans.
Casa Angeles
Honduran and volunteer tío/as, as well as a
doctor and volunteer physical therapists
care for the Children at Casa de los
Angeles. Several older children from the
Ranch also live at the house and help with
the work while attending high school in
Tegucigalpa. The tío/as wake the children
up at 6:00 AM, bathe them and feed them
breakfast. At noon, the children are fed
their lunch and put in their beds for a nap.
At 3:00 PM, they wake the children and
prepare them for therapy or play. During
this time, the children are also given a
snack. Dinner time is at 5:00 PM. The
tío/as and students then bathe the children
and put them to bed for the evening. At
least one tía remains in the house
throughout the night to watch over the
children. Visitors are always welcome
during the play and meal times. Even if a
visitor or volunteer is unfamiliar with the
routine, the attention that she/he pays to a
child is invaluable.
Spiritual Life at Rancho Santa Fé
Father Wasson, the founder and general
director of NPH, was a Roman-Catholic
priest. The Catholic faith shapes the
spiritual practice of the people who live on
the Ranch. Celebration of the Mass on
weekends and on holy days and funerals,
and the celebration of various sacraments
define the community as a spiritual whole.
The weekly mass marks the only regular
gathering of the entire community. We
hope that in choosing to participate in our
work you also want to participate in all
general religious celebrations. Please know
that we expect volunteers to attend
general religious activities at the Ranch
including participation on off duty
weekends if you are at the Ranch.
Remember the importance of the role
model that you play as a significant adult
in the children’s lives. While NPH strives to
help its children develop spiritually, for
many of the Pequeños religion also adds
organizational structure to their days. Our
faith allows us to apply messages of
Christian love and charity to living here on
the Ranch. In this, the volunteers have a
special opportunity to offer a powerful
example of service to others, unselfish
giving, respect and unconditional love.
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Being away from familiar routines and
support systems taxes spiritual resources
as well as physical ones, so where do
volunteers find their inspiration? Whatever
religious practice you are used to, things
will probably be different here. Volunteers
may find spiritual support in individual
friends on the Ranch, in forming small
spiritual support groups, or from some of
the reading material in the Casa Personal
library.
Working as a Volunteer ::: Vision &
Purpose of the Volunteer Program
The volunteer program at NPH is a
program of opportunities. Jon Sobrini said,
“To have faith does not only mean to
believe in the dignity of life but to create
the possibility of a life in dignity.” The NPH
Honduras volunteer program invites people
of all ages and from all backgrounds to
participate in the endeavor to create a life
in dignity for destitute, orphaned and
abandoned children in Honduras. We open
this invitation to people who have the
desire to be of service to the NPH
community and to help it in whatever way
they can to achieve its mission. Our
volunteer program offers a wider range of
experiences from unique friendships and
life enriching cross-cultural encounters to
work experiences rarely available in highly
industrialized countries. Volunteers have
the opportunity to work in the areas of
childcare and childcare support, education,
health care, farming, or administration.
The concept of having volunteers is to
support —not replace— our Honduran
staff, as well as to give more individualized
attention to the children. However, the
possibility also exists in some cases for
volunteers to take positions of supervision
or guidance if they have the qualifications
and are willing to make a longer
commitment to our community. Ideally,
the program will bring out the best in you.
You have the opportunity to develop and to
share your talents while serving others. It
will also challenge and expand your limits
to endure stress and to cope with the
unknown and the unexpected. Especially
for those who work directly in childcare,
the demand on your emotional giving will
be very high, and you may miss the
intellectual stimulation you may be used to
from your home environment.
The benefits of a volunteer program for the
NPH community are many. Volunteers are
often highly trained and skilled individuals
whom NPH otherwise could not afford or
find in Honduras. They bring fresh ideas
and perspectives that help meet the
challenges of our daily operations.
However, it is equally as important to
understand that volunteers need to respect
NPH norms and rules and many of its way
of doing things. We know what we do even
though it may seem old fashioned and
inadequate to you, because what we do
has grown from an experience of many
years in many different settings.
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You have accepted a long-term
geographical separation from your parents,
brothers, sisters, and friends in order to
become a part of our family. You bring with
you a missionary spirit, a desire to give of
yourself and to serve to the best of your
abilities. Such a spirit is contagious and
reemphasizes for paid staff the importance
of our work. Finally, the importance of
volunteering in general is that one person
can make a difference. At NPH Honduras,
your loving care for a child may influence
him or her to change his or her attitudes
and to set out on a positive path in life. As
one Pequeño once told me, “Every kind act
we receive will help us to turn our lives
around.”
The drawbacks of a volunteer are the flip
side of its strengths. People who are highly
educated or skilled are often very
opinionated. They may believe that they
have all the answers. Unaware of our
limited resources, culturally different ways
of doing things, or the long evolution of
certain approaches to our work, volunteers
may demand in an imposing way that NPH
and its staff change its working approach
in whichever field the volunteer serves as
an aide. In addition, some volunteers tend
to believe themselves superior to the local
people because they have received a
better education. These two situations can
become difficult to handle when they are
compounded by the zeal of the missionary
spirit. Volunteers will certainly be accepted
more readily by our local staff if they work
side by side with them, try first of all to
understand them, and respect NPH’s
structure and regulations just as the staff
has to do.
Commitment & Expectations
of a Volunteer
NPH Honduras has between 20-30
volunteers filling a variety of different
positions. Our degree of interaction with
the children can vary significantly between
volunteer positions. However, in whatever
we do, we are all working for the benefit of
the children. You may find yourself asked
to fill a position that you have little to no
experience with. This is more common
than you might think. The work we do here
is very “NPH-specific” and requires a great
deal of self-training and orientation. Your
new work and responsibilities will no doubt
be filled with new challenges and
experiences.
Once we have accepted you we count on
you to fulfill your time commitment.
Remember that by inviting you to join our
program, other applicants for the same
position did not get accepted. Each position
a volunteer fills is important and if you
decide to leave early we will not have a
replacement to carry out the tasks of your
job.
“Our volunteers are selected as much
for their commitment to serve the
children and the organization as for
their individual skills and experience.”
NPH values your skills, experience, and
vocation very much. Our needs, coupled
with your ability to learn and adapt will
give rise to the position that you will
eventually fill.
8
Commitment, a positive attitude and
flexibility are perhaps the most valued
qualities you can bring to us. As a family,
NPH celebrates all holidays together with
special programs and activities. As a
member of this family, you are expected to
spend all major holidays with the children
(see VACATIONS). If you wish to extend
your stay, you will need to speak with the
Volunteer Coordinator and the NPH
Executive Director. Your request will be
reviewed and a decision will be made
based on the length of extension
requested, work performance, health,
language ability, and NPH needs at the
time. Your extension should be for at least
six months, though volunteers working in
the school slated to leave in July are
encouraged to stay until the end of the
school year in November. We encourage
successful volunteers to stay with us
longer because it is beneficial for our
children.
Typical Work Schedules
Your work hours will vary according to the
job you are performing. In addition to the
hours listed in the following examples, all
volunteers, except for the medical staff
and tíos and tías, are expected to spend
evenings from 6:00–8:00 with their hogar.
School Teacher: School teachers are
expected to be at school for the start of
the school day at 7:20 am. Three days per
week, teachers work until 1:15 PM, and
two days per week until 4:00 PM. Those
hours will vary somewhat from position to
position. Afternoons are a mix of prep time
for classes and free time.
