December 2022 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
“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 […]
September 2022 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
Healing Body and Soul Welcome to all who learned about COAR this summer through one of our (50!) mission appeals in Catholic Churches around North America. For all our supporters, old and new, healing body and soul is what COAR is all about. Healing the body requires good food, good education, and safety. Healing the […]
June 2022 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
The House That Generosity Built Time, Talent, and Treasure I am surrounded by generosity. From our honorees this year it was generosity of spirit to lend us their names and faces as representatives of all the many volunteers that help connect the COAR children to you. For our hundreds of volunteers, it is generosity of […]
March 2022 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
The Last Shall Be First – Remembering Raul, continued (<==Continued from the main obituary and pictures.) This was an email that I sent to a donor just after I learned of Raul’s death. It is my message to all of you, too: He was rushed to the hospital on December 30th with chest pains but […]
December 2021 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
Telling the Story Did you ever wonder how the COAR News comes together? I approach it as telling the story of the COAR children and the world in which they live. I usually do it by looking at the latest pictures and thinking, “What story can I tell from these pictures?” Let me tell you, […]
September 2021 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
PRIVACY, DIGNITY, SAFETY As most of you know, the COAR children come from tough backgrounds. They are victims of abuse that is sometimes horrific, often terrifying, and always humiliating. Healing shame is an important part of the staff’s work with the children. It is always a difficult balance for us to tell you about them […]
June 2021 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
I DESERVE A PATH FREE OF VIOLENCE COAR Children designed this movie poster on emigration: “YOUR LIFE IS WORTH MORE THAN AN UNCERTAIN DESTINATION / I DESERVE A PATH FREE OF VIOLENCE” The film school opportunity (featured in our news this month) started as a remote‑learning, creative outlet during the pandemic. But the first project […]
March 2021 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
Romero, Romero, Romero! He lived in horribly divided times amidst unspeakable violence. Yet, he preached peace constantly. His words, quoted on the Prayer Service page were spoken in reference to the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th, 43 years ago . . .
December 2020 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
It Is Going to Get Worse Before It Gets Better ~ There is no way to soften this: we need $150,000 to replace the loss of $150,000 that we will NOT receive from our annual mission appeals. As most of you know, COAR participates in the Mission Co-operative Plan of the Catholic Church . . .
September 2020 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador
It Is Going to Get Worse Before It Gets Better ~ There is no way to soften this: we need $150,000 to replace the loss of $150,000 that we will NOT receive from our annual mission appeals. As most of you know, COAR participates in the Mission Co-operative Plan of the Catholic Church . . .