Some Business for this Year
Our Programs Director, Susan Barnish, and Executive Director, Mary Stevenson, finally got down to COAR from November 14-18th (first time for Susan in 12 months and 19 months for Mary – a record!) to catch up on some business: #1 – Met with Padre Edwin Alexander Henríquez Márquez (right) the new Director of the Archdiocese […]
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, […]
December 2021 Memorials & Honorary
Memorial Gifts Honorary Gifts
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 […]
September 2021 Memorials & Honorary
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 […]
June 2021 Memorials & Honorary
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
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 […]