Up Close: COAR’s Kids

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Faces of Resilience and Healin

Dignity, Privacy, Safety, Human Trafficking…Courage and Resilience. Safety – that’s why we are obscuring the faces of minors on our website. Thanks for understanding. Margarita, like most of our teen girls these past several years, came to us in from an abusive situation. She also has a severe spinal problem that is being diagnosed and […]

What We Did on Our Summer Vacation

As many of you know, and may have even experienced this summer, a portion of COAR’s funding is raised through the Mission Cooperative Plan or “mission appeal” at various churches around North America. Our speakers often enjoy meeting new supporters, connecting with people about El Salvador or our mission, and even occasionally running into donors […]

More about Fr. Juan Carlos

This blog article is a follow-up to our August e-mail feature article about meeting Fr. Juan Carlos Tejada, a COAR school graduate and now  pastor of one of the parishes we visited this summer! Father Juan Carlos grew up in San José Villanueva, the next town over from Zaragoza, where COAR is located. He is the oldest […]

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 […]

New! Transition to Independence Program

What Makes it “Official”? It’s in our budget * It’s in our guidelines * It’s in our culture “There is nothing permanent except change” -Heraclitus And that is certainly true at COAR! Our staff and collaborators over the years have always sought the best way to serve the changing needs of the COAR population—from war […]

“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 […]

December 2022 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador

Watercolor original by: Marie Spaeder Haas

“Treated No Better than a Rag” In our regular meetings at COAR we learn the heart-breaking details about how the newest children and teens have come to be at COAR. They are minors so we shield their privacy as well as, literally, keep them safe from their past. At our most recent, mid-November meeting, our […]

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 […]

The Living Stations of the Cross

A Tradition Throughout Latin America Celebrated at COAR with Vitality! Below left, Carlos Alberto at the Good Friday meditation display. Below right, with sister Karla Liliana at Raúl’s 40-day remembrance Mass. The “empty tomb” at the end of the Easter celebration, “He is not here, He is risen.” These traditions heal and give hope.

The Last Shall Be First

Raul’s 40-day Remembrance mass (Feb 17th) – A Latin American Tradition Raul’s 40-day remembrance mass with his photo in front Dionisio describes a holy card gift he had planned with Raul Each resident selects a card and treat provided by Raul before his death The residents hold Raul’s photo as a gentle remembrance The residents […]