Big is GOD! The Hogar Blog

Francesca at the Kliros

2010-03-05T11:54:00.003-06:00

Dear Parish Faithful,

I just received this photo from Madre Ivonne of the "nina" we are sponsoring this year at the Hogar - Francesca Maria. She is at the kliros, which is the place that the various appointed children of the Hogar chant and sing during the services. Since Francesca is only seven (her birthday is 7/12), she is there quite early, which means she must be a good reader. This privilege of chanting builds up their self-confidence, the childrens' sense of contributing, and further helps them in their reading ability. It also helps them learn the order of the various services. The winning smile on Francesca's face pretty well captures her personality - she is a lively and good-hearted young girl, especially considering the trauma that she and the other children have experienced at a very tender age.

Also, knowing that she is sponsored is also a huge confidence-builder. Even though it is at a distance, Francesca will now feel wanted and cared about. This is a "good work" - may it be blessed by God!

Fr. Steven
.

Hogar Nativity Appeal Wrap-up

2010-01-19T23:12:00.002-06:00

Dear Parish Faithful,

Incredibly, we were able to send a check for $4,215.00 to the Hogar as the final step in our recent Nativity Appeal. Since this total exceeds the required amount for a one-year sponsorship for a particular child, the "extra" funds will be placed in a secure account for her future support and sponsorship, according to Madre Ines.

There is one change I would like to inform everyone of: the initial child we chose to support was quite unexpectedly ordered by the Guatemalan court to be sent back to her mother. This was not anticipated by the Hogar but, of course, they complied with the court order. After discussing this with Mother Ines, we shifted our sponsorship over to another young girl. Her name is Francesca Maria, and she will turn eight on July 12. We also met her on our last Mission Team to the Hogar in June, and became friends with her. She is a lovely little girl, very lively and goodhearted. Madre Ivonne says that she loves music and has a beautiful voice. But, as with all children at the Hogar, a child with a sad history behind her. Now that we know her name, please keep Francesca Maria in your prayers, and ask your children to do the same. We will have opportunities during the year to correspond with her in various ways.

It is a huge moral, psychological, and emotional boost to a child who knows that he/she is being personally sponsored by concerned Orthodox Christians from around the world. The given child then knows that he/she is cared about by others in a special way. Madre Ivonne just informed me that Francesca was told of her sponsorship and that she was "so happy." We will soon receive a card from her, hopefully with a photo.

I have seen and heard of various Christian churches here in the States - including right here in Cincinnati - speak about their great concern for some of the orphanages in Haiti that they are connected to, and for the safety of the children there following the earthquake. This heightened anxiety is rooted in personal contacts and developed relationships with these children following visits to certain Haitian orphanages by these churches. I can much more deeply understand their fears and anxieties, as we, too, have a deep international connection with the Hogar San Rafael in Guatemala, and know many of the children there through personal contact over the years through many of our parishioners.

I noticed a new book at the local bookstore entitled Give a Little - How Your Small Donations Can Transform Our World, by Wendy Smith. I am not implying that everyone is making a "small donation," but if I am reading the meaning of this title correctly, the author is explaining, through her experience as a "fund-raiser," how donations add up in such a way that they make a significant impact. (I did notice some of our children at the Cross stop and place a "small donation" into the basket when we were collecting. But is was "big" in terms of its meaning). That is exactly what is happening in our parish. As a parish community/family our individual donations, whatever the size may be, are "adding up" in a significant manner as in this latest example of fully supporting this child with the generous check that we just sent in.

All to the glory of God.

On a related note: Would anyone be interested in joining a Mission Team to the Hogar from June 16-23 of this coming summer? Please let me know.

Fr. Steven

Vignette from the Hogar: From Hell to Heaven

2009-10-24T09:31:00.001-06:00

Buenos Dias Padres, Madres y Amigos en Cristo!

Como estan? Espero que todos estan bien con ustedes. Estoy muy bien, pero un poquito consado. Saludos para todos ustedes de Madres Ines, Maria y Ivonne.

I returned from Guatemala and the Hogar San Rafael Ayau Orphanage as scheduled late Monday evening. After a day of "catching up" at home (mainly correcting midterm exams from XU) I am back at the church. I am also back to using English which does come to me a bit more naturally! Be that as it may, I would like to share with you some serious reflections and observations following my short stay at the Hogar, especially concerning the children and their upbringing there by Madres Ines, Maria and Ivonne.

As usual, a visit to the Hogar is an experience that paradoxically fills me with a sense of sadness and inspiration. In just a short period of time, it is virtually impossible not to feel sad on behalf of these "abandoned, abused, and orphaned children" and the brokenness of their young lives. There are even encounters that will either melt or break your heart. Yet simultaneously, it is impossible not to be inspired and deeply moved in a positive sense as you briefly witness how these broken lives are being protected and even slowly put back together again. The process of healing is taking place below the surface and when clear signs of it become manifest this is truly exhilarating and a cause for joy. Here is a very poignant and dramatic case in point:

There is a lovely young girl of about ten that presvytera Deborah and I met in June and spent some time with on an outing to a plant and garden nursery. We made friends that day and enjoyed her company for the rest of the week there. On my recent visit I discovered the shocking fact that she had been terribly violated ("let the reader understand") while living in a tenement building. She was then eventually brought to the Hogar and taken in. This is the part that truly breaks your heart, especially when you see this child up close, call her by name, hold her hand, hug her, and spend some time with her. To be perfectly honest, it also boils your blood. The tragic character of the fallen world is no more fully manifested then in the destruction of the purity and innocence of a child. The consequences are severe. The words of Christ make this clear: "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." (LK. 17:2) This also makes many of the children very susceptible to mood swings that will include a kind of depression. And yet this young girl has been baptized and now participates in the sacramental life of the Church on a daily basis. So, I am not ashamed to say that when she came to Communion on Sunday while I was serving, tears came to my eyes as I gave her the Body and Blood of Christ "unto life everlasting." This little child is truly on a journey from hell to heaven! She has been in the "dark pit" described by the psalmist, and has now returned to the light of day. This is the part that is inspiring. Or that uplifts your troubled heart.

