Introducing: 2015-2016 Long Term Volunteers

Rachael Salamone

My name is Rachael Salamone and I am from Buffalo, New York. I am the middle of five children and I have two amazing parents, Tim and Janet. My father is a homicide detective for the city of Buffalo and my mother manages the family security business. Prior to Amigos, I was an undergraduate student at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., majoring in History and minoring in Media Studies. In addition to this, I was also a soldier in the United States Army for three years. I enjoy running, exercising, photography, playing sports, and anything that involves hanging out and having a good time with friends!

I was motivated to do long term service, and more specifically the Amigos program, from my previous experience on an international mission trip to Jamaica. I hope to gain from my year of service more confidence in myself, others, and grow in my faith and my relationship with God.

Role at Amigos: Rachael teaches Kinder (preschool), physical education, and computer classes at the ADJ school. She is also in charge of all things photography, and assists with social media and communications

Jillian Gerrity

My name is Jillian Gerrity and I grew up in Sunnyvale, California. My family includes my parents, three older brothers, two sister-in-laws, and one nephew, who is the light of my life. I graduated from Santa Clara University in June of 2014 as a biology and public health science double major, with an emphasis in biomedical sciences. I spent my year between graduation and coming to Amigos as a lab technician managing a biology research lab at Santa Clara University and a private tutor for middle and high school students. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, volunteering, learning, being active, trying new food, and cheering on any Bay Area sports team. I hope to attend medical school and eventually work with underserved communities and engage in research aimed at reducing health disparities.

Listening to that little voice inside of me, whatever you may call it, is what brought me to Amigos de Jesus. I found my love of service around age 14 and since then have worked within a variety of communities including the homeless and impoverished, the severely ill and disabled, and children from all sorts of backgrounds. Throughout those years, there was a big part of me that felt called to serve abroad for an extended period of time. Finally, after graduation, I decided to listen and follow this dream. I looked into a number of programs but Amigos de Jesus immediately captivated me and continues to as I learned more about their philosophy and mission. Over this next year I look forward to being challenged spiritually, socially, emotionally, and intellectually. I hope to grow and transform as I keep my mind and heart open to all that I encounter. Most of all, I hope to provide support in whatever capacity I can to every individual I cross paths with.

Role at Amigos: Jillian is the head of medicine at Amigos. Apart from caring for sick and injured children, administering medications, and scheduling doctor appointments, she has taken on the immense task of organizing the children's health records. Jillian also helps teach Kinder (preschool) and leads a weekly science lab for students in the EducaTodos program (a program at the ADJ school for students who had little or no schooling before coming to Amigos. Students range from ages 8-16 and are at 1st-6th grade learning levels).

Keri Grove

Buenos! My name is Keri Grove and I am from South Bend, Indiana. I attended John Carroll University, a Jesuit University in Cleveland, Ohio. I majored in Peace, Justice, and Human Rights, as well as Religious Studies with a minor in Spanish. My hobbies include activities such as running, writing, playing sports, and going on just about any adventure. As strange as it may sound, my favorite place to be on earth is under a bridge, or on a sidewalk, conversing with one of my homeless friends in Cleveland. I am full of energy, laugh way too uncontrollably, enjoy skipping in the rain, moving conversations, and times of silent reflection.

I have been wanting to do a year of international service for quite some time now. My motivation in choosing Amigos de Jesus has been greatly shaped by my past service experiences. I studied abroad in El Salvador, and there I completely fell in love with Latin America. Last summer, I also interned at a shelter for immigrants, and there met several Hondurans fleeing their country. In many ways, my decision in choosing Amigos stems from y desire to give vulnerable Honduran children a chance to remain in their country, avoiding the dangerous journey to the U.S. I hope that this year of service will be challenging and allow me to grow as a person. I also hope it will be challenging and allow me to grow as a person. I also hope it will allow me to form deep relationships, as my soul is touched by others.

Role at Amigos: Keri teaches math for Level 1 of EducaTodos and English for Special Education. She is also a resource teacher for Level 3 of EducaTodos. Outside of school, she works on case management for all of the children at Amigos and assists Jillian in the medical office.

Pat Kluesener

Hey all! My name is Pat Kluesener. I'm from Kentucky and graduated from Berea College in 2011 with a Math Degree. This is my second year as a volunteer at Amigos de Jesus. After college and before Amigos, I volunteered for two years, one with Colorado Vincent Volunteers, and one with AmeriCorps NCCC. After that I worked in California and then came to Amigos.

Volunteering in Latin America has been a goal of mine since college, and when I got here, I felt at home. I love being involved in the kids lives and I wanted to stay for another because now that I have made these relationships I feel like I can make a bigger impact on these kids lives. I love to  stay active by playing sports and working out and I'm excited for the coming year!