Medical Staff: If you are working as a
nurse or doctor on the Ranch, your
scheduled work hours will vary
considerably. Mondays through Fridays,
the External Clinic is open at 7:30 AM and
closes when the last patient is seen
(around noon). Volunteer staff also works
at the Internal Clinic along with our staff
nurses and doctor, seeing patients on a
regular basis in the afternoons.
Having demanding schedules, medical
volunteers work from 7:00 AM until 6:00
PM with an afternoon break (descanso).
Because the needs of the clinic take
precedence over the volunteers work in
hogar, the clinical staff has much more
flexible hogar times. Since our Ranch
doctor sees the children usually from 4:00
pm to 7pm or until the last one leaves,
medical volunteers may not have time to
participate in a regular hogar activity.
Office Staff: Office workers at Rancho
Santa Fé work from 7:30 AM until 4:00 PM.
The office staff often has more flexibility of
movement throughout the day, depending
on the demands of their job. Most
important is that the job gets done.
Maintenance/Farm Worker/Other Labor:
Most of the support staff that keeps the
Ranch going start their work day at 7:30
AM and end at 4:00 PM, with an hour for
lunch from 12:30–1:30 and either every
other weekend or every Saturday.
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Tío/Tía: Like the medical staff volunteers,
the tío work schedule is also quite
demanding. Schedules vary according to
what house you will be working in. Tíos
working in the Marañon and the Rancho
typically work from 5:30-7:30 AM and from
12:50-8:00 PM. On their work weekend,
tíos start Friday afternoon and work
through Sunday with time off on Monday
afternoon. Free weekends start Friday
morning at 8:00 AM and go through
Monday at 12:00 PM. Tíos working in Casa
Suyapa have a slightly different schedule,
often starting work at 6:00 AM and
working until 1:00 PM, then spending the
evening from 6:00 PM until bedtime. They
generally follow the same weekend
schedule as other tíos.
you. Volunteers spend weeknights from
6:00-8:00 PM in their hogar eating,
working or playing with the kids. On their
work weekend, volunteers participate with
Ranch activities. There are two options for
spending your work weekend with your
hogar. Option A includes spending Friday
night and Saturday working with your
hogar. Option B includes integrating with
your hogar beginning at 4:00 pm on
Saturday, the typical time that mass
begins, and continuing to participate with
hogar activities through Sunday night.
Occasionally, there are special events that
require volunteers to be with their hogares
at other times. This schedule does not
apply to a volunteer in the position of
tío/tía or a member of the medical staff.
Choosing and Working with an Hogar
Volunteers bring with them a wonderful
spirit and ability to work with our children.
In fact, one of the primary reasons we
believe so strongly in our volunteer
program is because you can be a powerful
and beneficial example to the kids.
Because of that, we hope each volunteer
will choose and become a special part of a
hogar. Most volunteers say their most
important time on the Ranch was that
spent in hogar. It provides a unique
opportunity to help out and develop special
friendships with the children. Veteran
volunteers and the Volunteer Coordinator
will help you choose a hogar that’s right for
Stipends
All volunteers who work for 2 months or
more receive a monthly stipend. We try to
maintain the stipend at 2/3 of the
Honduran minimum wage. Volunteers
receive their stipends on the last Thursday
of each month. Since this is also the day
that all employees receive their paychecks,
volunteers are assigned to pick the checks
up between 2:15 and 3:00 PM. Those
working in the school should pick up their
checks at recess time (during the regular
school year). The checks can be cashed at
any Banco Occidente in branches across
Honduras.
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Living on the Ranch ::: Housing
Most single volunteers are housed in Casa
Personal, a large building consisting of
rooms with their own bath rooms,
dormitories, kitchen, office, and laundry
area, all surrounding an open courtyard.
Occasionally, there are accommodations
outside Casa Personal available to
volunteers. When you first arrive, you’ll
probably live in the dorms for a month or
so until older volunteers have completed
their year of service. When space is
available, you will be given a room with
another volunteer. Volunteer families will
be given housing in one of the available
casitas on the Ranch. The casitas all have
separate bedrooms, combined
kitchen/dining/living areas, and
bathrooms.
Valuables
Since many of our children come from
situations with very few resources and
possessions, they can become fascinated
with you and your roommate’s/family’s
things. Keep your room/house locked at all
times and never let a child enter your
room/house unattended. When you are
away for an extended period of time
(weekends or vacations) be sure to close
your windows.
Smoking/Drinking
Since we teach our children on the Ranch
that smoking is an unhealthy and lifethreatening habit both to the one smoking
and those nearby, our hope would be that
volunteers will respect this policy and will
not smoke. If you are a smoker, we
strongly encourage you to consider your
time with us as an opportunity to kick the
habit. But if you continue to smoke, here
are some guidelines which you must
follow:
Never smoke around kids or where kids
can see you or smell smoke.
Never offer cigarettes or encourage/permit
smoking by any kids.
Many children on the Ranch have
previously lived with (and suffered from)
parents or family members with drinking
problems. Keeping in mind the guidelines
for smoking, we ask that you consume
alcohol responsibly (drinking excessively is
absolutely prohibited), only in your private
living space, and never with kids present.
Finally, clean up any cans or bottles; don’t
leave evidence of your drinking where kids
can see it (in your rooms, along the
walkways in Casa Personal, or in trash
barrels). Do not visit with the children after
having consumed alcoholic beverages
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Clothing
You may wonder what to wear at times.
In most cases, your common sense or the
examples of the staff are all you need.
Hondurans in general take pride in their
appearance. Teachers, administrative
assistants, and other professionals at the
Ranch dress neatly in slacks or skirts,
pressed shirts or blouses, and shined
shoes. Children wear clean school uniforms
with few if any wrinkles, along with sturdy
shoes. No one is barefoot. Out of school,
jeans and casual but clean shirts are
common. For Mass and special events,
most of the children dress up. Around the
Ranch, neat shorts or jeans, clean T-shirts,
and sandals or casual shoes are
acceptable. If you are planning to spend
time inside the school classrooms or
clinics, long pants or skirts are
recommended. If you head into
Tegucigalpa, you will feel less conspicuous
if you avoid shorts and overly casual
clothing.
Living in Community
Living in a close community, where
everyone depends on each other for their
food, housing, cleanliness and
companionship, is an opportunity for
forming deep friendships and experiencing
deep personal growth. It can also be a very
challenging time. You will be surrounded
by others who behave and believe
differently than you. Some people’s actions
will seem confusing or irresponsible. You
may have a roommate or neighbor that
irritates you. And at times, even when
constantly surrounded by others, you may
feel lonely and unwanted.
Here are a few suggestions for how to have
a positive experience while living in a
community:
Reach out to others. Try to spend a few
minutes each day connecting with
someone. One of the best and most
surprising aspects of living with all kinds of
people (including ones that you wouldn’t
normally choose to be around) is that you
sometimes realize that your first
impressions are wrong. Good relationships
take time, and an open mind.
Do your share of the work. All it takes to
disrupt the good intentions (and
friendship) of others is for one person in a
community to become lazy. When that
happens, others become angry because
they either have to work harder or live
with the consequences. And they, too, will
soon not clean up after themselves.