We cannot romanticize this healing process. It is slow and difficult. Madre Ivonne further shared with me that for many of the children, it is not until they are about fifteen or so when they realize that they are being cared for in a spirit of love. They may not really "open up" until then and fully trust their caregivers. (By that age at the Hogar, we are speaking about teen-aged girls, for the boys have been transferred elsewhere to another very fine institution - Ak Tenamit - that further educates them and prepares them for life in society).

When you support the Hogar it is a child like this that you are supporting! You are helping to feed, clothe, and educate her. And protect her from the outside world that has betrayed her. You are helping to maintain her in a Christ-filled environment. It is a noble and worthy cause. May it be blessed.

I would like to share a few less dramatic things that I picked up on this trip in the days to come. There are a couple of practices I heard about at the Hogar that are meant to instill a spirit of maturity and responsibility in the children and young adults that I believe you will find interesting. Until then ... Adios!

Dios ustedes bendigan!

Con mucho amor en Cristo,

Fr. Steven

Interview with Madre Ivonne

2009-10-20T16:36:00.002-06:00

Dear Parish Faithful,

For those who may be interested, here is a pretty extensive interview with Madre Ines of the Hogar San Rafael Ayau Orphanage in Guatemala City, conducted when she was recently in Russia. It was sent to me by Bobbie Royhab, a woman from Toledo who has been on our own mission teams in the past.

Fr. Steven

_____

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/31235.htm

Good Afternoon,

Ron and I attended a retreat with Madre Ivonne, coordinator of the Hogar Rafael Ayau Orthodox Christian orphanage in Guatemala, at a Greek Orthodox church and school in Pittsburgh this last weekend.

She gave us an article (link is above) that recently appeared in a Russian publication. It is an interview with Madre Abbess Ines of the Orthodox monastery in Guatemala. Madre Ines, also director of the Hogar, and Madre Maria, the third Orthodox nun who lives in Guatemala, spent several weeks in Russia in July.

--Bobbie

A Part of Their Lives ~ Reflections On the 2009 Mission Trip, by Anastacia and Alexandra Taylor

2009-07-27T12:19:00.001-06:00

When we arrived at the Hogar on Monday afternoon, I had no idea what to expect. I had no idea what connections I would make with the children in the few days I was there. Although I spoke no Spanish, and most of the children knew very little English, it didn’t stop friendships from being made.

As a missionary team, we were in charge of moving all of the furniture and instruments from the ‘old’ music room into the next room over and repainting the ‘old’ music room in order to expand the wood-workshop. While it was hard work, knowing how much we were helping the Hogar staff and children was well worth it. Many people on our team also helped with gardening and grounds keeping. The beautiful ‘park’ area now has freshly cut grass and weed-less flower beds.

On Tuesday night, Anastacia K, Mara, Megan, Alexandra, and I went with the older girls to a cinema to see Jonas: 3D Concert Experience. The girls were much like many of the girls here in the U.S.-they love the Jonas Brothers. Many of them knew more of the songs than I did!

When there was any extra time, (after lunch, before the next activity) I enjoyed helping at the nursery. I enjoyed playing with the children in their play-pen and also taking them outside on the swings. Some of the children were old enough to swing by themselves and some enjoyed sitting on my lap and swinging. David, one of the younger boys, was so sleepy one day that after swinging for just a few minutes he fell happily asleep.

On my second-to-last day, I decided to play in the courtyard with the pre-schoolers. Even though I couldn’t understand what they were saying to each other and to me, we had so much fun playing with bubbles. They loved blowing bubbles and chasing them and trying to pop them! They were laughing so hard and were having so much fun. Even though I was only able to play with them a few times the rest of the trip, I will never forget how happy they were to play with me. They loved having my full attention and talking to me, even though I couldn’t respond with words. They also loved being spun around and around in circles again and again. Their whole face would light up when I told them they were next…

The church at the orphanage was also beautiful. It was amazing how well-behaved all of the children were during each of the services. Everyone paid attention and sang along. Many of the girls had ‘jobs’ during the services, such as reading or leading the songs.

Going on this trip, I have taken a new perspective on life. I have realized not only how much my family means to me, but also that is not what you surround a person with, it’s who. All of the children are loved by Mother’s, care takers, nannies, and their peers. It amazed me how well everyone seemed to get along, always being so near to each other.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much the children wanted to be with us. We would communicate through hand-signals, games, and a combination of English and Spanish!

Anastacia

~ ~ ~

For our missionary work, we painted the music room. First, we moved all of the furniture out of the room and to the new music room next door. Then, we scraped off the bright red paint. Finally, we repainted the walls white. Afterward, we expanded the woodshop to include the newly-painted room. We did this because their wood shop needed more space for all of the large equipment. The children learn how to carve wood during the week.

