Dear Parishioners,
Thank you for all for your help last weekend in the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) sponsorship drive. With your help, we have 15 new children that are being sponsored through St. John/ St. Paul. Our goal as a parish was to have 24 children sponsored, so there is still time if you are interested! Please visit https://nphusa.org/godparent/ or reach out to NPH Donor Relations Director Andrea Nahigian at 617-206-4943 or anahigian@nphusa.org.
My family and I have supported NPH since its introduction by Father Jim to the St. John-St. Paul Parish Collaborative in 2017. As a Service Commission member at the collaborative, I was involved in crafting the NPH story for our 2018 Lenten Gift that was awarded to NPH Miacatlán, Mexico, contributing towards the rebuilding of the boys’ and girls’ dormitories as the result of the devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Central Mexico. This was my first introduction to NPH’s mission, but I would soon experience firsthand the impact that the organization is capable of.
In August 2019, my son joined Father Jim and the Youth Ministry Team for a service immersion trip to NPH Dominican Republic. During the week-long trip, they spent time tending the farm, cleaning the complex, and interacting with the children. The kids played a game in which they had to work together to climb a greased pole and get the prize at the top. In my son’s words, he became the support “literally and figuratively” as he lifted the boys on his shoulder. He can be seen at the bottom of the pole in the middle of the photo.
At the NPH homes, children learn about God, attend Mass and say grace at mealtime. As Jesus said – “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Our children bonded through having Mass together even though they spoke different languages. The trip helped my son see the greater world (it was his first trip abroad on his own), realize the privilege of his background, and learn the meaning of being a Christian, particularly in the aspects of charity, service, and evangelization.
In November 2019, when the NPH team were on a culture tour of the parishes in eastern Massachusetts, we had the pleasure of hosting two young men, Alfredo and Misael, for a week at our home. It was wonderful to get to know their distinctive personalities and capabilities. The boys brought their talents to our home and performed for us. Alfredo played the violin and Miseal was a dancer. It was amazing to learn that Alfredo did not pick up a violin until age 15 but he could play by ear incredibly.
Just like our own kids, they totally enjoyed my husband’s cooking, and we savored meals together with good conversations. Similarly, they wanted to experience fun, and they successfully convinced my husband to take them to Go Karting, a typical teenage request. We even went on a “family” walk together. Alfredo and Misael were impressed with the swans at Lake Waban and welcomed a tour of Babson college. They were pleasantly surprised to find Mexico’s flag next to the iconic globe on campus. Perhaps, it planted a small seed for college aspiration that was already in the back of their minds.
I felt motherly love for these two growing teens about my son’s age and sent them home with English books. I wanted them to read as much as I wanted my kids to read all the time. Their hopes and dreams are the same.
Misael and Alfredo are independent adults now and leading productive lives. They did 2 years of service with NPH as a way of giving back and helping sustain the NPH community, and now are living on their own, with their future partners for life. We all can thrive under a supportive system and a structured learning environment builds a strong foundation.
NPH provides stability in what otherwise is an unpleasant life for many of these children. The mission of NPH resonates with me – God, family, and community. Though south of our hemisphere, it is part of our larger community. My family and I continue to support NPH through a yearly donation and special events, and I hope you will consider NPH as one of the worthy causes to support and assist the NPH community in raising children of the future.
In mission,
Shilan Yeung