Don’t always be right. Listen carefully to
the needs of others and offer to
compromise. Strive for a “win/win” solution
to a problem.
When the actions of someone are
bothering you, talk first to that person.
One of the most destructive forces in a
community is to talk about someone
behind his or her back. Often an honest
conversation is all it takes to achieve some
sort of understanding and restore a
relationship.
Find times, on a regular basis, to be alone.
If you have enough alone time, you will
probably be able to live more happily with
others.
Create fun times. Surprise others with a
plate of cookies. Share a joke and a laugh.
12
Relationships
Moral life cannot be reduced to “a series of
prohibitions,” but instead “should be a
loving response to God’s call to the dignity,
the nobility, the ideal of a new creature in
Christ.” — Oscar Andres Rodriguez,
Cardinal of Honduras
Part of making sure that your stay with us
will be successful is that you know what we
expect from you. Our expectations are
solely for the benefit and well being of our
children. These expectations include,
among other things, that you understand
that the children’s needs supersede our
own needs, that you will refrain from
physical punishment, speak appropriately
to the children, and engage only in
responsible personal relationships. The
latter is unusual as a work expectation and
has proved difficult for some volunteers in
the past. From experience we have
learned, however, that the well being of
our children depends on the responsible
behavior of our employees and volunteers
in this regard. Over time, we have
developed guidelines regarding
relationships by which we expect
employees and volunteers to abide. We
think that the reasons for these standards
will make their need clear to you.
Most of our children come from horrible
environments. Their experiences before
coming to NPH have been dominated by
relationships that are largely sexual,
without commitment, and in many ways
harmful. Our children and young adults
often have difficulties distinguishing
between maternal/paternal love,
friendship, and sexual love. The adults
they have seen and known often have
treated sex irresponsibly. Most of our
children are a living testament to this
casual attitude. They have little exposure
to healthy relationships or even to the
responsible end of a relationship. Whoever
joins NPH in whatever position assumes
responsibility for the formation of our
children and young adults. As their
surrogate parents, we are called to ensure
that their home on the Ranch is free of bad
examples and painful reminders of their
pasts, that they receive the
paternal/maternal and friendship love that
is clearly distinguishable from sexual love.
We also will try to instill healthy values in
them regarding sex and relationships, so
that they do not continue to produce the
next generation of unwanted children. The
final challenge is one of the most important
and difficult tasks that we face. The daily
examples of staff and volunteers are some
of the strongest influences on the growth
of the Pequeños/as, and your behavior
should constantly reflect that fact. The
Pequeños/as are very perceptive and
almost all activities on the Ranch will
eventually become public knowledge. For
this reason, we must always maintain
exemplary conduct. An attitude of serious
regard for relationships, love, and an
abstinence from sex are difficult to nurture
in our children. It is, however, a very
important value that we wish to instill in
our children for their future well being and
for the good of their country.
Unfortunately, a few bad examples will
spoil the hard work and sacrifices of other
people.
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It is for these reasons and with many years
of experience that we have developed the
following expectations:
as encouragement for Pequeños/as to
explore sexual aspects of their
relationships.
Dating, romantic relationships, and sexual
relationships with current Pequeños/as are
prohibited. Pequeños/as is a common
name for the children and young adults
who are in NPH’s care. This rule applies
even to adult Pequeños/as, some of whom
are older than volunteers.
Regardless of what you think the children
suspect, refrain from premarital sex when
on the NPH premises or around
Pequeños/as on other occasions.
Other romantic relationships between
volunteers, staff members, and adults not
associated with NPH are accepted so long
as: the relationships are not a distraction
from work or are responsible for the
children becoming a second priority during
your stay here. And that the relationships
are handled appropriately. For us this
means that your example should always
encourage attitudes of equality, respect,
understanding, and kindness. It also
means that at no point should the children
suspect your relationship is sexual unless
you are married.
Therefore, we do not allow couples to
share rooms at the Ranch even though
they have lived together in their home
country prior to joining NPH. The point is
that your example should in no way serve
In addition to avoiding irresponsible
relationships, you should refrain from
inappropriate language, flirtatious
behavior, physical threats, and other
behaviors you wouldn’t want your own
children to copy. It is our hope that you
see the reason for our concern and for
guidelines we have developed. Please feel
free to discuss these issues with the
Volunteer Coordinator.
Giving Gifts
It is natural to share what you have with
others less fortunate. Please remember
that the most precious and important thing
you can share is your love and attention.
We need to be fair to all kids, so we ask
that any gifts you consider giving be ones
that are intended for an entire group (like
a board game or soccer ball). We also want
to decrease the possibility that kids start
judging volunteers for what they have (or
give), rather than for what they are.
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Basic Supplies
Food/Snacks
Meals are available in the kitchen (cocina)
or with the children in your chosen hogar.
Bring a plate or bowl, cup, and spoon with
you. Here are mealtimes from Monday
through Saturday:
Breakfast 6:30–7:30 AM
Lunch 12:30–1:30 PM (1:30–2:00 PM in
the hogar)
Supper 5:30–6:45 PM
On weekends meals are served generally
½ hour later than on a weekday.
Please note that Pequeños are not allowed
to eat in the main kitchen. Every Thursday
between 1:30 and 3:30, fruits, vegetables,
and eggs are available from the bodega.
One or two volunteers living in Casa
Personal load up a wheel barrow with
produce to share with the whole house.
Volunteer families pick up their own food
from the bodega. In addition, on the first
Thursday of each month, volunteers may
get other staples, including flour, sugar,
salt, spaghetti, tomato paste, and oil.
Volunteers are also welcome to use the
kitchen in Casa Personal. To keep the
kitchen as free from cucarachas as possible
and pleasant for all volunteers, please
store your food in containers that seal
tightly, and clean up after yourself.
Keeping a community kitchen clean is the
responsibility of each person who uses it.
Warning: Food that is not in some sort of
bag or container is often assumed to be
community property.
If you want something to eat or drink
between meals, here are a few nearby
possibilities:
At the main gate (portón): purified water,
juices, milk, bottled sodas, sweet bread
At the kitchen (cocina) (ask during meals):
larger bottles of cola or other soda
At the school: sodas, juices, chips, comida
tipica
At the workshops: sodas, juices, chips,
comida tipica
At a small store (pulpería) in La Venta:
fruits, vegetables, chips, cookies, other
staples
Water
All water here at the Ranch is chlorinated,
though only some is filtered. The Outside
faucets - which are painted blue (like the
one outside Casa Personal) - as well as the
kitchen faucets in most of the Ranch
houses, provide potable (drinkable) water.
Although many volunteers adapt to the
Ranch’s potable water in a month or two,
we recommend that newcomers drink
purified or boiled water. Five-gallon bottles
of purified water are stored in a rack inside
Casa Personal and cost US$1.50 each (the
equivalent in Lempiras changes depending
on currency devaluation). When you need
water, ask the volunteer(s) in charge of
the water to unlock the rack. Pay for your
water when you take it, and return your
bottles as soon as they are empty.
Fruit drinks provided at the kitchen are
made with Ranch water. Only take these
drinks if you have adapted to the Ranch
water and it will no longer cause you an
upset stomach.
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Hygiene Items
On the first Tuesday of every month
between 7:00-3:30, you may pick up basic
hygiene items at the main bodega. Each
month you will receive toilet paper,
toothpaste, hand soap, and laundry soap.