It’s amazing how you can get so close to some of the children. From the sixteen-month old babies to the thirteen-year-old girls they were all fun to be around. I was especially fond of a toddler named Anna. We would go out on the courtyard swings and she would sit in the baby swing and I would push her. We would also go into her play pen and she would sit in my lap and we would play peek-a-boo or she would sit on the floor next to me and I would hold her ands and play pat-a cake.

We went to church in the morning and in the afternoon. Before church began, one of the girls would ring the bells, so everyone would know church was beginning. The church had many beautiful icons. There were more than 120 icons in it. On Tuesday morning, we celebrated liturgy. All of the children sat down and paid attention to the service.

Leaving the orphanage was the hardest part. The children all stood in a line and then we hugged each of them. I remember hugging them like it was yesterday. They all seemed so thankful for having us come to the Hogar. I felt part of their life and now they are part of mine.

I wanted to stay much longer.

Alexandra T.

Mission Trip Summary, Pt 2

2009-06-19T08:20:00.004-06:00

Dear Parish Faithful,

Buenas Tardes!

Miscellaneous Comments

I wanted to bring up an item of two that would further supplement my summary of our Mission Team trip from yesterday. In terms of "interconnected events," or "meaningful encounters," when we arrived at the Hogar, we were introduced to a long-term missionary by the name of Ben Logan. Ben is from an OCA mission in Nicholasville, KY (Southern Diocese). Ben was a retreat participant last September when Madre Ivonne was here as our guest and retreat leader. As we all were, he was deeply impressed by her presentation of the Hogar. That was the first time he met Madre Ivonne and, as the saying goes, "one thing led to another," and he is now spending the summer at the Hogar. For all practical purposes, Ben was attached to our Mission Team as a twelfth member and was of considerable help in our various work assignments. He is also accompanied us on our "outings" with the children. And he always appeared at the Bible Studies with his Greek New Testament!

Sadly for us at Christ the Savior/Holy Spirit, when Luke Loboda departed from the Hogar his final destination was his new home in Pittsburg, PA. Luke's wife, now Dr. Ashley Loboda, is doing her residency at a local Pittsburg hospital. So the Hogar was Luke's last "parish activity" with us. And Luke was an invaluable team member. In addition to his hard work, Luke was very good with the children. Madre Ivonne said that he accomplished a "miracle" of sorts in the swimming pool with some of the younger boys who were afraid to get into the water, but who trusted Luke and for the first time "made the plunge." We will miss Luke, Ashley and Noah and we wish them the best in their new home. May God bless them for, and with, many years!

Presvytera Deborah's niece, Mara Livezey from Detroit, spent her four high school years at a prestigious Russian-based ballet school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. While at the Hogar she offered a one-hour presentation of her ballet skills and some basic teaching to the senoritas who thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Anne, Anastacia and Alexandra Taylor had to leave earlier than the rest of the team. On the morning of their departure, following Matins, Madre Ivonne openly complimented them very warmly on their educational level and their excellent behavior as young team members. Surprisingly and sadly, however, she also informed everyone that they may be the last team members under twenty years of age allowed. On a recent team, the young members unfortunately acted very rudely toward the Hogar children; and, contrary to the rules of the Hogar, they were "inappropriately dressed." This prompts two immediate questions: "Where was their team leader?" "Where was the accompanying priest?" This is a good example of how some must reap what others have sown. Actions have consequences. I am not sure that this has become an "official policy," but again Madre Ivonne informed us openly of Madre Ines' decision. The madres are fiercely protective of the children. They clearly will not tolerate any rude behavior towards them.

The number of ninos and ninas at the Hogar has been considerably reduced. There are now about sixty children. At one point in the past there were a hundred and fifty and above. This allows for greater attention for each child. Many children have returned home to family, or at least extended family, members. The older boys have been sent to Ak Tenamit (Alexander, the boy we tried but failed to adopt, is one of these boys), an educational and vocational school that trains native Guatemalan children for the future while helping them to appreciate their own Mayan cultural traditions. We certainly missed seeing some of our old friends, but we hope and pray that their lives have been changed for the better following their encounter with the love and support they all received from the Hogar.

The Healing Process

Presvytera and I have now known some of these children - particularly the senoritas - for six or seven years respectively. Thye have become our "amigas." Towards us they are always friendly, open and deeply respectful. We mutually look forward to seeing each other periodically and maintaining some contact. We have seen them grow up into sixteen, seventeen and eighteen year old teen-agers. Their deepest desire is to be "normal," and a great deal of "normalcy" now characterizes their lives, as much as that is possible in the settiing of the Hogar. This is their "spiritual oasis," but also something of a "golden cage," as Madre Ivonne acknowledges, shielding them from some of the harsher realities of life, concretly symbolized by the four fifteen-foot high walls that enclose the Hogar on all sides. Over the years, Madre Ivonne has become their "madre" in a very real sense. Yet, the healing process is long and arduous, marked by "ups and downs" that must be dealt with patiently, firmly, but with love. Madre Ivonne reminds us that below the surface, the senoritas have real "issues." None of these senoritas come from wholesome families in which they experienced the love of father and mother. Actually, they come out of broken households that we today would term highly dysfunctional. They are all "abandoned, abused, and/or orphaned." Some of their personal stories have a nightmare quality that we cannot quite wrap our minds around. At some point in their lives they have suffered from physical and/or psychological trauma. And yet they have ambitious plans for the future - marine biologist, doctor, teacher, etc. It is wonderful to hear them speak of this.

