Newsletter – Web

September 2021 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador

Watercolor original by: Marie Spaeder Haas

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 […]

Looking Toward the Future . . .

. . . empowered by examples from the past Pictured above is Brother Mick Joyce, OFM Cap., visiting COAR on June 9th. Karla gave him a card on behalf of all the children and staff memorializing Brother Saul Soriano, OFM Cap., our dear friend, taken too soon, May 7, 2018, read our tribute to him […]

Community Film School and Facing Reality

Or, how to keep busy during an ongoing pandemic . . . Interhouse soccer tournaments, daily gospel reflections, and Zumba videos can only get you so far—even with the usual schoolwork and household chores. So Marta, our director, has found a creative outlet for six of our COAR kids. She’s signed them up for film […]

June 2021 – Executive Director’s Reflections & News from El Salvador

Watercolor original by: Marie Spaeder Haas

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 […]

Baptisms, First Communions, and Confirmations

Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations Despite the pandemic, the eternal… …for 2,000 years, through plagues, natural disasters, and wars, children have grown in grace through these sacred rituals. Catechumans wait to receive the light of Christ… …in the form of their baptismal candles Newly baptized Though often celebrated in the spring in North America, the sacraments […]

Report on 2020 and Challenges for 2021

By COAR’s Board President: Melanie Reda On January 4th, my father called me to tell me that he received his $600 stimulus check and he was so excited. So of course, I checked too. And I had indeed received a $600 stimulus check. How exciting! What a windfall! And then my thoughts turned to how […]