Fiestas Patronales de San Salvador (capital city of El Salvador) also known as Fiestas Agostinas are celebrated in honor of “Divino Salvador del Mundo”. They are named “Agostinas” as they take place in the month of August. These celebrations had a catholic beginning but with time they have become more of an embracement of each city’s culture.
For the Catholic church these celebration’s main event takes place on August 5th, when a procession occurs from the Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Church and ends in the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador. The following day a mass takes place celebrating the transfiguration of Jesus. This main event takes place in the city of San Salvador and everyone is invited.
For people who do not practice Catholicism, they celebrate these days by going to the fair, spending time with their family and attending festivals organized by the cities’ mayors. Some cities host folklore events where traditional food is served and traditional dancing can be seen. This celebration is considered a national holiday where schools are closed and people do not have to work.
Although this celebration started as a Catholic tradition, now it has become a celebration that shows who Salvadorans are. It’s a celebration that inspires people to appreciate their culture and embrace family time. This celebration calls for people to take a break from daily life and celebrate Jesus transfiguration and enjoy time with each other.
At this year’s Love. Hope. Dine. we celebrated all the ways Love & Hope has grown over the last 20 years, and also talked about how Love & Hope is branching out to support other ministries that align with our vision and goals. We touched on two things we’re focusing on to start: expanding access to education and supporting early childhood development.
We have always believed that education is one of the best assets we can give a child. It is why we spent so much time and effort placing the children in quality private schools that matched their educational needs and abilities. We have seen the transformational power of education in the children who grew up at Love & Hope. As a result, the kids who grew up at Love & Hope have access to a wealth of opportunities and a leg up in the competitive Salvadoran job market.
Over the years we have also supported a number of youth that did not live at Love & Hope. These were either children that the government sent home to live with their biological families, siblings who were not placed in Love & Hope, or local kids with a lot of promise. We’ve seen these educational investments pay off, and have decided to formalize and expand our scholarship program. I think there is no better way to underscore the impact this will have then to let you hear from our current scholarship students directly.
(Make sure to turn on subtitles if they don’t show up automatically! Look for the “CC” button.)
The early days of Love & Hope were filled with the sights and sounds (and energy!) of 28 kids playing soccer, building Legos, dressing up, making crafts, riding bikes, catching bugs, and eating mangos. Providing a safe, loving, and stimulating environment for young children is so important. It is critical for healthy development, and the impact lasts a lifetime. We want to continue to invest in those initial years of development, and not just for kids who live in children’s homes. Mi Lugar Seguro (My Safe Place) is a daycare and child care center in Zaragoza, El Salvador that provides a safe, healthy, and educational environment for kids. Sometimes families just need a little extra help, and having a safe place for kids to learn and play while parents are at work creates better and brighter futures for everyone. Take a look at the impact Mi Lugar Seguro is having!
As you heard Karina say, they are bursting at the seams! As part of Love. Hope. Dine. we raised $5,000 to help them expand their facilities!
I hope you are as inspired by these stories as I am, and I hope that you will continue to partner with us as we invest in the lives and futures of the children of El Salvador.
I am so proud to present to you our 2022 Annual Report. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to look it over and celebrate with us all that God accomplished through Love and Hope this past year. You’ll learn more about the programs we run, some highlights from 2022 and read an update on each of the young people you support. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out by email at contact@ame-intl.org or by phone or text to 216-548-1888.
God continues to work in powerful ways and we are so grateful for your support that makes it all possible!
Today, Love and Hope turns 18 years old. 18 years marks the beginning of the transition from child to adult for many people. For our kids, it’s the age they move out of our “children’s home” and into our “transition house”. This means they take on more responsibilities – like cooking their own meals, figuring out their own transportation (goodbye driver, hello busses!), and learning to coordinate their own schedules. We work hard in the years leading up to this moment to prepare them for self sufficiency. By the end of the year, the majority of our children will be in our transition house.
And like our kids, Love and Hope is also going through a transition. Gone are the days of soccer in the yard, playing dress up, and pajama parties in the cafeteria. These days we’re focussed on graduations, finding part-time jobs, and navigating the challenges of young adulthood. The work has changed over 18 years, but the mission hasn’t: to show the love of Jesus to our children, to raise them like a family, and to help them break the cycles of poverty and abuse that circulate through this country.
