Basic Information 2 - Welcome & Introduction 2 - NPH Vision 2 - NPH Mission 3 - Executive Director’s Letter 3 - NPH Philosophy 4 - History of NPH 4 - Overview of Rancho Santa Fe 5 - Daily schedule 6 - Spiritual Life at Rancho Santa Fe Working as a Volunteer 7 - Vision & Purpose of the Volunteer Program 7 - Commitment & Expectations of a Volunteer 8 - Typical Work Schedules 9 - Choosing & Working with a Hogar 9 - Stipends Living on the Ranch 9 - Housing 9 - Valuables 10 - Smoking/Drinking 10 - Clothing 10 - Living in Community 11 - Relationships 12 - Giving Gifts Basic Supplies Available 12 - Food/Snacks 13 - Water 13 - Hygiene Items 13 - Keys Free Time 13 - Weekends/Salida 14 - Vacations Visas/Residency Status 14 - Renewing Your Visa/Gaining Residency Status Medical/Health Information 15 - Staying Healthy 16 - HIV and Hepatitis 16 - Medical Facilities Transportation 17 - Getting To and From Tegucigalpa 17 - Coming & Going with Ranch Vehicles 18 - Hitchhiking Communicating 18 - Phone/Fax 18 - Letters & Packages 19 - Email Visitors 19 - Guidelines for visitors Cultural Insight 20 - Living in Another Culture 21 - Responding to a New Culture Appendix 22 - Calendar of Events 23 - List of Hogars 24 - Partial List of Rancho Santa Fé Directors, Coordinators, & Other Staff

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Welcome & Introduction On behalf of the NPH family here, we extend you the warmest 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. As a volunteer 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 eve rything 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. Be Patient: Working with people in general, and children in particular, 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 The vision of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos is to create an intercultural Catholic community based on 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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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. I am glad that you are here 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 Executive Director NPH Philosophy The mission of NPH–Honduras 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 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 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.

2. NPH’s objective is to help the children to feel loved in a manner that restores their dignity, hope and sense of security that so that they can develop trust in their new environment, in other people, and in themselves. 3. 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. 4. 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 interdependent adulthood. 5. Academic, physical and spiritual education is essential for the children to become well-rounded adults.

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6. 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 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 1OOO Mexican boys and girls. Over the past years, the family of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos has grown to include over 2,800 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 1978 and May of 1993 mark the beginning of NPH’s homes in Haiti and Nicaragua. The homes in Guatemala and El Salvador were founded in 1996 and 1999. In addition, NPH homes have recently started up in Dominican Republic and are setting up in Peru. Overview of Rancho Santa Fé NPH currently cares for approximately 600 children and young adults from the ages of one to twenty six. 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 six or seven. As in all of the “hogares” of children, “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 people as they grow physically, mentally, emotionally and academically. The children take on responsibilities starting from a young age. In addition to their schoolwork, they have 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 for advanced schooling in Tegucigalpa or other parts of Honduras. Opportunities to study in Canada, Mexico or the United States 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 new highway to Olancho. The children study at the school which is located right on the grounds and has a preschool, kindergarten, primary

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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. Casa Eva (also known as Casa Abuelos, the grandparents’ house) is a home for 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 6 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, 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.

School days Casa Suyapa The children wake up at 6:00 AM for showers and breakfast. The children in first grade are showered and fed first, and the tíos walk them to school so that they arrive for the start of classes at 7:30 AM. The children ages four or five and older who are in Kinder or Prepa 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 special room in Casa Suyapa where they are in classes from 8:30 to 12:00, with the smalle st 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 arrive for their lunch, and the first graders arrive after school gets out for them at 1:00. 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 hogars, 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. 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 time to wash clothes, study and relax before dinner at 6. Their day ends the same as the days of their younger brothers and sisters.

