Fun & Enrichment

Who The Children Say That They Are

Gathered from various activities this past year, these are the way that the COAR children and teens see themselves. This is their culture, these are their triumphs and their goals. SUCCESSES OF 2023 Arrayed on the left side, photos labeled: ACTIVITIES TRAINING RECREATION SPIRITUALITY FÁTIMA (our interna with Down syndrome who brings out the tenderness in […]

Giving Thanks for the Abundance of Summer

El Salvador is blessed with sunshine and fertile soil Every May 3rd Salvadorans celebrate the Day of the Cross with beautiful displays, sculptures really. A cross is adorned with fruits and flowers. It is one of many feasts and customs from around the world that have arisen from the absorption and melding of an indigenous […]

“All I Want for Christmas is Yooouu”

At a Christmas party thrown in November the new COAR residents are already doing what youth always does ~ making new friends, bringing new energy and talents, and healing. Merry Christmas! Jennifer, at COAR from the age of 1 year old, welcomes everyone to the party. Danna helps Dinora read a Christmas poem. Valeria shows […]

Community Film School Finale

The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For… For nearly three years, we’ve been talking about the Community Film School. We’ve seen pictures of works in progress, meet-ups, and classes. We’ve heard about how COAR’s kids are growing in skills, confidence, and experience. But we haven’t (yet) seen any final projects. Now, after hours and hours […]

Fall Festivals 2022

COAR Band

Oops! We goofed! If you’re looking for the Community Film School Finale page, click here! Watch (58sec) as COAR and our town and parish celebrate September 15th, El Salvador’s Independence Day, and October 12th, the Feast of Our Lady of the Pilar (Nuestra Señora del Pilar).  https://youtu.be/lVE_g_FhZsU The band plays “Mary the white dove”:It is […]

Sept. News – CORN healing body and soul – Solidarity 1 of 3

Soft Corn – Central Americans, where corn was born, celebrate the brief time, August-September, when they eat “soft corn”.

Corn first evolved in Central America and has gone on to be fundamental to world food supplies.  But back where it all started . . . the pictures below show the total corn cycle at COAR.  It starts with planting corn on our large campus in the spring.  This year the St. Edward High School […]

Sept. News – Teaching English, Soccer, the Party! – Solidarity 2 of 3

Dinner Party – Time to talk, and they did after a week of learning English and Spanish (they are young) with a card commemorating this night of solidarity.

During a week-long visit in June (the first visitors we’ve had since 2019) the men of St. Edward High School, Lakewood, OH, spent quality time with the students of the COAR high school (teaching English, our standard, and most valuable service!) and quality time with some of our residents. This included a nice sit-down dinner […]

Summer Fun 2022

Padre Vladimir with grade school representatives

The COAR teens recite prayers and wishes for the World Day of Peace. Archbishop Escobar watches (under that big yellow arrow). Monica is baptized, surrounded by her COAR family Cleaning: Monica returns to daily (gloriously ordinary, lifegiving, and safe) life St. Romero’s Birthday celebrated at the school – Aug. 15th

Your Gifts are a Living Posada

Providing our Children Room at the Inn A “posada” is a traditional procession during the nine days before Christmas in Latin America. (The COAR children staged it in November when we visited.) A couple, playing Mary and Joseph, knock on doors asking for a room. The “innkeepers” behind the room refuse them entry. (Sometimes the […]