Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos – Special Collection: March 17-18
Lent’s clarion call to love extravagantly is what this gift is all about. Each year, through our Collaborative Lenten Gift, we reach out as a community to one particular place of suffering, amid so many in the world. This year, we reach out to our friends at Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH) in Mexico, as they work to recover from last fall’s devastating earthquake.
On September 19, 2017, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Central Mexico. The earthquake struck very close to NPH’s homes and schools in Miacatlán. Thankfully, none of the children, volunteers or staff were harmed, but the damage to their facilities was significant. Since that time, NPH has been working very hard to safeguard the physical and emotional integrity of each of their children. One important effort in that regard is the rebuilding of the boys and girls dormitories in Miacatlán, which were severely damaged in the earthquake. Our gift will be directed specifically to this effort.
Throughout Lent, in the bulletin, on the website, and through emails, we will share this story with you, as we prepare for our collaborative-wide Special Collection for Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos on March 17-18.
TELLING THE STORY
The most recent chapter appears first; scroll down for older entries.
Last year, for our Collaborative Lenten Gift, we reached out as a community to our friends at Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH) in Mexico, as they worked to recover from a devastating earthquake. Our gift was specifically directed toward the rebuilding of the boys and girls dormitories in Miacatlán, which were severely damaged. Below is a message from our friends at NPH, a year after the earthquake. "It has been a full year since the 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Mexico damaging the dormitories, classrooms, and other structures at NPH Mexico. Reconstruction is well underway and many of the damages have been ... Read More
The greatest gift we offer our children when they enter our home is the sense of security and hope that once again they are a part of a family. A family that promises them they will never have to go back to where they have come from whether it be living on the streets, going days without food, never stepping inside a school, never seeing a doctor, never having shoes to put on their feet, or the fear of where they will end up after losing their parents. A family that provides the comfort of knowing they will always have ... Read More
We invite you to participate in this outreach to our little NPH brothers and sisters in Miacatlán. Donations are accepted with our second collection this weekend, by mail to the parish office, or online: We thank you for your support, it is appreciated and will make a difference in the children's lives. For more information, please visit our Lenten Gift page ... Read More
February 26, 2018 - Mexico: Hipólito is a 9-year-old boy studying 3rd grade. September 19, 2017, will be a day he will never forget. "That afternoon we were all very still, we already knew that something serious had happened. My friends and I only heard that the old chapel was badly damaged, and also the schools and the dining hall. Our caregivers explained to us what had just happened and tried to make sure everyone was calm, because there were some children who were crying. They were nervous or maybe scared, I guess. I remember there was no electricity that ... Read More
Last week, we identified the rebuilding of the boys' and girls' dormitories at the NPH facility in Miacatlan, Mexico as the project to which we would dedicate this year's Lenten gift from the Saint John-Saint Paul Collaborative. As in all of the homes sponsored by NPH, the children being cared for in Miacatlan have had tough childhoods. Many have lived in dangerous or unsanitary conditions, begged or scavenged for food, suffered abuse, or had no stable family life, and have lacked proper nutrition and health care. Imagine how thrilled each of these children must have felt when brought to the ... Read More
Over the fall of 2017, our Collaborative heard much about Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, (NPH), as we had visitors from NPH Guatemala. Many families hosted our NPH friends, and even more families signed up to sponsor children. This year, the St. John-St. Paul Collaborative has selected NPH Mexico for our 2018 Lenten gift. On September 19, a devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Central Mexico. The earthquake struck very close to NPH’s homes and schools in Miacatlán. Thankfully, none of children, volunteers or staff were harmed, but estimates of the damage to their facilities were significant. Specifically, we will be contributing towards the ... Read More
Donations can be made during the special second collection at all Masses at St. John and St. Paul on the weekend of March 17-18. Please make checks payable to your parish ("St. John Parish" or "St. Paul Parish"), noting "Lenten Gift 2018" in the memo; we will total funds received from all sources and present one check to NPH.
Donations may also be mailed to the Collaborative Business Office (39 Washington St. Wellesley, MA 02481) or dropped at either parish office during business hours.