Role at Amigos: This year, Pat is working largely with the "jovenes," our teenage boys who are learning to live independently in several nearby houses owned by Amigos. Pat drives the boys to school, helps them with their homework, and, in general, acts as a role model for them. He also serves as a liaison between the volunteer group and the madrinas and padrinos (the adult caretakers at Amgios).

Ashley Argall

Hi! My name is Ashley Argall and I am from Madison, Wisconsin. This past May, I graduated from Marquette University with a major in public relations and Spanish and a minor in human resources. I love to play piano, travel, tap dance, try new recipes, and spend time with friends and family. My family is made up of my mom, dad, and brother, Adam, who is just a year younger than me and a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. My favorite place in the world is my grandma's farm in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Some of my best childhood memories come from playing in the fields and barns there with my cousins.

A combination of events have led me to Amigos de Jesús. During my junior year of college, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid, Spain, where I lived with a Spanish family, attended Spanish university, and gained a newfound interest in intercultural relations. Then, in January 2015, I participated in a week-long mission trip with my home parish at an orphanage in Fond Blanc, Haiti. The children there captured my heart and the experience led me to consider longer-term international service after graduation. When a friend from Marquette told me about Amigos de Jesus after attending a service fair, it felt like a perfect fit. I am excited for the opportunity to combine my Spanish skills, love for children, and desire to serve beyond the borders of the U.S. I was incredibly fortunate to grow up in a large and loving family and I look forward to continuing to be a part of love at Amigos de Jesus.

Role at Amigos: Ashley teaches English to Levels 1, 2, and 3 of EducaTodos and Valores (religion) to all grades at the ADJ school. She is also in charge of social media and communications.

Audra Hoffmeister

My name is Audra Hoffmeister and I graduated from The Ohio State University in May with a  Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering and minor in Spanish. I grew up in Hudson, Ohio with my mom, dad, and older sister. I love playing soccer, playing guitar on the porch, knitting, and spending quality time with family and friends.

I was blessed to go to Honduras during my sophomore year of college for a service project and I fell in love with the country. Ever since then, the Lord has put on my heart a desire to give fully of myself through international service. When I found Amigos, it seemed like the perfect fit. Throughout this year of service, I hope to grow in my dependence on the Lord and for the Lord to increase my capacity to love unconditionally. I hope to gain new friendships and a better understanding of how the Lord wants me to serve when I return home. In the words of Mother Teresa, "The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have, the more free you are. Poverty for us is a freedom...it is joyful freedom."

Role at Amigos: Audra teaches math to Levels 2 and 3 of EducaTodos, and is in charge of the library and computer lab at the ADJ school. Her engineering skills are also continuously put to use in the face of technological problems in Honduras!

Allison Kaufman

My name is Allison Kaufman. Before coming to Amigos, I was teaching preschool in a small Catholic school, substitute teaching, and working as a humane educator in a local animal shelter. I am originally from Buffalo, New York and but most recently resided in Rochester, New York. I attended SUNY Genesco for my undergraduate degree in Childhood and Special Education, and I received my master's degree as a Literacy Specialist from Nazareth College. I have an older brother, Gregory, and a younger sister, Mikaela, who was adopted form Korea. I love to read, swim, take photos, spend time with animals, and most of all, teach! My favorite place to be (other than Amigos de Jesús) is anywhere by the water.

I have felt called to serve abroad the past several years, and this led me to finding Amigos de Jesús last year. I served the children of Amigos last summer as a summer camp volunteer. My life was changed forever by having the privilege of living, learning, praying, and playing with these children. After returning to the states, I quickly realized I truly am called to teach in an environment like Amigos. I also came to realize how the kids I served last summer have become a part of my heart, their faces and stories popping into my mind every day. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to return to Amigos and serve all of the children with the joy they brought to my life.

I am excited to continue learning Spanish this year and to learn how to live simply. I hope to gain teaching experience and help each child find a passion for learning. I know this year will help me grow in patience, compassion, and wisdom, and I am looking forward to discover the Lord's path for me!

Role at Amigos: Allison works with two of our students with the greatest level of special needs. She also teaches science to a more advanced class of Special Education and serves as a resource teacher in the EducaTodos program. Outside of school, she assists Rachael with photography.

Firecracker

Firecracker. Whirling dervish. Spinning top. All these describe six-year-old Maria Jose of Hogar Uno. She came to Amigos from less than favorable circumstances, but in the year that she has been here, she has blossomed and progressed more than anyone could have imagined.

Maria is inventive and resourceful. She loves to explore her environment and seems to enjoy wandering near her home and finding things to observe and play with. Just the other day she and four-year-old Justinne found some old plastic ties and fashioned them into makeshift reins; they could be found happily galloping around the soccer field. A moth resting on the screen of the Hogar captivated her—she stretched as far as she could to touch its wings, but her little legs and arms just wouldn’t reach. Another time she was meticulously arranging piles of dirt with a plastic spoon. She fixed her attention on this task for quite a while, until one of her little friends engaged her in another activity.