The lives of the senoritas - and the other ninos and ninas - are deeply and organically woven into the life of the Church. Thye are immersed in the daily, weekly and annual cyles of the Church's liturgical life in a way that is perfectly natural for them. They have a tremendous love and respect for the Church. This is evident even when they clean the church. For the Church is their primary source of healing as it is the primary source of strength, perseverance, commitment and love for Madres Ines, Maria and Ivonne. Christ is the Physician of their souls and bodies - as He is of ours. All of us are in the process of being healed and restored to fellowship with God through our lives in the Church. The more conscious and committed we are to that process, the more "real" it can become. Witnessing this healing process in such "hurt" and damaged children as are at the Hogar is profoundly moving and encouraging. BIG IS GOD!

A Mission Team Next Year?

This was our first Mission Team to the Hogar since 2006. Up to that point we had a team every summer since 2002. I also calculate that twenty-five current or former parishioners have made the journey to Guatemala. Perhaps we have reinvigorated our Mission Team commitment with this year's excellent team and our generous parish donations. Someone has already approached me and asked about next year! The "June slot" has historically always been offered to us, and I will find out from Madre Ivonne if that will hold up for June 2010. She usually makes the schedule in the early Fall and then informs me of the dates. You may want to let me know if you have any kind of tentative desire to be on the team for next year.

If I could answer any further questions, please forward them to me.

En Cristo,

Fr. Steven

Mission Trip Summary, Pt 1

2009-06-18T08:11:00.001-06:00

Dear Parish Faithful,

Buenos Dias!

Introduction

Having returned from a week at the Hogar San Rafael Ayau in Guatemala City, I would like to offer a summary of this year's Mission Team activities and experiences. Over-all, I can write assuredly that the entire trip was muy excellente. I believe that we maintained a good balance between our work project assignments, and accessibility - and thus fellowship - with the ninos, ninas and senoritas. Our (fearless) team leader, Presvytera Deborah, successfully combined the roles of keeping the team in good order, and acting with genuine maternal care for each member's well-being. Her experience with life at the Hogar and its particular "culture" were effective assets throughout the week. The task of further over-all supervision and the directing of each Mission Team to the Hogar belongs to Madre Ivonne. As always, it was a joy to work with her and simply spend some time with her, though her incredibly demanding schedule keeps her constantly on the move from one task to another - including the minor crises of each day. Any conversation that lasts over five minutes is invariably interrupted by a cell-phone call, or an approaching child, teacher, ninera, visitor, etc. with a new question or problem to be solved. The stamina and patience that all of this requires - let alone the ability to address and react to the multi-leveled day-to-day challenges - is staggering to contemplate.

Our Mission Team

On one level, our eleven-member Mission Team was not characterized by great diversity (we were all midwestern, white and Orthodox). However, we did have some real age-related diversity (to keep with the spirit of the times) that embraced some young members - one pre-teen and three teens; some "middle-aged" members; and a few "older" members. This works effectively on more than one level, not least of which are the different types of relationships the children can form within this wide range of age diversity. The Hogar children can enjoy the company of their North American peers; the big brother/big sister relationship with the next age-group up; and the maternal/paternal relationships with the older members. The team was thankfully marked by a spirit of cooperation and closeness as the week progessed. In short, we "got along." We did our best to have a Bible Study in the early evening, followed by an evaluation of the day and preparation for the day to come.

Work Assignments

One of the main goals of a Mission Team is to fulfill a work assignment that upgrades the facilities of the Hogar, beautifies the grounds and relieves the Hogar of the financial burdens such work entails. We had two work assignments: painting and landscaping. Presvytera Deborah thus created two groups for these twin tasks. We transferred the music room from one spot to another newly-prepared room; painted a very large room and then transferred the work shop machinery into that room. Landscaping entailed mowing, edging and planting. Luke Loboda was "awesome" in mowing the entire Hogar park and surrounding areas by himself. Actually, a third assignment was assisting with the children in the nursery - holding them, taking them for walks in the outdoors, playing on the swings, etc. This was done primarily by Anne, Anastacia and Alexandra Taylor (though Anastacia also helped in the painting). And a fourth assignment was helping the younger boys to swim. This was done by Luke Loboda and Anthony Jula from Columbus. This work is carried out within the framework of the liturgical cycle of daily Matins (7:00 a.m.) and Vespers (4:15 p.m.) I also celebrated a somewhat delayed Pentecost Liturgy for the Hogar on Tuesday morning.

Highlights

Memorable highlights, chronologically listed, included: 1) A trip to the mall supervised by Anastasia Kostoff of our younger team members together with the older senoritas to see a film about the Jonas Brothers(?), sponsored by one of our parishioners. 2) Distribution of the special gifts for the senoritas in the beautiful setting of the Hogar park provided by our parish members. 3) A real "fiesta," with pinata, Mariachi band and dancing in honor of one of the Hogar school supervisor's fiftieth birthday. 4) A power-point presentation of our Mission Team members and the parish to a large group of the Hogar children. 5) A very exciting evening to see the Moscow circus(!) with our entire team and the senoritas, together with some of the other younger ninos and ninas. This was quite a night out! The Russian embassy in Guatemala provided the tickets for all of the Hogar children. (Madre Ines has established a good working relationship with the Russian embassy. In July she will be taking two former members of the Hogar family to Russia where they will study engineering in a five-year program. They will initially live in a monastic setting in and around Moscow). 6) A trip to the Holy Trinity monastery to greet Madres Ines and Maria, that began with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the breathtakingly beautiful cathedral church there. This was followed by a day in Antigua to which we invited eight of the senoritas for some sight-seeing and the inevitable shopping. 7) A final pizza and coke party also sponsored by one of our parishioners.