Every 3rd month you’ll receive a bottle of
liquid floor soap and bleach.
Keys
When you arrive, you’ll receive keys to
your room/house and to the main door of
Casa Personal. You will also receive sets of
keys that are pertinent to your specific job.
In an attempt to limit the number of lost
keys we ask that all volunteers be
responsible for the replacement cost for
misplaced keys. We also ask that if you
would like to make a copy of any key on
the Ranch that you first receive
authorization.
Free Time: Weekends/Salida
NPH is a mission based organization with
the priority to serve our children. We work
hard here and because of the type of work
we do and the fact that there is so much to
do, we do not follow a 40-hour work week.
Volunteers are entitled to every Sunday
off, as well as every other Saturday.
Weekends in which you have both
Saturday and Sunday off are called “salida”
weekends. Volunteers working as tíos, tías,
or in medical positions may have different
schedules. You are free to spend your
salida as you wish—traveling, visiting the
homes of your Honduran friends and
coworkers, or simply relaxing on the
Ranch. If you leave the Ranch, please
advise someone about your plans in case
of an emergency. We ask that you try to
be flexible, as very often holidays, fiestas,
and meetings fall on someone’s salida,
regardless of how carefully they are
planned or scheduled. We cannot stress
enough the importance of holidays and
special events for the children. These days
often involve some work and organization
by the volunteers; however, the joy of the
children makes it worth it.
Vacation
Volunteers are allowed 20 working days of
vacation after their first 6 months of work
(schedules vary for volunteers working in
the school), all of which must be approved
by the Volunteer Coordinator, your direct
supervisor, and the Executive Director. We
ask that you take this vacation in blocks of
1 or 2 weeks (rather than 1 or 2 days at a
time) so that your work schedule is not
interrupted often. If you work in the
school, we ask that you take these
vacations at a time that coincides with
school vacations: during Holy Week
(usually in April), a nationally determined
week off of classes in June, a week in
September which coincides with the
celebration of independence in Honduras,
and time during the December/January
Vacation Courses. If you do not work at
the school, you are expected to be with the
children during Holy Week and Easter, and
can take vacation time as approved by
your direct supervisor and the Volunteer
Coordinator. All volunteers are expected to
stay on the Ranch for Christmas (a few
days before Christmas until just after New
Year’s), during the Olimpiadas (the Ranch’s
version of the Olympics, usually held in
July), and for Quinceañeros, since these
are very special times for the children. If
you want to see a lot of Honduras or
Central America, we encourage you to
travel before or after your service with
NPH.
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Visa Residency Status
Renewing Your Visa/Gaining Residency
Status
All volunteers enter the country as tourists,
but in order to function in the county as a
13–month volunteer, you must go through
the process of changing your migratory
status to that of a resident. All of the
necessary paperwork will be handled by
NPH’s administrative office. Once resident
status has been approved (this can take 6
months or more and some volunteers may
never receive resident status), you are
given a temporary identification paper
which can be used until the resident’s card
is granted. While this process is underway,
volunteers must request an extension of
their visa regularly (every 60 days for U.S.
citizens, every 90 days for most European
countries) in the Ranch office or in the
Padrinos office. Your passport needs to be
turned in with the extension form. If you
are late in turning in your form and
passport, the government charges a 1300
Lempira fee that you must pay in cash.
Those not getting residency may need to
leave the country for at least 3 days after 6
months. The whole application for resident
status can be a tedious (but necessary)
process which involves gathering
documents, having pictures taken, signing
papers, and waiting. As with most
procedures in Honduras, there are frequent
delays, changes in policy, and even lost
papers. Your patience and cooperation is
greatly appreciated. Your resident card
should be carried at all times when you are
away from NPH, and can sometimes help
you obtain discounts at hotels or tourist
sites.
Medical Health Information
Staying Healthy
Many people know the difference between
healthy and non-healthy practices but
choose to follow the latter. Volunteers
often get sick when they can avoid illness.
All of the volunteers’ jobs (like those of the
Honduran staff) are difficult. Yet, unlike the
Hondurans, you must adapt to a new
culture, climate and food. These demands
can be draining, both mentally and
physically, making you more susceptible to
illness. In addition, volunteers are exposed
to more diseases in Honduras than at
home. Here are some suggestions to help
you maintain your health and protect
against illness:
Nutrition: Make an effort to eat balanced
meals. Take vitamins. Drink a lot of liquids.
Not drinking sufficient amounts of liquids
leaves a person vulnerable to bronchitis,
pneumonia, and respiratory diseases.
Rest: Getting enough rest is essential for
good health. Take time for yourself. Both
mental and physical health is affected
when a person does not sleep enough or
does not take time to relax. Most
volunteers not only get sick with diarrhea,
but are also plagued with colds and other
minor illnesses. The change in food and
climate weakens defenses, so it is
important to take vitamins, eat well and
rest.
17
Diarrhea: Most foreigners have upset
stomachs and diarrhea soon after their
arrival in Latin America. Health care
professionals do not completely understand
the reasons for this phenomenon. They
suggest that it may be a symptom of the
change in the type and quantity of the
bacteria that normally inhabits Europeans’
or North Americans’ gastrointestinal
systems.
Ways to minimize the chances of getting
diarrhea:
Drink only purified or boiled water. The
water that comes out of the faucets in
Tegucigalpa is not pure, and for drinking
should be boiled for at least 20 minutes.
Purified water is readily available in
Tegucigalpa. All water at Rancho Santa Fé
is chlorinated, but only some is filtered.
Filtered water comes from the taps that
are painted blue, and is safe to drink,
though it may need to be boiled during the
rainy season.
In restaurants, ask for drinks without ice
(sin hielo). Sometimes the ice comes from
impure water. American fast food
restaurants are safe.
Do not eat fruits and vegetables that you
did not peel yourself. For fruits and
vegetables that cannot be peeled, soak
them for a few minutes in water mixed
with a few drops of bleach. Purified water
alone (or with soap) does not kill the
microorganisms on fruits and vegetables.
Avoid eating meat or dairy products from
street stands where the vendors leave the
items in the open heat or sun.
How to treat diarrhea:
Do not use constipating agents or
antibiotics. The medicine may mask a
problem more serious than diarrhea.
Stop eating. Give your body a rest.
When you have diarrhea, your body loses a
lot of water and certain salts. Drink soup,
tea, water, etc. We recommend Litrosol (a
package with essential electrolytes) and
also Peptobismol. Stay far away from dairy
products: liquids as well as solids.
If you have diarrhea for more than one
day, the following eating plan may help:
After drinking only clear fluids for one day,
eat dry, mashed potatoes, mashed
bananas, apples, or similar food items on
the second day You may eat boiled meats
and vegetables on the third day You
should try to wait until at least the 4th day
to begin eating dairy products, fresh fruits,
fresh vegetables and fried foods.
18
HIV & Hepatitis
Kids get sick more often than adults, due
to their immature immune systems, and
pass their illness to others more readily
due to less control of their bodily fluids.