The journey has not always been easy, but it’s been a privilege to share in the lives of these children and watch them grow. None of it would have been possible without your support. So whether you’ve been with us since the beginning, or just recently became involved with Love and Hope: Thank You!
Jocelyn is everyone’s big sister. She knows very well the weight of being looked up to by all the kids at Love and Hope. And she’s been quite a role model.
Jocelyn never loved school and it did not come easy for her, but she worked hard and graduated from Luz de Israel in 2014. This year Jocelyn will become the first college graduate from Love and Hope Children’s Home with a degree in Interpretation and Translation! But college is not all Jocelyn has been up to for the past few years.
In 2016, Jocelyn began a two-year internship program at the Intercontinental Hotel in San Salvador. She would often go straight from her university classes to training at the hotel. Saturdays were usually filled with events at the hotel, leaving her little time for social activities. But she stuck with it and completed the program in 2018. At that point she was able to apply for a job cleaning rooms at the hotel.
It was not her dream job, but she believed that there was a future for her at the hotel. One day she came across a posting for a position in “Instant Service” where she would be booking hotel reservations. When she saw it she said in her mind, “This position is mine!” She applied and sure enough, she was given the job. Jocelyn has now been working for the hotel for over two years. She’s finishing up her last year of university and is living on her own. She was even featured in the Central American periodical El Economista with the owners of the hotel!
We are so proud of the young woman Jocelyn has worked so hard to become. She continues to be an example and a role model for all of her younger “siblings” at Love and Hope.
But Jocelyn’s story could have looked very different. Once, when asked about how she believes Love and Hope has influenced her life, she said “If it weren’t for Love and Hope, I probably wouldn’t have finished high school and by now, I’d probably already be a mom.”
At Love and Hope it is our mission to equip the kids in our care with the necessary tools and opportunities for success. One of the greatest tools we can give them is an education. We have seen time and time again how education can completely transform someone’s life. The public schools in El Salvador are underfunded and dangerous due to gang activity. As a result, all the children at Love and Hope attend private schools that are geared to their individual needs and talents. This is a huge investment, but we firmly believe it is worth every penny we spend. Jocelyn is evidence of that!
We are currently in the middle of a huge education fundraiser with an amazing matching gift. Every dollar we raise for education between now and the end of the year will be matched up to $15,000. This means that with your help, we’ll be able to raise a grand total of $30,000 for education! Please join us in investing in the lives of the youth at Love and Hope in El Salvador.
We are so grateful for the overwhelming response we received to support Love and Hope’s disaster relief efforts and we want to let you know how your donation was used!
During the storms we were able to provide some immediate relief through meals and food baskets. The support reached over 150 families to start, and is still helping to support about 70 families.
Our second phase of assistance was to help with rebuilding in the homes that suffered the worst damage due to the tropical storms. We provided block, cement, gravel, sand, wood, rebar and roofing materials. The community worked together to help one another in the rebuilding process.
Lastly we provided some of the larger household items that were lost in the storm. We asked each family what their greatest need was. Some requested a bed or a bunkbed. Others asked for stove tops.
The people of the communities that we were able to assist were so grateful for the support. As a thank you gift they gave us handmade masks for everyone at Love and Hope.
In addition we have been able to continue to support all of our kids’ families throughout the quarantine with twice the amount of food we normally provide and we were able to give a special bonus to our workers who continue to work so hard during this difficult time.
Thank you so much for being the hands and feet of Jesus to so many people in El Salvador! During this season we have been reminded of Matthew 25:35-40: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Every August El Salvador celebrates the week long “Fiestas Agostinas.” Normally the week is filled with trips to the beach, volcano climbs, city fairs and lots of traditional Salvadoran food. However, because the country is still under quarantine, we had to get creative and find ways to celebrate within the walls of Love and Hope.
