| feature story | 1 Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos was profoundly simple: Putting (NPH), all of these children have the boy in jail would not solve been given the opportunity to his problems and would only An act of kindness, walk along a newer, brighter further embed him in the cycle path than before. of poverty. By the end of the If not for divine providence, following week, the judge sent a fulfillment of Father Wasson might not have Father Wasson eight more become a priest. Declined for boys, and NPH was born. the Gospel ordination in the United States The boys initially lived in because of poor health, Father the parish rectory. However, ife is full of surprises. Lives Wasson was spending time the number of children kept in when the bishop growing and Father Wasson that started on one path are of Cuernavaca, Mexico, took quickly ran out of space. He notice of this man who always then rented a defunct brewery abruptly thrust onto new, came to daily Mass. The and, with the help of his ded- bishop and the Holy Spirit icated staff, converted it into a unexpected journeys. Even interceded and Father Wasson home. In time, NPH Mexico was ordained in 1953. grew to its present arrange- acts of kindness can seem surprising. In 1954, Father Wasson’s ment, which now includes spiritual path changed when a facilities in five different cities. Sometimes the world is altered because young boy stole money from Father Wasson derived the the donation box in his parish. NPH name from the Gospels. of a single, simple act of kindness. The boy, who claimed he was Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, hungry and needed money for which means “our little brothers Such was the case for Father ed and at-risk children in Latin food, was sent to court. Instead and sisters” in English, is drawn William B. Wasson. Because of America and the have of pressing charges, Father from the parable of the judgment his life’s work, the lives of more been changed for the better. Wasson asked the judge for of the nations. (Matthew 25:31- than 18,000 orphaned, neglect- Through an organization called custody of the boy. His reason 46) The name comes from verse

18 The East Tennessee Catholic Magazine | July 2014 | www.dioknox.org 40, “And the king will answer the same time, learn from them. them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you I thank God for the blessing to did it to one of the least of these have lived and worked for 10 who are members of my family, years for this great family.” you did it to me,’” or “alguno NPH operates under five guid- de los más pequeños de estos mis ing principles: work, responsi- hermanos” in Spanish. bility, sharing, security and love. Over the years, Father Wasson Work takes the form of personal expanded NPH and founded and household chores, as every eight more homes in , child has his or her own task to , , , El complete. Pequeños are asked to Salvador, the Dominican Repub- give, at minimum, one year of lic, and . Though service back to the home upon each home has its own unique completing their schooling. It is creation story, they all are bound not only a form of thanksgiving, 2 by the same foundational thread: but also a way to help the home. need. Extreme poverty, among Year-of-service youths work in Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos: many other mitigating factors, multiple areas: cooking in the has brought children to the NPH kitchen, assisting in the clinic, ‘Being here is like breathing’ homes. However, not every child caring for a section of younger at NPH is a true orphan; many children or even working in the children may have at least one fields or with the farm animals. hen I first considered post-college living parent who is unable to Sharing is a big component of W plans, it didn’t take much time to adequately support and take care NPH in that the children not decide what I wanted to do. Since I first visited of his or her children. only share their time and abilities the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos home in El Regardless of their back- with the home, but also share grounds, the children come to their material things with one Salvador in 2008 as part of a mission trip NPH and are received with wel- another. Security is the knowl- through my parish, St. Thomas the Apostle in coming arms. It is important to edge the children have upon Lenoir City, I knew I was meant to return and note that NPH is more than just arriving at NPH that they are serve. I was being pulled back. an orphanage, and is quite the welcome and that they will never opposite of the Oliver Twist-in- be asked to leave – nor are they spired image of a desolate in- made available for adoption. I made two more trips excitement, happiness and stitution. It is, instead, a family, NPH becomes their new family, in 2009 and 2010, and as love that threatens to explode evidenced by children who are and every effort is made to keep enjoyable as they were, I knew within me. It is not just the not biologically related who refer siblings together. Pequeños leave it was not enough. This feeling babies and toddlers being cute to each other as siblings. All are NPH only after completing their only solidified my idea of because of their age, but rather lovingly cared for by care-givers education, and each child has returning as a volunteer. There that the youngest to the oldest called Tío and Tía, which means the opportunity to study to as is something very captivating of the pequeños constantly uncle and aunt in English, high a level as he or she desires. about Nuestros Pequeños perform acts of kindness that respectively. These care-givers Some earn certificates in various Hermanos. Even after living just melt my heart. take the role of parents, making vocational trades, while others here for 13 months, I struggle For