Volunteers at NPH may be especially
concerned about contact with children with
HIV or Hepatitis B. In general, the same
precautions for preventing the spread of
any other illness (mainly, frequent hand
washing) are sufficient. Hepatitis B and
HIV are blood-borne diseases, so contact
with blood and blood-containing fluid
should be avoided. Gloves are easily
available in each hogar’s first-aid box, and
you can ask for a pair from the clinic to
carry around if you want. Hepatitis B is
more easily transmitted than HIV, but
Hepatitis B immunization (which is required
for volunteers) is protective. HIV
transmission is almost exclusively either
prenatal (mother to child), sexual, or via
shared needles. We can safely hug, kiss,
touch, and play with all the children on the
Ranch. You may have more colds or more
frequent diarrhea, or you may even get
head lice, but your risk for HIV or Hepatitis
B infection is almost nonexistent.
Medical Facilities
The Ranch has two clinics. The External
Clinic, located near the front gate, serves
the needs of residents from outlying towns,
and operates 5 days a week, Monday
through Friday. It is open for Ranch
employees, volunteers, and children
Monday through Friday mornings. The
laboratory is located in the external clinic.
The Internal Clinic, infirmary, and
pharmacy, located near the main office,
serve the needs of the Ranch community,
including the kids, staff, and volunteers.
Hours are 7:00 AM–7:00 PM. If you need
medical attention, go to the Internal Clinic
during normal hours and talk to the
volunteer medical staff. For true
emergencies, 24 hours a day, find
someone with a radio or call the clinic
extension (729) on the phone. You can
also call the gatekeeper at the portón (714
or 715), who will alert clinic staff. In the
near future we will open a minor surgery
center to be staffed by traveling surgical
brigades.
Transportation
Getting To and From Tegucigalpa
Buses traveling toward Tegucigalpa pass
the gates of the Ranch frequently,
approximately every half hour, until about
6:00 PM. They are almost always yellow or
blue school buses and they are owned by
private individuals. Raise your hand to
indicate that you want them to stop. The
current fare to Cerro Grande, a suburb just
above Tegucigalpa (where you’ll get off to
transfer to a colectivo taxi), is 12
Lempiras. The fare is not collected by the
driver, but by another person who either
walks through the bus collecting from each
person or takes your money as you get off.
Depending on the age and power of the
bus, the daring of the driver or the amount
of traffic, the ride to Cerro Grande will
usually take from 30–45 minutes. Get off
at the DIPPSA gas station in Cerro Grande
(Zona 4). Cross the road and walk one
block downhill to the first street, where
you’ll find colectivo taxis, which take 4
passengers and charge a flat rate of 9.5
Lempiras per person.
19
After a 10-minute drive, they will drop you
close to the center (centro). From the
centro, you can ask where to find colectivo
stands that send taxis to other parts of the
city. If you’re going far from the center especially if you’re with 2-3 others - you
may find it almost as cheap to take one
regular taxi instead of two colectivos.
Negotiate the price before you get in; 50
or 60 Lempiras should get you from Cerro
Grande to the malls, airport, or outer
areas. To return to the Ranch, find your
way back to Cerro Grande (zona 4) and
catch a bus which stops by the tree-shaded
chicken/snack shop just north of the
DIPPSA station. Warning: late afternoon
buses are often packed. The last buses
leave Cerro Grande around 7:00 PM,
though we recommend leaving before this
time since there are no guarantees. As you
get on, it’s a good idea to tell the driver’s
assistant that you’re going to Rancho
Santa Fé. Then, watch the small white
kilometer signs and be prepared to walk
forward when you spy the Ranch gates,
which are just before the 36 kilometer
sign.
Coming & Going with Ranch Vehicles
Private transportation from the Ranch can
be available if you can arrange to go with
one of the cars, trucks or buses that travel
between the Ranch and Tegucigalpa almost
daily. These vehicles leave frequently, but
depend on the needs of the house. To find
out if it is possible to catch a ride, you
need to communicate ahead of time with
the person in charge of transportation in
the main Ranch office. Volunteers who
spend the weekend off the Ranch can
usually catch a ride back to the Ranch with
our NPH bus around 5pm at the Cerro
Grande Zona 4 shopping center. The bus
brings a group of high school and
university students to town after they
worked their weekend duty at the Ranch.
Tt is beneficial to call and check in advance
because depending on activities, the bus
may be later or earlier of not run at all.
Under no circumstances may a
volunteer take the bus which leaves
from Casa Angeles at 6:00 AM every
weekday morning.
Reserved for Ranch employees who live in
Tegucigalpa, it is full every morning
without exception. You must take public
transportation and arrive on time for work
Monday if you do not take the Sunday
afternoon bus. Since the employee bus
that goes from Rancho Santa Fé to
Tegucigalpa every weekday afternoon is
not as full as it is in the mornings,
volunteers are allowed wait at the main
gate and ride along if there is space. The
bus leaves at 4:00 PM.
Hitchhiking
Do not hitchhike. We have good reasons
for asking you not to hitchhike. Drivers (of
the car you’re in or the cars coming at
you) are often unskilled, erratic, and go
too fast. Even a minor accident can cause
riders in the backs of trucks (where
hitchhikers often find themselves) to be
tossed out, leading to serious injury or
death. Also, former volunteers have had
very negative experiences while
hitchhiking. We care about you and your
safety. Please know that we do not assume
responsibility if you choose to go against
this advice.
20
Pets and Animals
Rancho Santa Fe is home to many
creatures and animals as it is located in the
rolling hills outside the capital of
Tegucigalpa. Inherent to any natural
setting they are many animals on the
rancho, wild and domestic. It is prohibited
for those volunteers living in Casa
personal, the primary volunteer housing on
the ranch, to acquire pets. There are some
currently, but no more are allowed. While
we cannot control the animals that
happened to wonder onto the ranch, we
expect volunteers living outside Casa
Personal to consider certain regulations
when it comes to pets.
We ask that before acquiring a pet that
you please consult with the community in
which you live to be sure that everyone
accepts the new animal. It is unfair to
force others in the community to conform
and live with an animal that may disturb
them.
One must also consider the fate of the
animal after you leave. It is not fair to
require current volunteers to care for your
pet nor is it fair to abandon the pet when
you commitment is done. If there is no
one to care for the animal, it must be then
put to sleep.
Once animal is obtained, one must consult
a medical center to obtain suggested
vaccinations e.g. rabies, and recommended
anti-parasite medications. This is
important because these animals when sick
can pass illnesses to humans on the ranch.
We especially need to protect our children
with HIV as a simple parasite can mean a
serious illness.
As an owner, you must accept
responsibility for the reproduction of the
animals. Spaying and neutering is the best
option and is strongly encouraged.
However, if the animal, male or female,
reproduces, you are responsible for all
offspring.
As volunteers it is important that we are
responsible examples to the children. We
must care for the ranch as our home but
understand that we will one day leave and
cannot leave those on the ranch
responsible for our decisions.
Communicating
Phone/Fax
We know that communicating with others
(and having them communicate with you)
is important. Unfortunately, the Ranch
suffers from unreliable phone service to
the outside world (meaning that many calls
simply don’t get through), and
communication can be complicated. Unless
a prior plan has been made (date, time
and place), family and friends calling the
Ranch will most likely need to leave a
message for you and then call back in
about half an hour. This allows time for
someone to locate you and for you to find
a phone.
Some volunteers choose to purchase cell
phones in Tegucigalpa. Not every carrier
gets reception on the Ranch, so make sure
you ask your Volunteer Coordinator before
buying a phone. Though you must buy prepaid phone cards in order to make local
calls, all incoming calls (both national and
international) are free.