Parish Donations

Monetary donations came from a wide range of sources: the wekly "basket by the Cross;" an Ice Cream Sundae Sale sponsored by the Church School; a baklava sale sponsored by members of St. Katherine's Sisterhood; specifically-designated donations for activities with the children or our work assignments; money left with Madre Ivonne for a future Fall event; and assorted miscellaneous donations from outside the parish. This all amounted to about $4,950.00!

In addition there were seven suitcases "stuffed" to over-capacity with new clothing, games, school-related items, domestic items, etc. In other words, we more than retained our "reputation" for genorosity to the Hogar and its children. The three other parishes represented on our Mission Team also brought further generous monetary and item donations. Madre Ines insisted that I express her deep appreciation for these gifts and donations and our continuing support of the "abandoned, abused, and orphaned children" of the Hogar.

To be concluded with a few closing comments, hopefully by tomorrow.

En Cristo,

Fr. Steven

Healing Abandoned Children at Hogar Rafael Ayau

2008-10-13T21:41:00.002-06:00

by Frances Fowler-Collins

It is difficult to raise children well under any circumstances, but it is especially difficult when all the children in question have been abandoned and most have also been abused. This was a central theme of the retreat that Madre Ivonne Sommerkamp, of the HogarRafael Ayau in Guatemala City, led at Christ the Savior/Holy Spirit Orthodox Church in late September. About 120 people from Ohio and nearby states attended this retreat in Norwood, Ohio, entitled “Healing in Christ.”

Madre Ivonne and two other Orthodox nuns operate the “Hogar,” or Home, an orphanage that shelters about 100 Guatemalan children of both sexes, ranging in age from infancy to the mid-teens. The nuns’ work with the children is shaped by a coherent theory about how children, including children who desperately need physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, should be brought up. During the morning session, Madre Ivonne described the daily life of the children at the home; in the afternoon session she elaborated on the theory which she and her sister nuns have developed to guide the work that they do. They seek to follow a middle road between being too severe with the children and spoiling them. “There are two limits,” said Madre Ivonne, “not enough and too much. . . . It’s very important that children not expect to be served.”

The children’s daily schedule can best be described as “rigorous.” Rising at 5:00 A. M., the girls wash clothes while the boys swim laps. At 6:30 everyone eats breakfast; then they attend Matins at 7:00. No one is required to attend church, but since there is nothing else to do during services, almost all the children choose to attend. No doubt one reason that the children “love” to go to church is that they are permitted to play an active role in the services as chanters, readers, bell ringers, and censers. After Matins comes another important part of the Hogar’s program: almost five hours of school work. At 1:00 PM the children eat lunch. Extracurricular activities follow. In the afternoon the girls swim laps, and the children also pursue such activities as music, working with computers, carpentry and crafts. After a snack at 4:00, they attend Vespers. Supper is at 5:30, and the rest of the evening is devoted to homework and sports. Bedtime comes early.

This plan of activities is shaped by the philosophy of education that the nuns have developed through study and experience. Madre Ivonne shared a list of “Books to Read” with the retreatants. They included such works as On the Upbringing of Children, by Bishop Irenaeus; Raising Them Right: A Saint’s Advice on Raising Children, by St. Theophan the Recluse; Soul Mending, by John Chryssavgis; and Parenting Other People’s Children by John L. Stoller.

The spiritual healing of the children is of central importance at the Hogar. As Madre Ivonne said, “God must be the center.” Therefore, the sisters teach the children to pray and to count on God. Most are baptized soon after they arrive at the Hogar, and they are anointed daily. When priests are available to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, the children receive the Eucharist, with the older children carrying babies and toddlers to the chalice. Madre Ivonne and the other sisters also teach the importance of forgiving others quickly–an especially necessary lesson since most of the children feel deep anger because they were abandoned.

However, the children need healing on other levels as well. Drawing on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as presented in Stoller’s book, the nuns make sure that all the other needs of their charges are addressed as well. First, their physiological needs for food, water, shelter, and exercise must be met. “If those needs aren't satisfied in infancy, you’ll tend to confuse needs and wants. You won’t trust anyone,” explained Madre Ivonne. Next in the hierarchy of needs is safety and security. The Hogar is a complex of buildings protected by a wall; however, it is located in a crime-infested area of the city. One of the reasons that the nuns are preparing to move the Hogar outside the city is that the children’s need for safety and security can be better met there.

The next need in the hierarchy is for love and belonging. Madre Ivonne stressed the importance of meeting this need, not only at the Hogar but throughout our society. Ideally, children receive love and develop a sense of belonging within their families, but today many children have weak families that fail to meet this need. Families should eat meals together, said Madre Ivonne. “We all need belonging. . .If we don’t belong, we’re lost.” Children who don’t feel they belong anywhere are likely to be attracted by gangs, which appeal because they do meet the need to belong.

Self-esteem comes next in Maslow’s hierarchy. The children at the Hogar usually lack self-esteem, so the sisters try to build their self-confidence in various ways. Some of these include teaching them to read in a country with a high illiteracy rate; developing their skills in such areas as swimming and music; and providing them with attractive clothing to wear. The last need in the hierarchy is for self-actualization, usually not achieved until adulthood. Through their program at the Hogar, Madre Ivonne and her co-workers seek to lay the foundation for self-actualization later on in the children’s lives.