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Weekends The weekend activities are planned several days in advance by the tíos, as well as the director on weekend duty. Mass is held on Saturdays at 4:00 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. Casa Angeles Honduran and volunteer tíos, 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 tíos wake the children up at 6:00 AM, bathe them and feed them breakfast. Many of the children go to special schools in the city. 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 tíos 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 Christian tradition in the Roman Catholic Church shapes the spiritual practice of the people who live on the Ranch. Celebration of the Mass, each weekend and on holy days and funerals, defines the community as a spiritual whole. The weekly mass marks the only regular gathering of the entire community. Announcements, pep talks and occasional dire warnings by Ranch directors follow the religious service. NPH encourages and expects volunteers to attend mass on their working weekends. While NPH strives to help its children develop spiritually, for many of the pequeños religion simply adds organizational structure to their days. It’s challenging to apply messages of Christian love and charity to living here on the ranch. In this, the volunteers have the opportunity to offer a powerful example of service to others, unselfish giving, respect and unconditional love.

Where do volunteers find their inspiration? Being away from familiar routines and support systems taxes spiritual resources as well as physical ones. 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.

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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, cooking, 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-term 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. 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 respecting 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

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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. “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. Commitment 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 are expected to spend evenings from 6:00–8:00 with their hogar. School Teacher: School teachers are expected to be at school by 7:00 AM, with classes starting at 7:30. Two days per week, teachers work until 1:00 PM, and three days per week until 3:00 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 work at the Internal Clinic along with our staff nurses and doctor, seeing patients on a regular basis in the afternoons. Mondays are spent in the internal clinic and Fridays are spent at Ciudad Blanca. Having demanding schedules, medical volunteers work from 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM with an afternoon break (descanso). Because of the varied and demanding schedule, times with hogar are more flexible than with other volunteers. Office Staff: Office workers at Rancho Santa Fé work from 7:30 AM until 4:00 PM. Maintenance/Farm Worker/Other Labor: Most of the support staff that keep 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. 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 5:30-8:00 AM and from 12:30-8:00 PM. On their work weekend, tíos start Friday afternoon and work through Sunday with descanso on Monday afternoon. Salida 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.

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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 an 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 an hogar that’s right for 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 hogars at other times.

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.

Housing Most single volunteers are housed in Casa Personal, a large building consisting of double 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.

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Smoking/Drinking Since we teach our children on the Ranch that smoking is an unhealthy and life-threatening habit both to the one smoking and those nearby, our hope would be that no volunteers are smokers. 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:

• Smoke only in your private living space. • Never smoke around kids or where kids can see you or smell smoke. • Never offer cigarettes or encourage/permit smoking by any kids. • Respect the space/air of nonsmoking volunteers. • Immediately clean up your cigarette butts and leave no evidence of smoking.

Many children on the Ranch have previously lived with (and suffered from) parents or family members with drinking problems. Keeping in mind many of 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).

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 a close community, where everyone depends on each other for their food, housing, 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.

• 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.

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• When the actions of someone is bothering you, talk first to that person. One of the

most destructive forces in a community is to talk about someone behind their 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. 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 other 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 a re 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. It is for these reasons and with many years of experience that we have developed the following expectations:

• 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.

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• 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 responsibly. 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 as encouragement for Pequeños/as to explore sexual aspects of their relationships.

• Regardless of what you think the children suspect, refrain from premarital sex when on the NPH premises or around Pequeños/as on other occasions.

• 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.

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 hogares) Supper 5:30–6:30 PM (until 7:00 PM on Sunday) On Sunday meals are served at the same time with the exception that Supper is served from 5:30 to 7:00. Please note that pequeños are not allowed to eat in the main kitchen. Every Thursday, fruits, vegetables, and eggs are available from the bodega. One or two volunteers living in Casa Personal load up a wheel barrowful of 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,

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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 (the caseta with Erica ) :sodas, juices, chips, comida típica At the workshops (in the caseta with Carolina): 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. Outside faucets painted blue (like the one outside Casa Personal), as well as kitchen faucets in most of the Ranch houses, provide potable (drinkable) water. Although many volunteers adapt to the Ranch’s potable wate r 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 22 Lempiras each. 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. Hygiene Items On the first Tuesday of every month, 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 also receive a bottle of liquid floor soap and a gallon of bleach. Keys When you arrive, you’ll receive keys to your room/house and to the main door of Casa Personal. Volunteers living in Casa Personal should also receive keys for the office and the kitchen. The Volunteer Coordinator will ask you for a 20 Lempira deposit for each key, which will be returned to you when you no longer need the keys. If you lose a key, notify the Volunteer Coordinator.