21
There is a fax machine in the Padrinos
office that volunteers may use to send
and/or receive faxes. You may have to
plan your communication by fax for a free
afternoon when you can go to the office in
the city, or you can also send and receive
documents through the carrier envelopes
that are passed daily between the Ranch
and the Padrinos office.
Here are the phone and fax numbers that
you can give friends and family members:
Ranch Office Open Monday–Friday, 7:30
AM–4:00 PM 224-0573
Ranch Switchboard (main gate portón—
staffed 24 hours a day) 798-3923
Casa Alistar/Casa Angeles 236-7300
Fax (Tegucigalpa) 224-3684
Personal Cell Phones
You can purchase a cell phone for roughly
$50 new and either sign up for a monthly
plan or buy debit cards that give you a
certain amount of usage time on the
phone. Cell phones are very common
among the volunteers and it is the easiest
way for them to communicate with family
and friends.
How you can reach others by phone
Most volunteers use the inexpensive phone
service offered by internet cafés (currently
2-6 Lempiras per minute, depending on
the country you’re calling, and remember
calling cell phones is significantly more
expensive). The quality of the connections,
from excellent to terrible, often depends on
the time of day—mornings are often best—
and how many users there are. Some
volunteers use calling cards that work
overseas. Although they are much more
expensive than the phones in an internet
café, they can be used from any regular
phone or public pay phone and provide an
excellent connection. The only Ranch
phone with an outside line is located in the
main Ranch office. When it is working, you
may use it for emergencies or important
calls.
Letters & Packages
Mail service to and from Honduras is
probably not as reliable as your home
country. Most letters and small packages
arrive within 2–3 weeks from the United
States or Europe, but sometimes larger
packages arrive missing some of their
contents, badly beaten up, and months
after they were mailed. Nevertheless, most
volunteers receive packages without too
many problems. We do recommend that
you don’t try to send or receive valuables
by mail. A good alternative is to check with
the Visitor’s Coordinator or with other
volunteers to see if someone from your
home country can bring packages directly
to you, or return with letters/packages
from you. Letters sent to you are brought
to the Ranch every other day, sorted, and
put in your individual mailbox in the main
Ranch office. When you receive a package,
the office secretary will put a notice in your
box. Check with her to receive an official
post office package claim notice, which you
will use to claim your package. Packages
can be picked up in either of 2 locations:
the small package department of the main
post office (downtown, near the center), or
the post office’s package center at the
airport. Both offices charge a fee for
picking up packages, typically 5 Lempiras
for small packages downtown, and 10
Lempiras or more for bigger packages at
the airport.
22
The following address is for receiving both
letters and packages from friends and
family:
[YOUR NAME]
Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos
Apdo. Postal 3223
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Central America
Email
There is a small internet room at the Ranch
which you can use for personal
correspondence and for work purposes. It
is open daily and there is a nominal fee for
usage (10 lempiras the hour). Since the
service is not always reliable, many
volunteers prefer to use the many reliable
internet cafés in Tegucigalpa. Two
convenient cafés are located in Cerro
Grande, less than a minute walk from the
bus stop (saving you the colectivo ride into
the center). The cafés charge 15–30
Lempiras for an hour of internet connect
time, and some offer significant discounts
for NPH volunteers.
Visitors
accommodations if available. Rancho Santa
Fé has only a couple houses and rooms
available in addition to beds in the men’s
and women’s dorms (when available).
Please be aware that NPH receives many
visitors, especially in December, January,
July, and August when many former
volunteers, benefactors and volunteer
family members visit because of school
vacation time in their country. If you do
not put in a reservation on time, NPH may
not be able to provide housing for your
visitors. The visitors are welcome to eat in
our kitchen or with the children. Visitors
who plan to be in the country for longer
visits must find accommodations off of the
Ranch. We also ask that the volunteers
arrange these visits with the Visitor
Coordinator several weeks in advance to
avoid confusion.
Do not invite people to stay overnight at
the Ranch whom you befriend while in
Honduras unless the Ranch director has
given you permission to do so. We need to
guarantee the children’s safety and also
need to be sure that those who stay with
us understand our mission and the role
that adults have in the children’s lives no
matter how short their stay.
Guidelines for Visitors
Friends and relatives are welcome on the
Ranch for a maximum of 2 weeks as long
as you continue to carry out your usual
work responsibilities. Please advise your
friends and relatives well in advance of the
most convenient times for visits and notify
the Volunteer Coordinator and the Visitor
Coordinator of your plans. We will arrange
23
Cultural Insight
Reflection on Living in Another Culture
By Henri M. Nouens
Going to a different culture, in which I find
myself again like a child, can become a
true psychotherapeutic opportunity. Not
everyone is in the position or has the
support to use such an opportunity. I have
seen much self-righteousness,
condescending, and even offensive
behavior by foreigners toward the people
in their host country. Remarks about the
laziness, stupidity and disorganization Latin
Americans usually say more about the one
who makes such remarks than about the
Latin Americans. Most of the labels by
which we pigeonhole people are ways to
cope with our own anxiety and insecurity.
Many people who suddenly find themselves
in a totally unfamiliar milieu decide quickly
to label what is strange to them instead of
confronting their own fears and
vulnerabilities. But we also can use the
new situation for our own healing. When
we walk around in a strange milieu,
speaking the language haltingly, and
feeling out of control and like fools, we can
come in touch with a part of ourselves that
usually remains hidden behind the thick
walls of our defenses. We can come to
experience our basic vulnerability, our
need for others, our deep-seated feelings
of ignorance and inadequacy, and our
fundamental dependency. Instead of
running them together and learn that our
true value as human beings has its seat far
beyond our competence and
accomplishments. One of the most
rewarding aspects of living in a strange
land is the experience of being loved not
for what we can do, but for who we are.
When we become aware that our
stuttering, failing, vulnerable selves are
loved even when we hardly progress, we
can let go of our compulsion to prove
ourselves and be free to live with others in
a fellowship of the weak. That is true
healing.
This psychological perspective on Culture
Shock can open up for us a new
understanding of God’s grace and our
vocation to live graceful lives. In the
presence of God, we are totally naked,
broken, sinful, and dependent, and we
realize that we can do nothing, absolutely
nothing, without him. When we are willing
to confess our true condition, God will
embrace us with his love, a love so deep,
intimate, and strong that it enables us to
make all things new. I am convinced that,
for Christians, Culture Shock can be an
opportunity not only for psychological
healing but also for conversion. What
moves me most in reflecting on these
opportunities is that they lead us to the
heart of ministry and mission.
The more I think about the meaning of
living and acting in the name of Christ, the
more I realize that what I have to offer to
others is not my intelligence, skill, power,
influence, or connections, but my own
human brokenness through which the love
of God can manifest itself. The celebrant in
Leonard Bernstein’s Mass says, “Glass
shines brighter when it’s broken…. I never
noticed that.” This, to me, is what ministry
and mission are all about.
24
Ministry is entering with our human
brokenness into communion with others
and speaking a word of hope. This hope is
not based on any power to solve the
problems of those with whom we live, but
on the love of God, which becomes visible
when we let go of our fears of being out of
control and enter into his presence in a
shared confession of weakness.