Madre Ivonne concluded her talk by telling the retreatants how to work effectively with a child who suffers from “reactive attachment disorder,” a common problem among abandoned children. First, all of the child’s needs must be met. Second, the adults must be absolutely trustworthy. However, they must also let the child know that they are in control. Last, any adult who works with such children must be emotionally strong because these children usually go through numerous cycles of “bonding and rebellion.”

The system of education which the nuns at Hogar Rafael Ayau have developed is relevant, not only for the Hogar, but for everyone who is involved in raising or educating children. After all, every child needs healing to some degree. And, as the title of the retreat suggests, Christ Himself is the great healer. Madre Ivonne put it this way: “If we choose to follow Him, healing will come.”

Miracles mark story of Guatemalan Orphanage

2008-10-09T00:03:00.003-06:00

by Frances Fowler-Collins

“Miracle after miracle.” That is how Madre Ivonne Sommerkamp described her twelve years at the Hogar Rafael Ayau in Guatemala City. She was leading a retreat, “Healing in Christ,” on September 27 at Christ the Savior/Holy Spirit Orthodox Church in the Cincinnati area. About 120 people attended, coming from various parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. In her presentations, Madre Ivonne shared the history of the orphanage and described the theory and program that she and the other two nuns have developed to heal the more than 1,000 abandoned and abused children who have lived in the Hogar since 1996.

Hogar (Home) Rafael Ayau was originally founded as a hospice in 1856 by Don Rafael Ayau, the great-great-grandfather of Madre Abbess Inés, who heads the monastery. After a few years it was taken over by some Catholic Sisters of Charity, who ran it as an orphanage until the 1970s when the Guatemalan government assumed responsibility for it. Conditions deteriorated seriously under the government, and in 1996 the president asked the nuns of the Orthodox Monastery Lavra Mambré to take it under their wing.

As Madre Ivonne explained with considerable humor, the nuns were not originally sure that God was calling them to this task. They engaged in an all-night prayer vigil to St. Herman of Alaska, seeking to know God’s will. The next morning, before they had even finished praying, they received a FAX telling them that the Hogar was theirs! Many of the miracles of their early years involved God’s steady answering of their prayers for funds to renovate the shabby buildings. “The most important thing in life is prayer,” Madre Ivonne said. “We have to ask.”

The major goal of the Hogar is to heal the children it serves, physically, emotionally, and spiritually–often a difficult task since the experience of being abandoned has left the children angry and mistrustful. Therefore, the nuns have developed a program designed to help the children learn to love, trust, and forgive. Of course, they believe that “God must be the center” because “love is the answer. . . .God is love.” This means that the children’s lives are surrounded by prayer; they attend matins and vespers every day, are anointed every day, and are baptized at an early age. They are also loved and listened to.

However, the nuns also realize that the children need a balanced life if they are to heal and grow to healthy adulthood. This means a daily schedule that includes three nutritious meals, about five hours of school on weekdays, swimming, and extracurricular activities such as music, carpentry, crafts, and sports. The children take frequent excursions and watch some carefully selected television shows and films each week. They are not allowed to watch whatever they choose on television because, as Madre Ivonne says, “We are what we see, what we hear.” The Hogar’s approach to healing is working. Bit by bit the children learn to forgive and to trust. They also learn to love God. “They love God; they love the Mother of God. . . .They are very pure in their faith,” said Madre Ivonne.

Now the Hogar Rafael Ayau is engaged in an enterprise which will depend on more miracles; the nuns are building a new orphanage 17 miles outside the city, near their monastery on Lake Amatitlan. Their current complex is located in a red light district, and they do not believe it is a good environment for the children. The new orphanage will cost well over a million dollars–money that the nuns do not yet have. But they have learned to depend on God and his miracles. As Madre Ivonne put it: “If God wants it, it will happen!”

Retreat Reflection, by Fr. Steven

2008-10-08T23:57:00.004-06:00

September 29, 2008

Dear Parish Faithful,

Our designated "retreat reporter" was Francis Fowler-Collins, and she will actually write up a couple of different accounts of the retreat that will eventually appear in some of our Orthodox publications and websites. I will forward these to you once they are prepared. As we await Francis' articles, I would like to add a few comments by way of observation and reflection on Saturday's retreat.

To begin: I believe that we had an outstanding retreat. I expected as such, but the retreat clearly exceeded my expectations. This, of course, was primarily due to the preparation and presentations of Madre Ivonne. For ultimately, the success of a retreat is dependent upon the retreat's leader or main speaker. Madre Ivonne not only did not disappoint us, but she also inspired us by revealing to us what a person with strong faith in Christ can accomplish. In addition to providing needed information about the ongoing activities of the orphanage, she provided a flesh and blood example of Christ-like care and love for God's children. How does that phrase go?: "she walks the talk." As our church faces an embarrassing crisis and scandal over an appalling lack of authentic Christian leadership, here was an authentic voice and an authentic person. Right now, we needed that. And that is all that it really takes to get our respect and attention: an honest, sincere, believing person who speaks from the heart about the love of God that can transform human lives. Our hungry response to that authenticity was revealed in the rapt attention of everyone there in both the morning and afternoon sessions. And after the beautiful Great Vespers that ended the day, in the long line of well-wishers patiently waiting to personally greet and thank Madre Ivonne for her presentation. I have been good friends with Madre Ivonne for a few years now, and I knew that she would give an impressive presentation of the work of the Hogar, and that she would put a "face" on the Hogar, as did Madres Ines and Maria back in 2003 when they were with us. So let us first thank God for her presence and presentation.