Weekends/Salida 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 the usual 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—travelling, visiting the homes of your Honduran friends and coworkers, or simply relaxing on the Ranch. If you leave

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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.

Volunteers are allowed 15 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: one week during Holy Week (usually in April), and the other two weeks 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) and during the Olimpiadas (the Ranch’s version of the Olympics, usually held in June), 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.

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 change 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), 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 30 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 gove rnment charges a 300 Lempira fee that will be deducted from your next paycheck. 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.

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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. 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 wate r. 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.

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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. 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. HIV & Hepatitis Anyone who works around children anywhere in the world quickly learns that it’s a good way to get sick. 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 conta ct 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.

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 and Friday mornings. The laboratory is located in the external clinic. The Internal Clinic, infirmary, and pharmacy, located near the main office, serves 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.

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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 10-11 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 8.5 Lempiras per person. 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. Ifyou’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 on an erratic schedule depending 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. Because many volunteers spend their salida weekend in Tegucigalpa, we have arranged for transportation for volunteers to come back Sunday at 7:00 PM, leaving from Casa Angeles. The vehicle is a van which has room for about 15 people, including the driver. Also, it is beneficial to call and check in advance because this van transports Pequeños from Casa Angeles to the Ranch on Sundays and occasionally fills. 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 evening van. 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 to ride along. The bus leaves at 4:00 PM.

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Hitchhiking 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.

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. Messages can also be left in the Padrino’s office (where there is usually someone who speaks German and English) but there is no guarantee that the message will get to you the same day. 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 898-3924 Ranch Switchboard (main gate portón—staffed 24 hours a day) 898-3923 Padrinos Office Open Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–4:00 PM 224-0303 Casa Alistar/Casa Angeles 236-7300 Fax (Tegucigalpa) 224-2764 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). 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

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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 2 Lempiras for small packages downtown, and 10 Lempiras or more for bigger packages at the airport. 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 Yes, it would be wonderful if there were internet connections on the Ranch, but until there are, you’ll have to find your way to one of the many email cafés in and around Tegucigalpa. One convenient café is 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.

Guidelines for Visitors Friends and relatives are welcome on the Ranch for 1–2 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 accommodations and they are welcome to eat in one of our kitchens or with the children. Please remember that space for visitors is limited, especially during December and January, when many friends and family members try to visit. Rancho Santa Fé has only 3 or 4 casitas to house visitors, in addition to beds in the men’s and women’s dorms (when available). Visitors who plan to be in the country for longer visits must find accommodations off of the Ranch.

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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. 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, self-fulfillment, 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.

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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.

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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 1 Año Nuevo 6 Día de los Reyes Magos (three kings) 20 Orientación de Nuevos Voluntarios 25 Día de la Mujer February 2 Día del Trabajador Social 2 Día de la Virgen de Suyapa, Santa Patrona de Honduras (early February) Comienzo del Año Escolar (early February) NPH Junta Internacional 12 Aniversario de Casa Angeles 14 Día del Amor y Amistad March 19 Día del Padre April 13–20 Celebración Semana Santa 14 Día de las Americas 20 Aniversario de la Escuela 23 Día del Idioma 26 Día de la Secretaria 30 Celebración dia del Trabajo ** Miercoles de Ceniza May (second Sunday) Día de la Madre 25 Dia del Padrino 29 Aniversario NPH–Honduras 30 Día del Arbol ** Pentecostes ** Asención de Cristo June 9–13 Semana del Estudiante 11 Día del Estudiante