This is a hard vocation. It goes against the
grain of our need for self-affirmation, selffulfillment, and self-realization. It is a call
to true humility. I, therefore, think that for
those who are pulled away from their
familiar surrounding and brought into a
strange land where they feel again like
babies, the Lord offers a unique chance not
only for personal conversion but also for
authentic ministry.
Responding to a new culture
We face a lot of difficulties and new
situations in a new culture. We get over
them and move on, but sometimes it can
be useful to pinpoint what went wrong.
Even when the problem is one we can not
do much about, just identifying it—and
realizing it is not all those other things it
could have been—is therapeutic. Below is a
checklist of common worries or sources of
frustration when living in a new culture. It
might be useful to run through this
checklist and put a name to your problem.
What is bothering me…?
No mail from home...
The weather...
The food...
No time to yourself...
No one to talk to...
Too many Americans...
Too many Germans...
Too many Austrians...
You can never be alone...
Tired of being culturally sensitive...
Do not get along with roommates...
Worried about progress in technical
training...
Tired of being scheduled by other people...
Feeling guilty about not liking everything
and everyone...
Worried about someone at home...
Not feeling well...
Missing a certain activity (tennis, reading,
movies)...
Missing feeling like an adult...
Missing a private life...
Not used to such a competitive
environment...
It is too nice here; I am not suffering
enough...
This is not what I expected...
I am technically overqualified...
I am not accepted here...
This culture is too…
I am not making a difference...
Everything is taking too long...
Once you have pinpointed some of your
troubles, it may be helpful to list them and
consider what you can do about them. You
may see an obvious solution; you may
want to talk with someone else about a
solution; or you may see there is no
solution. But make the list anyway and
take a crack at it. Most importantly, living
in a culture different from your own
teaches you most about yourself.
Remember that you are the one who is
different here. Most things and behaviors
that may seem strange to you are perfectly
normal to those who call Honduras their
home.
25
Appendix
Partial List of Rancho Santa Fé Directors, Coordinators, Other Staff
Directors
NPHI Director of Family Services ::: Reinhart Koehler
NPH Honduras National Director ::: Alfredo Benitez
NPH Honduras House Director ::: Paty Varela
Secretary ::: Glenda
Director of Administration ::: Lilian Irias
Director of Personnel ::: Oneyda Irias
Administration office Secretary ::: Yadira Portillo
Homes
Coordinator of Casa Suyapa (baby house) ::: Vicky Madrid
sub-coordinator ::: Susie
Coordinator of Rancho (girls) ::: Belinda Bonilla
sub-coordinator ::: Doris
Coordinator of Marañon (boys) ::: Roger Fúnez
sub-coordinator ::: Marcos Jimenez
Coordinator of Casa Eva (abuelos) ::: Telma Romero
Coordinator of Casa Angeles ::: Ana Gabriela
Doctor—Casa Angeles Dra. Alberto
Education/Formation
Education Coordinator ::: Armin Spichiger
Principal of Ranch School ::: Randy Cardona
Special Education Coordinator ::: Vanessa Urrea
Guidance Counselor/discipline of school ::: Yessia
School Secretary ::: Lupita
Coordinator of Vocational Workshops ::: Jorge Guardron
Vocational Internship Program and Ex-pequeno Follow-up program ::: Mauricio Calles
Workshop bodega ::: Victor Ramierez
Coordinator of Year of Service/Period of Reflection program ::: Jose Ramon
Coordinators of High School and University male students ::: Augstín Moradel
Coordinators of High School and University female students ::: Lorna Urrea
Social Worker ::: Silvia Reyes
Social Work Secretary ::: Claudia
Psychologists ::: Berta Gradiz, Coordinator
Public Relations ::: Saily Sanchez
26
Medical
Clinic Coordinator ::: Nora Moreno
Pharmacy ::: Osiris
Dentist ::: Dr. Dilcia Rodriguez
Laboratory Technician ::: Sandra
Physician Dra. Emma Dextre
Other Departments
Religion ::: Fr. Reinhold Galindo
Sponsorship Coordinator ::: Jeny Garcia
Human Resources ::: Claudia Cerrato
Farm Coordinator ::: Gustavo Gonzalez
Gardens/Hortaliza Coordinator ::: Oscar Cruz
Kitchen Coordinator ::: Reina
Transportation Coordinator ::: Geraldo Lopez
Driver Moncho, Armando, Felix (personnel bus)
Volunteer Coordinator ::: Annemarie Hansen
Home Correspondent ::: Monica Gery, Tess Franzino
List of Hogars
Children at Rancho Santa Fé are placed in homes (hogares) based on maturity and grade
level. Ages are approximate.
Casa Suyapa
Casa Suyapa ::: ages 0-9
Rancho (girls)
Lower House:
Hijas de Maria ::: ages 8-12
Estrellas de Belen ::: ages 10-12
Hermanas de Jesús ::: ages 11-16
Upper House:
Inmaculada Concepción ::: ages 14-18
Hijas del Pilar ::: ages 15 and up
Nuestra Sra de Guadalupe :: ages 20 and up
Near basketball court:
Madre Teresa ::: Aspirantes and Year of Service pequenas
Santa Maria Reina ::: varied girls with special needs
Buen Pastor (boys)
Upper House:
San Francisco de Asis ::: ages 7-9
San Pablo ::: ages 9-10
San Miguel Arcángel ::: ages 11-12
Arca de Noe ::: ages 12-13
Lower House:
Discipulos de Jesús ::: ages 14-15
San Lucas ::: ages 15-16
San Pedro ::: ages 16 and up
27
Other Houses:
San Eduardo Rey (blue house) ::: Aspirantes, Year of Service pequenos
Casa Emmanuel ::: varied boys with special needs
San Andrés ::: varied boys in need of individualized attention
Calendar of Events
As members of a family, the staff of NPH celebrates holidays with the children. Volunteers
must spend Christmas, New Year’s, Easter (with the exception of those working at the school)
and a variety of other special days at the Ranch. Volunteers should schedule vacation plans
around Ranch holidays and around their work obligations. What follows is a list of days that
are celebrated at the Ranch, some more intensely than others:
January
01 Año Nuevo
06 Día de los Reyes Magos (Three King’s Day)
16 Orientación de Nuevos Voluntarios
Last Sunday Visitors Day (when family can visit kids on the Ranch)
February
03 Día de la Virgen de Suyapa, Santa Patrona de Honduras
President’s weekend NPH International Board Meeting
12 Aniversario de Casa Angeles
14 Día del Amor y Amistad
15Comienzo del Año Escolar
March
19 Día del Padre
Holy Week/ Easter (March or April, depending on Catholic church)
April
14 Día de las Americas
20 Aniversario de la Escuela
18-21 Semana del Idioma
22 Día de la Tierra
** Pentecostes
** Asención de Cristo
May
01 Dia del Trabajo
05 Día de la Madre
22 Dia del Padrino
29 Aniversario NPH–Honduras
30 Día del Arbol
28
May
Last Sunday Visitors Day
June
11 Día del Estudiante
July
01 Orientación de Nuevos Voluntarios
20 Día de Lempira