The content of her presentation, of course, was the lives of the abandoned, abused and orphaned children of the Hogar San Rafael Ayau Orphanage. Only a heart of stone could not be deeply moved or remain "uninterested." Madre Ivonne wakes up every morning with one hundred children that she must help care for and get through the day! (For those familiar with the Madeline stories of children's literature, I often see her as the Orthodox equivalent of Miss Clavel, which I say with great respect, and the reminder that this is the "real thing"). She then outlined the daily schedule of the children in the exhaustive efforts to bring a sense of normalcy and decency to the lives of the Hogar's children. And in the process convince them that there are adults that can be trusted and loved in return. The unloved children of today, are tomorrow's hardened criminals. Sadly and tragically, as Madre Ivonne informed us, there are countless thousands of homeless children wandering the streets of Guatemala City who remain unloved amidst great squalor and abject poverty. The Hogar is a spiritual oasis that these children will hopefully be ever grateful for when they grow up. What impresses me is how, under the guidance of Madre Ines, the three nuns have the foresight to always plan ahead for the future and "stay ahead" of the ever tumultuous chain of unforeseen events that unfold on an almost daily basis. Part of this foresight is the current construction of new dormitories for both boys and girls on the grounds of the Orthodox Monastery of the Holy Trinity - Lavra Mambre. There the children will leave the uninviting sights and sounds, as well as the moral chaos of the Hogar's urban landscape, and move into the open air of the countryside and the idyllic surroundings of Lake Atatlitlan. I would imagine that a part of our contribution will go toward these dormitories. The madres are looking to the inevitable adulthood of these children in the upcoming years, and planning for their educational opportunities so that they can take a productive place in their society. This, of course, is combined with the emotional and spiritual healing that is at the heart of the Hogar's existence. To complicate life further, in addition to the cares of the children, Madre Ines especially is constantly dealing with judges, social workers, lawyers, government bureaucrats etc. We can imagine the necessary patience and diplomacy that this entails: "Be as gentle as doves, and wise as serpents ..."

There were easily over one hundred retreat participants here during the course of the day. In addition, there were about a dozen children that we provided child care for. Combined with our parishioners, it was a genuinely pan-Orthodox retreat, united in the common desire to deepen our collective and personal lives in Christ. Many of our guests were acquainted with the Hogar through being members of past Mission Teams. Madre Ivonne's reputation preceeded her here, and these participants made the effort to join us and hear her yet again. We also had some non-Orthodox visitors, primarily some of my XU students. One of my students requested to join our Mission Team next summer to the Hogar after listening to Madre Ivonne. In fact, many of you spoke with me for the first time about one day joining one of our parish Mission Teams after this encounter with Madre Ivonne. May it be blessed. I believe that our parish was a warm and hospitable place throughout the course of the day. Madre Ivonne's comments to this effect were surely sincere and from the heart.

A great deal of time, talent and treasure goes into creating the atmosphere for a successful retreat. Thank God it all came together for our parish and for us as participants this last Saturday. I am certain that this parish event will remain memorable for a long time to come for all who participated. If the retreat was one choice among many to make this past Saturday, then I believe that God rewarded that choice. The day will come, God willing, for a future retreat - but not for awhile, I would hope!

If you would like to pass any of your own observations and comments that I could selectively share with the parish, please do so.

By the way, after hearing our choir, Madre Ivonne told Pat Pride that she wanted to take her back to Guatemala with her. I then told Madre Ivonne that we can be generous - but not that generous!

For those who regrettably were not present on Saturday, there was a young man from Lexington who made a very professional recording of the two talks, that will hopefully be available in the near future. I will keep everyone informed.

Our heartfelt thanks to the personal of the following ministries :

Our Retreat coordinator Elena Drach, and her assistant Presvytera Deborah. Everything was very well-organized and anticipated in advance.
Our technical support coordinator, Ralph Sidway, who set up all systems to full capacity.
Our Child Care support coordinator, Terri Sauer, and her "team" of Hannah & Lydia Charles, Sophia Myers, and Michaelanne Sauer.
To all involved in set-up, clean-up and the donation and preparation of the meals.

Fr. Steven

The "Money Trail" - Hogar Donations Abound!

2008-10-08T23:06:00.005-06:00

Webmaster's Note: The following entries from Fr Steven, delivered in "real time" following our retreat on September 27 featuring Madre Ivonne, gives a real feel for the gathering momentum of our 2008 efforts for the Hogar and what we must clearly attribute to the Grace of God. Further, these rather intimate, immediate entries speak to the total transparency regarding all of Christ the Savior's fundraising efforts on behalf of the Hogar.

September 29, 2008
Dear Parish Faithful,

I must begin with a confession: apparently, I am a man of "little faith." Based upon on the fact that we have had two very extensive fundraising drives over the course of the last year-and-a-half or so, we did not make a special collection for the Hogar in anticipation of Madre Ivonne's visit here. The decision was to allow for all of the money collected as registration fees/donations for the Retreat to go to the Hogar. Anticipating around a hundred retreat participants, I was hoping we would make a donation of around $2,000.00, which is still substantial. After yesterday's Liturgy, Mickey (Callendar, Parish Treasurer) let me know that as of Saturday, we had collected $3,040.00. That was a wonderful surprise, indeed. After the Liturgy yesterday, a basket was present for those who did not attend the retreat. After the basket had been filled with further generous donations, Mickey informed me that we now had over $4,275.00 as our contribution to the Hogar! Quite a basket! As the madres always say: Big is God! With an anxiety-causing ecomony, this was truly a remarkable collection.