example, one of our sure that traditional parental continue on to university. Some to put it into words, and I girls recently broke her duties such as clothing, feeding, even do both. always will. ankle and was still getting homework supervision, and At the heart of it all is Father Maybe it is the NPH mission. accustomed to the crutches having fun are done. Wasson’s principle, guiding Maybe it is the opportunity when we all went out for Tía Maritza Ruballos has been element and philosophy: un- to work in such a unique a special excursion. At the working with NPH conditional love. The children environment. Maybe it is the end of the day, there was a for 10 years as a care-giver and are accepted for who they are, as beauty and blessing of being long walk back to the buses. is currently the sub-director of they are. In this loving envi- immersed in another culture. Nelson (not his real name), Casa Santa María, which is the ronment, they are welcomed Maybe, just maybe, it is the a young man who is giving girls house. When asked about and nurtured, and are able to unconditional love that seeps out back a year of service to NPH, her experiences in caring for grow. Children are taken out of every child, every employee saw her struggling. He turned the children, she said, “Being in of dire situations and, with this and each act of kindness that I around, picked her up, and the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos unconditional love, education, witness on a daily basis. carried her the rest of the way. family is a great blessing. Aside and faith formation, given the I cannot even begin to count Another example of this from being an employee, it is an tools to break the cycle of pov- the number of “cup runneth unconditional love and unforgettable experience to live erty into which they were born. over” days I have had. There kindness happened one night with so many children, to know The ultimate goal of NPH is to are moments when I pinch when I helped distribute food that you can help them and, at raise responsible citizens who my cheeks because of the at dinner. It just so happened

By Ashley Siferd By Ashley Siferd 19 will help their communities and to be my favorite meal: frijoles countries. casamientos, a fried plantain, In addition to caring for and tortilla and cinnamon-flavored loving the more than 3,200 chil- hot milk. For whatever reason dren currently residing in the that night, the kitchen did nine NPH homes, this big family not send out enough milk or also extends its reach into the plantains. By the time I was surrounding communities. In done handing out tortillas to keeping with Christ’s teachings, the boys and everyone had NPH cares for others through gone through the line, there various outreach programs and were only beans and tortillas services, helping the poor and left. I made my plate and went the sick. At NPFS Haiti, the to sit with some of the girls St. Damien Pediatric Hospital from my hogar (a group of provides necessary medical kids that a volunteer spends care to the NPH children and time with and serves as a 3 to Haitians in need. During the mentor). Lourdes (not her real Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake, St. name), the girl I normally sit houses around 120 girls from sponsorship office and assist Damien became a treatment next to, knew I love plantains age 8 to young women in their the director. I love witnessing hub for injured earthquake and noticed I had neither a late teens and early 20s who the relationship between victims. Another great example plantain nor a cup of milk. are doing their year of service. sponsors and our children of NPH’s extensive reach is the After explaining why I had There is never a dull moment, here. However, the unofficial Holy Family Surgery Center at a smaller plate of food, I and I enjoy waking to the parts of my job are just as NPH Honduras, which provides began eating. Then Lourdes cacophony of life that is our fun and fulfilling. I help with life-saving surgeries to Hondu- turned to me and held out her home. Though I live within the my hogar and the occasional rans who normally could not af- untouched, full cup of milk confines of our property and troubling piece of English ford these special and necessary and said, “Here take mine. have settled into a routine, every homework. Though I’m no treatments. Many of the NPH Drink it all.” I could go on. weekend has been different. professional photographer, I schools also open their doors to In spite of where they have The kids constantly ask me have been the go-to person children in the community who come from and what they if I am bored because I rarely when the communication and otherwise would have no access have gone through, these kids leave (due to safety concerns, project manager is occupied. to a quality education. never cease to amaze me with my weekends off are still spent I also just love documenting The beautiful thing about what they are capable of – and at the NPH home, though I do and preserving life and the NPH, whether it is taking in I know they are all capable have the occasional excursion). countless memories here. For orphaned, neglected and at-risk of doing great things. There is so much life here a few months after my arrival, children to give them a family Living here at though that it is I also assisted the religious and new chance at life or provid- NPH and being impossible to be education teacher at the ing quality outreach programs to a part of this bored. There school with catechesis. For more information is always One of my fondest those in need, is that it all began big family on how you can impact the with a simple act of kindness. has taught life of a child at NPH, please something memories is a trip to NPH Surprising most everyone by me more visit www.nph.org. For a closer to do or Guatemala for the