June 2025 – Relationships ~ “Do you have pictures of me when I was young?”
Relationships, an article by Rick & Shelley Mack The Mack Family has been visiting COAR and El Salvador since 2004 From the Mack family visit 2004, L-R: Claire, Valeria (14), Phil, Daniela (13), Rick 2015—Rick and Valeria 2025, L-R: Rick, Valeria, Shelley, Luis COAR is built on relationships: between children, families, staff, its surrounding communities, […]
June 2025 – Mike & Susie Jenkins – Lives well-lived
Epilogos, the organization that Rick and Shelley mention in there article, does great work. Located in San Jose Villanueva, our twin puebla across the highway, it restores and uplifts the entire community. Their founders, Mike & Susie Jenkins, died in early 2025. Their extraordinary story is found on their website: (https://epilogos.org). I know I speak […]
June 2025 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
Losing Family but not Losing Hope I opened my Annual Benefit presentation by saying, “There is an old joke that never gets old to me: A man goes to the doctor and cries out, ‘Doctor, doctor, am I dying?’ The doctor calmly replies, ‘We are all dying. But you are not dying today.’” When we […]
June 2025 – Memorial & Honorary Gifts
June 2025 Newsletter – Print Version
St. Romero and Pope Francis – from 2018
COAR ~ the Community of Oscar A. Romero Celebrated St. Romero’s canonization October 14th 2018 COAR is the oldest extant organization to bear his name ~ more: Pope Francis wore the cincture (the rope-like belt) that St. Romero wore when he was martyred, still stained with his blood. Everyone at COAR was saddened by the […]
Via Crucis – The Way of the Cross
Jesus washes the feet of his disciplesJesus offers the wine at Passover, his Last SupperThe Agony In GethsemaneJesus Is ArrestedJesus’ Arrest – with dramatic flairPilate – takes no responsibilityJesus carries his cross (with added blood splatter)Carrying the Cross-togetherChrist Hangs on the CrossThe Empty TombDo Not Be Afraid The COAR children have the great Salvadoran tradition […]
March 2025 – Sometimes all you can see is . . . the cross
from our most recent visit, updates on each one First-aid and grooming workshops Twice a year, usually February and November, we visit COAR and learn each child’s story: the new girls, successes and challenges of those we already know, and any news of those who have moved on. This is a special story we heard […]
March 2025 – Sometimes all you can see is . . . that they are just girls
Sometimes all you can see is . . . that they are just girls from their first sponsorship letters Kathya is 15 years old. She likes the color purple, lasagna, and sleeping. She came to COAR just about a year ago. Dinora entered COAR in August of 2022. She was nine years old. Dinora likes […]
March 2025 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
What do you hear when you hear “aid”? The impact of ceasing USAID funding will be felt throughout El Salvador. COAR does not received USAID funds nor does our oversight partner in the Archdiocese of San Salvador, the Vicariate of Human Development-CARITAS. But many, many other relief projects, the other dioceses in El Salvador, and […]