The kids were of course thrilled just to have a week off of school. Remember, the Salvadoran school year runs from January through November, so they are going on their fifth month of remote education. They of course are missing school, friends and all their extra curricular activities, but a week of sleeping in late and extra free time was welcomed by all. Here’s a little peak at how Love and Hope enjoyed the August Festivals…
Painting contest!
A picnic that had to be moved indoors due to heavy rains!
A cookout with carne asada, shrimp, chorizo, veggies, chimol and grilled tortillas!
Elote Loco! Corn on the cob drizzled with mayo, ketchup, mustard and salsa negra and then covered in shredded cheese.
Minute to win it game day!
Riguas! Ground corn stuff with cheese or beans and grilled in banana leafs.
As much fun as everyone had, we hope that next year’s Fiestas Agostinas we can celebrate on the sandy, pacific beach once again!
Two weeks ago we started sharing about the tremendous need forming in El Salvador. The combination of COVID-19 and Tropical Storm Amanda were creating a desperate situation for many people. Food was scare, and storms were washing away entire communities. Many of you responded to the call and helped us raise over $4000 to provide much needed relief and assistance. With the help of many other organizations we have been able to distribute food, clothing, and other donated goods to several communities in need.
In coordination with the Union Church and Hope Chapel, we’ve been able to deliver food baskets to the Mascota Community.
States Diner helped us deliver a hot meal to folks in El Tanque who had lost their homes and were sheltering in a local church.
Now that the water has subsided, it’s easier to see the extent of the damage in many homes. As you can see, people tried to get their belongings as high off the ground as possible, but sometimes the water was just too high.
We’re continuing to provide food baskets to both the Mascota and El Tanque community, as well as assist the families of our children. Additionally, we’ll be working with the local leadership in each community the help with other recovery efforts like home repairs.
Thank you so much to each and everyone of you who gave over the last few weeks. Your support has made it possible for us to respond quickly to the needs of many families who are suffering under the twin tragedies of COVID-19 and Tropical Storm Amanda.
Last week we reached out with a request to help provide COVID-19 relief baskets to the Mascota Community. The response has been amazing. We have raised nearly $2000 – almost half of that in just the first 24 hours! Many of these baskets have already been delivered and are helping families survive during this difficult and unprecedented time. Thank you for rising to the call. Love and Hope is blessed with an eager and generous donor base.
Below are some pictures of the food you helped provide reaching those in need.
As the epicenter of the fight against COVID-19 now shifts to Latin America, El Salvador finds itself confronting yet another disaster. This past weekend, Tropical Storm Amanda barreled across Central America unleashing torrential rains, floods, and landslides. At least 14 people have died in El Salvador. The pictures and videos of the devastation are heart-breaking. After 77 days of lockdown, many are fleeing from their homes and communities as they are overrun by the water.
Images like this can be difficult to process in the abstract. The people and places are remote and distant. The scale of the damage seems unreal. It’s horrible, but our own lives remain unaffected as we often lack a personal connection to the people caught in these tragedies.
If you gave last week, you now know the Mascota Community. It lies the end of this flooded street.
Calle 4 is flooded.
50 people in the community lost their homes to landslides. In the neighboring community of Jesus de Nazereth, police deemed the homes of another 50 people unsafe due to the threat of landslides. Altogether around 100 people are now staying in the community house in Mascota and a few small church sanctuaries.
Those of you that have visited El Salvador, will recognize some of the following places. Below are images from the El Tanque Community where many teams have held VBS days and worked on community improvement projects. The kids at Love and Hope have spent many Christmas mornings here handing out gifts.
A man wades through chest-high water in El Tanque.The community house is almost completely submerged. The pink doors show how high the water has risen. The creek behind El Tanque has risen several meters to the rooflines of many homes.
Many of you know the children at Love and Hope. Some of you have supported them for years. In addition to caring for these children, Love and Hope also cares for their families. We provide counseling, educational assistance, medical care, food baskets, and more. Over the last several months we’ve ramped up our material support to make sure all these families have enough to eat during this difficult time. Last week, we asked them to share some pictures of their homes and how they’ve been getting by.
Many of their homes lack proper drainage and will suffer greatly from the storm.