seventh taking the young thief into his than I ever glimpse at Ashley’s life with the someone annual international soccer care instead of throwing him dreamed pequeños at NPH El Salvador, to talk to: tournament between the NPH in jail, Father Wasson changed of learning visit her blog at ashleysiferd. a toddler homes. I went along to not this boy’s life, as well as those and is the wordpress.com. to push in only document the experience of thousands of other children. greatest the swing, a for the teams, but to also help What that simple act was, and blessing God river to swim in, look after the girls as their what it still is, is a fulfillment has given me. a teenager to share caretaker. It was one of the of the Gospel in a way that can My situation at NPH El your stories with, the small most exhausting and exciting be actively seen today. Child Salvador is different than that mountain to climb and the weeks of my life. Another fond by child, the world is being of volunteers at the other NPH fields to explore, learning about memory is of a trip to the river changed. Each pequeño is a tes- homes. For 11 months, I was a care-giver’s reason for working with the younger girls, hearing tament to the power of an act the only volunteer here. Another here or making breakfast for them squeal with delight as of kindness. Nuestros Pequeños unique aspect is that I live with more than 300 people. The they played in the water. Hermanos is truly fulfilling the kids instead of apart from possibilities are endless. I recently skimmed old Christ’s call to love one’s neigh- them in my own quarters. I live My role as a volunteer papers from college and was bor, and it is a tangible piece of in the volunteer/visitor room is, on paper, simple and surprised by the frequency the kingdom here on earth. ◊ in Casa Santa María, which straightforward. I work in the with which I wrote about NPH.

20 Photos: 1.) The youngest boys and girls of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos enjoy the question-and-answer portion of a puppet show. 2.) Ashley Siferd, third from left, is joined by girls from Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos before the girls choir performance at the cathedral in Santa Ana, El Salvador. Every year, the bishop invites NPH El Salvador's choir and folkloric dance group to perform at the opening and closing of the city's week-long celebration in honor of its patron saint, Santa Ana (St. Anne). 3.) During their June 2013 4 visit to the home, Father David Boettner, rector of Knowing I’ve felt called to serve 5 Sacred Heart Cathedral in in this way shouldn’t have been Knoxville, and parishioner a surprise, but the depth of this Lisa Fisher spend time calling was revealed. outside of the church with And in recent conversations their friends from Nuestros with some of the high school Pequeños Hermanos in girls, Argentina (not her real Santa Ana, El Salvador. name) asked me why I came 4.) Megan Fisher and here. Was it some sort of a few of the toddlers required component to finalize from Nuestros Pequeños my university studies or some Hermanos El Salvador have social service requirement fun trying to sit on the same mandated by the government? chair during the children’s I smiled and answered her home’s 14th-anniversary with the truth, which is that institution. It is a family. I now Argentina asked me why celebration in 2013. I have felt called here by God have more than just my two I would be leaving after I 5.) Before beginning the ever since my first visit. biological sisters to count as finished my volunteer time. I celebration for NPH El A few hours later, Evelyn siblings. Though I consider told her that even though I love Salvador’s 14th anniversary and Cindy (not their real all the kids family, there is them all and this place very in 2013, Father Ron Hicks talks about the life and names) came to my door. I one boy in particular who much, I do miss my family and work of the late Father I refer to as my brother. We friends and would like to see went outside and sat with William Wasson (featured them for a while, and we could not be more different in them. She promptly looked at in the portrait), founder talked about a variety of appearance, which is a thing of me and said, “Well, you don’t of Nuestros Pequeños things. At one point, they amusement for the others here. have to go back to the United Hermanos. asked a question similar to For whatever reason, we just States for that. Your family and that of Argentina’s. When I clicked and share this special your friends are right here.” explained why I was here, connection. That is the beauty Instantly, I was reminded yet is already giving something they both looked at each other of NPH. Though I did leave again of God’s great and infinite back to me. By answering his thoughtfully, and then they my home, family, friends and love for us. What we sow here call, I have been blessed to said, “So in a way, have you a particular way of life behind, on earth will be repaid to us in witness a piece of the kingdom fulfilled one of your dreams by living and serving at NPH felt ways we cannot fathom. God here on earth. With each being here?” I inwardly gushed like I came home. Being here asks us to love our neighbor hug, every walk to dinner, with delight and answered, is like breathing. Even on the and to care for the least of each failed attempt at playing “Yes, it’s been a dream of mine occasional bad day, someone his brothers and sisters. I like soccer and every moment in to come here and be with my unknowingly does something to think that, by serving and between, I am filled with an family ... with you all.” that cheers me up. loving my brothers and sisters indescribable peace. You see, NPH is not an One evening before bed, here at NPH El Salvador, God Paz y bien. ◊

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