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July 1 Orientación de Nuevos Voluntarios August 1–2 Olimpiadas (always subject to change) ** Aniversario de la Fundación de NPH 15 Asunción de la Virgen María (last weekend) Festival de Maíz/ Festival de la Canción September 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 October 3 Día del Nacimiento de Francisco Morazán 4 Día de San Francisco de Asis 12 Día de la Raza 21 Día de las Fuerzas Armadas 30 Fiesta Quinceañeros November 1 Día de todos los Santos 2 Día de los difuntos 2nd&3rd week Examenes finales 28 Actos de Clausura, Escuela y Colegio 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 21 Cumpleaños de Padre Wasson 24 Nochebuena 25 Navidad 31 Celebración Año Nuevo ** The dates of these holidays vary annually 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 (Babies) - ages 0-7 Rancho (girls) Lower House: Hijas de Maria (Chicas-chicas) - ages 7-11 Estrellas de Belen (Chicas- Medianas) - ages 10-13 Hermanas de Jesus (Medianas) - ages 12-15

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Upper House: Inmaculada Concepción (Semi- uno) - ages 14-17 Hijas del Pilar (Colegio) - ages 16 and up Near basketball court: Madre Teresa - Aspirantes, Year of Service Special Girls House - in development Marañon (boys) Upper House: San Francisco de Asis (Chicos I) - ages 7-9 San Pablo (Chicos II) - ages 9-10 San Miguel Arcangel (Chicos Medianos) - ages 11-12 Arca de Noe (Medianos) - ages 12-13 Lower House: Angeles de Dios (Medianos I) - ages 13-14 Discipulos de Jesus (Medianos II) - ages 14-15 San Lucas (Semi- uno) - ages 15-16 San Pedro (Colegio) - ages 16 and up Other Houses: San Eduardo Rey (blue house) - Aspirantes, Year of Service San Andrés - in development Partial List of Rancho Santa Fé Directors, Coordinators, Other Staff Directors Executive Director - Reinhart Kohler General Director of Rancho Santa Fé - Alfredo Benitez Secretary - Patricia Varela Director of Administration - Xavier Vila i Ferrer Director of Personnel - Belinda Rios Main office Secretary - Oneyda Irias Homes Coordinator of Casa Suyapa (baby house) - Vicky Madrid sub-coordinator - Oscar Coello Coordinator of Rancho (girls) - Belinda Bonilla sub-coordinator - Lesli Ramirez Coordinator of Marañon (boys) - Roger Fúnez sub-coordinator - Marcos Jimenez Coordinator of Casa Eva (abuelos) - Lolita Romero Coordinator of Casa Angeles - Carmen Yadira Rivera Doctor—Casa Angeles - Dr. Sagastume Education/Formation Principal of Ranch School - Lourdes Salgado Vice-Principal - currently unfilled Guidance Counselor/discipline of school - Sandra Gutierrez School Secretary - Carolina Aceituna Coordinator of Vocational Workshops - Jorge Guadron Vocational Internship Program/discipline - Ibo Arslan Workshop bodega - Franklin Meza Coordinator of Year of Service/Period of Reflection program - Onilda Witty Coordinator of Vacation Courses - Onilda Witty Coordinators of High School and University students - Augistín Moradel, Jose Saul Alvarado

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Social Worker -Silvia Reyes Social Work Secretaries - Angie, Elsi Psychologists - Karla Barrazza, Saily Sanchez, Berta Gradiz Medical Internal clinic nurses - Sara, Nora, Mildred, Dentist - Dr. Dilcia Rodriguez Laboratory Technician - Oscar Acosta Other Departments Coordinator of Sponsorship Program - Lena Zuniga Sponsorship Secretary - Jenny Garcia Coordinator of Farm - Gustavo Gonzalez Coordinator of Gardens/Hortaliza - Oscar Cruz Coordinator of Kitchen - Lorna Urrea Coordinator of General Bodega - Sandra Baca Transportation Coordinator - Miguel Gomez Drivers - Moncho, Miguel, Emerson, Armando Volunteer Coordinator - Fredrick Rockwell