Yet, that excellent collection demonstrated another "theory" of mine (somewhat at odds with my modest goals), that was also in my mind during this past weekend, that breaks down along these lines: If anyone sees or hears Madre Ivonne - her humble bearing and authentic voice - and is impressed by the strength of her faith; reflects for a moment on the incredible accomplishments of only three nuns alone as Orthodox in a poverty-stricken country such as Guatemala; and thinks for a moment about those poor, defenseless children, "abused, abandoned, and orphaned;" is it possible for a follower of Christ, with a clear conscience, to pass up the opportunity to bring some light and joy into those troubled lives with a donation of any size? It is hardly possible - if not virtually impossible. Apparently, most of you accept my "theory" - and acted upon it! - based on the basket yesterday that brought in an additional $1,200.00. As the priest and pastor of our community, it is deeply gratifying to witness such a communal manifestation of "cheerful giving" in response to real need.

So, by the grace of God, my second theory triumphed over my "little faith." May the Lord bless everyone who made a contribution to the work of God that we are blessed and privileged to support by sharing some of our material blessings.

If you were absent this weekend, and would like to make a contribution to the Hogar San Rafael Ayau Orphange, then please contact me. We can wait a bit longer before sending our check to the Hogar.

In Christ,

Fr. Steven

~~~
October 2, 2008

A few people requested that we wait before sending in our check to the Hogar based upon last weekend's donations, so that they could add their own contribution. Therefore, we will hopefully collect these further generous donations on Sunday, and send in our check early next week. We have now collected about $4,365.00.

During the Retreat, Madre Ivonne referred a couple of times to the Matthew Krueger Memorial Fund which is assisting the children there.. In order to inform everyone who may not be aware of this, I asked Wayne and Karen to provide a description of this, and thus we have the following:

Shortly after Matthew's death, Karen and I established the Matthew Saad Krueger Memorial Fund through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Our intention was to direct these funds toward organizations involving music and children, two areas that Matt loved dearly in his short life.

After our family's visits to the Hogar and continuing discussions with Madre Ivonne, we finally decided in 2006 to sponsor the hiring of a full-time music teacher for the children at the Hogar in Matthew's memory. We hope to continue this sponsorship for as long as we are able.

In addition, we were also able to purchase new Liturgy books and a sound system for Christ the Savior/Holy Spirit from the same fund and we are in the process of sponsoring a portion of the Computer Composition Laboratory at the new school of Creative and Perfoming Arts which is currently under construction in downtown Cincinnati. This K through 12 School is open to all children by audition regardless of their financial capabilities.

We can add: "Memory Eternal" to Matt!

Fr. Steven

~~~
October 6, 2008
Dear Parish Faithful,

I hope the workweek - or schoolweek, or homeweek - ahead of you is a blessed one ...

Before departing for the Midwest Diocesan Assembly in Chicago, I wanted to pass on our final collection total for the Hogar. Following the basket by the Cross yesterday, combined with a final and very generous donation that I was informed of from within the parish, we will be able to donate $5,652.50 as our Retreat-based collection for the support and assistance of the ninos and ninas of the Hogar. Truly remarkable! Big is God!

Fr. Steven

Welcome!

2008-10-08T21:51:00.004-06:00

Our parish, Christ the Savior~Holy Spirit Orthodox Church (Cincinnati Ohio, USA) has a warm and loving relationship with the Hogar Rafael Ayau dating back ten years. One of our parishioners joined up with an OCMC (Orthodox Christian Missions Center) team and fell in love with the Hogar, the children, and the Orthodox nuns who provide the love of Christ to these abandoned - and in many cases, abused - orphans. This parishioner (now herself an Orthodox nun here in the United States) made repeat trips, reporting back to our pastor, Fr Steven Kostoff, about this amazing oasis of peace and hope amidst the squalor of a poverty-stricken area of Guatemala City. Soon, we were sending our own mission teams, the members of whom were all deeply touched by their experience with the children. As Presvytera Deborah put it a few years ago when we began planning another mission trip, "Prepare to be loved!"

We have had the double blessing of not only sending teams and financial support to the Hogar, but of having the nuns come to our parish now on two separate occasions to lead retreats. First, in 2003, Mother Abbess Ines and Mother Maria came for a special Missions Conference which also featured Presvytera Renee Ritzi of OCMC. And now, just this September, Madre Ivonne (the Coordinator for the Hogar) led us in a very special retreat titled, "Healing in Christ: From Orphans to Children of God."

The success of this retreat, coupled with Christ the Savior's longstanding relationship with the Hogar, and the joy and anticipation we feel over our upcoming June 2009 Mission Team has prompted us to create a special page for the Hogar on our parish website, and to launch this new blog. We plan to use this space to further spread the word about this miracle in Central America, where the ninos and ninas and the faithful nuns of the Monasterio Ortodoxo Lavra Mambre (Antiochian Orthodox Church of Guatemala) together bear witness to the life-transforming Gospel of the Incarnate Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.

We invite you to read on as we report on our recent retreat, and to visit our Hogar webpage. Photos, slide shows, and (hopefully soon!) MP3 audio files from Madre Ivonne's talks will give you a brief introduction to the Hogar and the children. And should you be as moved as we have been, we invite you to follow the links to the Hogar's official website and to consider making a donation to this truly blessed haven of Christ's love.

As the nuns and the children say, "BIG is GOD!"

Ola!

The Official Website of the Hogar Rafael Ayau
How to Donate to the Hogar Rafael Ayau (pdf file)
The Hogar Page of the Christ the Savior Website