When tragedy piles on tragedy it can be difficult to know what to do. We often feel helpless and useless. But we can act.
The fight against COVID-19 has had real and painful economic consequences. People are hungry. We can feed them.
There rains are wiping out communities. People are homeless. We can help them rebuild.
During our last 16 years in El Salvador it is hard to think of a time when there was so much clear material need. The people of the Mascota community, the Jesus de Nazereth community, the El Tanque community, the families of our children, and many more are all in great need. El Salvador is in the fight of its life.
For this reason we are opening a Disaster Relief Fund. We’ll continue to work with the Union Church, the leadership of these communities, and other well-positioned ministries to serve the tremendous need being created by these two tragedies.
We expect food basket programs to continue for months as people get back on their feet. We know many will reach out for assistance with roof and home repairs. There will be requests for mattresses, blankets, shoes, clothing, and more. Again, in this hour of great need, we want the body of Christ to be there to answer the call.
To start, we’ll be sending $200 to El Tanque to buy food for people sheltering in the church and also be sending extra blankets and sweatshirts. Food baskets will continue at Mascota and Jesus de Narareth. As the leadership of these communities assess the damage we’ll continue to provide assistance.
You can contribute to the disaster relief fund on our website. We’ll continue to post updates about recovery efforts and the ways your support is making a difference in El Salvador. If you have any questions or concerns, or want to know about additional ways you can help, please email us: contact@loveandhopechildrenshome.com.
El Salvador continues to live life under lockdown. On May 7th, president Nayib Bukele further increased restrictions on movement in an effort to curb an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Public transportation was suspended and all private companies allowed to remain open need to provide private transportation for their workers. Additionally, residents are only allowed to leave their homes on specific days that are determined by the last digit of their government issued ID, and are only permitted to travel to the nearest grocery store, bank, or pharmacy.
While support remains strong for Bukele and his fight against the coronavirus, many Salvadorans are struggling to survive as resources run low. The government continues to distribute food baskets, even into remote parts of the country, but meeting everyone’s needs is a difficult task. Many Salvadorans work in the informal economy which has all but disappeared. Taking a cue from their Guatemalan neighbors, some Salvadorans have started hanging white flags outside their house signaling that they are in need of food.
Love and Hope is fortunate that our donor base has been so supportive during this difficult time. We’ve been able to continue to pay our staff, the children have been able to continue their school work, and we’ve been able to continue assisting the families of the children with food baskets and other necessities. But as the needs in El Salvador grow, we feel called to do more. As Salvadorans begin waving the white flags, we want the body of Christ to be the one who answers their call.
The Union Church is an english speaking body made up of missionaries, expats, and locals “following Jesus in Grace and Truth.” We’ve been members there for over a decade. The church property is adjacent to a low-income neighborhood of about 210 homes known as the Mascota Community. The Union Church has worked with the Mascota Community for years: running kids clubs, scholarship programs for the youth, and helping with community improvement projects. Many in the Mascota community are currently out of work and running out of resources. The church has partnered with the leadership in the community to identify the families most in need. The easiest way to help is to provide food.
At current prices, a basket of food costs about $16 and will support an average family for 7-10 days. A basket contains:
4 pounds of beans: $3.60
4 pounds of rice: $2.40
2 pounds of corn rice: $1.20
2 pounds of sugar: $1.20
1 pound of salt: $0.15
1 bottle of oil: $1.75
1 bag of powder milk (350gr): $2.50
2 packs of spaghetti (200grs each): $1.24
1 bag of oatmeal (200gr) $0.69
1 bag of tomato sauce: $1.62
Love and Hope will be contributing 10 baskets to start, and we’d love to invite you to provide a basket too! Our hope is that through its network of missionaries and expats the Union Church can provide for our neighbors during this difficult time.
You can donate on our website and the money will be transferred directly to the Union Church to help provide these baskets.
As always, we cannot thank you enough for your support. Next week we’ll be talking about how we’ve been supporting the families of the children in Love and Hope during this time and how you can help with those efforts. If you have any questions about providing food baskets, or are interested in other ways you can help during this time, please email us: contact@loveandhopechildrenshome.com.