**
Olimpiadas (always subject to change)
August
02 Aniversario de la Fundación de NPH (1954 en México)
03 Día de la Raza
15 Asunción de la Virgen María
September
01 Día de la Bandera
10 Celebración Día del Niño
15 Día de la Independencia
17 Día del Maestro
28 Día de los Pliegos de la Independencia
29 Aniversario de Tegucigalpa
Last Sunday Visitors Day
October
03 Día del Nacimiento de Francisco Morazán
04 Día de San Francisco de Asis
12 Día del Descubrimiento de las Americas
21 Día de las Fuerzas Armadas
November
01 Día de todos los Santos
02 Día de los difuntos
2nd and 3rd week
Examenes finales
**Fiesta Quinceañeros (a Friday in November)
** Actos de Clausura, Talleres
**Actos de Clausura, Escuela y Colegio
29
December
(first Sunday) Comienzo de Adviento
(first Monday) Inicio de Cursos Vacacionales
7 Día de Inmaculada Concepción
16 Inicio de las Posadas
17 Convivio de Navidad con el Personal
24 Nochebuena
25 Navidad
31 Celebración Año Nuevo
** The dates of these holidays vary annually
List of Embassies & Consulates (in Tegucigalpa)
Argentina—Colonia Rubén Darío, Avenida José
María Medina 417, tel. 232-3376 or 232-3274
Belize—bottom floor of Hotel Honduras Maya,
tel. 239- 0134
Brazil—Colonia La Reforma, Calle La Salle 1309,
tel. 236-6310 or 236-5873
Canada—Edificio Los Castaños, Boulevard
Morazán, tel 231-4538 or 231-4548
Colombia—Edificio Palmira, 4th floor, across
from Honduras Maya, tel. 232-1709
Costa Rica—Residencia El Triángulo, 1 Calle
3451, tel. 232-1768 or 239-0787
Chile—Edificio La Interamericana, Boulevard
Morazán, tel. 232-2114 or 232-4095
China—Col. Lomas de Guajiro, number 3705,
tel. 232-4490 or 239-3062
Denmark—Boulevard Los Próceres, Edificio La
Paz, tel. 236-6407 or 236-6645
Ecuador—Avenida Juan Lindo 122, Colonia
Palmira, tel. 236-5980, fax 236-6929
El Salvador—Colonia San Carlos 2A, #219,
tel. 236-7344 or 236-8045
France—Colonia Palmira, Avenida Juan Lindo
3A, tel. 236-6800 or 236-6432
Germany—Edificio Paysen, 3rd floor, Boulevard
Morazán, tel. 232-3161 or 232-3162
Great Britain—Edificio Palmira, 3rd floor, across
from Hotel Honduras Maya, tel. 232-3161 or
232-0618
Guatemala—Colonia Las Minitas, 4 Calle, Arturo
López Rodezno 2421, tel. 232-9704 or 2325018
Holland—Rest. El Trapiche, Boulevard Suyapa,
tel. 235-8090
Israel—Edificio Palmira, 5th floor, across from
Honduras Maya, tel. 232-4232 or 232-5176
Italy—Colonia Reforma, Calle Principal 2602,
tel. 236-6810 or 236-8027
Japan—Colonia San Carlos between 4 and 5
Calles, tel 236-6828 or 236-6829
Mexico—Colonia Palmira, Avenida República de
México, tel. 232-6471 or 232-4039
Nicaragua—Colonia Lomas del Tepeyac B-M-1,
tel. 232-4290 or 232-9025
Panama—Edificio Palmira, 2nd floor, across from
Honduras Maya, tel.239-5508
Peru—Colonia La Reforma, Calle Principal,
tel. 221-0596 or 221-0604
Portugal—Colonia Alameda, Avenida Principal,
Edificio Festival, tel. 231-5007
Spain—Colonia Matamoros, Calle Santander 801,
tel. 236-6875 or 236-6589
Sweden–Colonia Miramontes, Avenida Altiplano
2758, tel. 232-4935
Switzerland—Edificio Galerías, Boulevard
Morazán, tel. 232-6239 or 232-9692
United States—Avenida La Paz, tel. 236-9320
to -9329
Venezuela—Colonia Rubén Dario, Calle Arturo
López, tel. 232-1886 or 232-1879
30
Acta de Compromiso
Como medida de prevención e información y con el firme propósito de evitar cualquier tipo de
abuso en contra de los niños, niñas, jóvenes y todas las personas amparadas por la
Institución, se establecen las siguientes reglas, que deben ser cumplidas por todos los
miembros de Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, Institución de Asistencia Privada, las cuales
fueron discutidas y aprobadas en sesión ordinaria del Consejo de Casa, con fecha diez de
diciembre del dos mil dos, las cuales se describen literalmente a continuación:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
Reportar casos de abuso físico, sexual, verbal y emocional a las autoridades de la
Institución. Todo caso será tratado con absoluta confidencialidad.
Queda terminantemente prohibido todo tipo de abuso, ya sea castigo físico, abuso
verbal y emocional, o encierro por tiempo prolongado y sin supervisión.
No se le puede deprivar al niño/a de la comida o merienda, al menos que haya
irrespetado la misma (la tiró, le robó comida a otros etc.).
Todo miembro debe ser vigilante de la conducta de los internos e internas.
Estar vigilante en todo momento que los internos e internas no estén perdidos,
alejados del grupo ó anden solitarios en lugares lejanos de las actividades que se
están desarrollando y reportar a quién corresponda en caso de desaparecimiento.
Ser buen ejemplo con su conducta dentro de la Institución y en presencia de los
internos e internas.
Usar vestuario apropiado. (Ejemplo: No andar con vestuario mostrando el
ombligo, usar shorts, faldas o vestidos muy cortos, entre otros).
Manejar relaciones entre adultos con madurez y discreción. Se prohíben las
relaciones extramatrimoniales. No pueden tener relaciones sexuales entre
personas no casadas en las instalaciones de la Institución o tener otras conductas
inapropiadas.
No hacer comentarios lascivos ni lesivos directamente y entre las personas.
Respetar el matrimonio (el de otros como el propio).
Disciplinar con cariño, firmeza y en forma consistente, de acuerdo a lo establecido
en el Código de la Niñez y la Familia.
No poner videos violentos y/o con contenidos de escenas sexuales.
No invitar a ni consumir en frente de los internos bebidas alchólicas o drogas, ni
dentro ni fuera de las instalaciones de NPH.
Se prohíbe terminantemente llevar internos e internas a los cuartos personales.
Es importante entablar una relación con los internos/as, basada en el amor
paternal y maternal, no sexual, en base de actividades en conjunto, escucharlos y
hacerlos sentirse apreciados.
Se prohíben las relaciones amorosas con internos/as, sin importar edad de los
internos/as por parte de empleados, empleadas, voluntarios, voluntarias o
cualquier miembro de la Institución.
Él(La) abajo firmante, declara: “Firmo libre y espontáneamente este documento como
aceptación a las reglas establecidas en esta Acta de Compromiso, por lo que al no cumplirlas
autorizo a las autoridades superiores de Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, para que aplique las
medidas que disponga por el incumplimiento de lo estipulado en la misma”.
Para constancia, firmo la presente en las instalaciones de Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos,
Institución de Asistencia Privada, Aldea La Venta, kilómetro treinta y seis de la carretera que
de Tegucigalpa conduce a Olancho, municipio del Distrito Central, departamento de Francisco
Morazán a los treinta días del mes de __________________ del año dos mil
______________.
Nombre
Firma
31