Feisty and spritely also describe Maria Jose. She can sprint faster than some of the older boys playing soccer if she wants to hold on to the doll she is playing with. Maria Jose also has a competitive streak; she loves to play games and is terribly disappointed when she’s tagged out during a dodgeball game, hanging her head with her lip jutting out. She’s spunky and holds her own with the older girls, especially when they’ve been sent to fetch her to complete her chores or take her bath.

Maria Jose is affectionate and enthusiastic; she’s the first to greet a new visitor at Amigos, clinging to their legs until eventually they pick her up and are rewarded with a warm hug. At times her enthusiasm gets the better of her. While embracing a parked truck, in awe of its size and proximity, she managed to become covered in dirt. Maria then promptly embraced one of the volunteers, placing a kiss and brown handprints on her white blouse—right as she was leaving for Mass. The image of Maria Jose that truly encapsulates her spirit is that of her plowing through a group of people like a miniature bowling ball to answer a summons from Madrina Margarita.

Life with Maria Jose is an adventure.  She brings humor and laughter, exasperation and surprise, and infinite joy.  Her spark makes the light that is Amigos de Jesus shine that much brighter. 
- Genevieve Volpe, volunteer 2015-2016

Tamales

 Now that the holiday season is over at Amigos, I can finally sit down and reflect on the whole experience. The past months have been very special ones. From seeing the kids open their Christmas and Three Kings gifts, to bringing in the New Year while watching fireworks next to them, to eating all the yummy food like tamales, ice cream, grapes, and apples. Every event was so special. However, there was one event that stuck out from all of them. Amigos de Jesus has a Christmas giving program in which every year they sponsor the Christmas meal of 120 of the poorest families in the surrounding areas. They give each of these families enough ingredients to make tamales. 

  On December 22^nd I got into a truck with four of our jovenes to distribute tickets that said "Amigos de Jesus quiere compartir con tigo una vez mas" to the families most in need. As we drove through these poor neighborhoods, I looked at Miguel and the rest of the jovenes, and I was humbled. Here I was, serving God by the side of those who I came to Honduras to serve. There they were, familiar with the pain and struggles that these people go through, and so willing to help. I was especially humbled by Miguel, who had done this several times before, and was leading the whole thing. I wondered if he knew that he was helping make a difference in the community. I wondered if he understood that he wasn't only out doing a job that he was assigned to do, but was serving God and the different communities.

   The families recognized his face from previous years and their faces instantly lite up because they knew we were there to take down their information so that they would be able to have a delicious Christmas meal. Miguel also recognized some of the people, and approached them in such a humble manner. Desperate times caused some of the people to become angry and impatient as we were jotting down names. Thinking that they wouldn't get their names written down, they started crowding us, and pushing their ID cards in Miguel’s face. He was very understanding towards them, while being firm and keeping everything under control. 

   On Christmas Eve at 7 in the morning, all 120 families that we had seen were at the Amigos de Jesus gates. They had all walked miles and miles to be here and receive their bags full of ingredients. That morning more of the kids wanted to help distribute the bags. It was beautiful seeing the Amigos de Jesus family so excited about giving to others.

   Being able to go with Miguel, Danilo, Joan, and Aaron to tell the 120 families that our family wanted to share with them once again was a blessing. I will always cherish this opportunity to serve by their side; it was the best Christmas gift that I could have received. 

-Jaquelin Fierros, 2014-2015 Volunteer

                          

Celebrating our young adults

Every now and then there are moments at Amigos that bring tears to my eyes. This was one of those moments. 

I was standing in the back of a large crowd. We had 20 week long visitors, 7 month long volunteers, plus our 120 kids and staff members, who had gathered for a special mass that Fr. Den was giving. 

Every year we celebrate the young men (and soon women) who have turned, or will turn 18 within the year. This year the mass was held for eight of our young men. There were beautiful decorations and everyone was dressed in their Sunday's finest. As part of the mass, the boys walked across a bridge to symbolize their entering into manhood.

During the mass, the men are asked to give short speeches, a promise they will make to Amigos, their home and family, now that they are of age. 

I was taking pictures of Jose Louis, one of the young men here, as he was making his promise to everyone. 

I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with him. At first a little shy, Jose Louis is nothing but friendly after you start talking with him. He’s willing to help you with Spanish, sit down to chat, and always has a smile to give you out in the Hogar. But besides being friendly, he has completely stepped up in so many areas of Amigos this year. He worked with some of our younger children who had gotten into trouble; he helped oversee that they were completing their punishments but also encouraged them to behave well, telling them that punishments were serious and it was important to try your best every day. All of those kids adore him and look up to him like an older brother. He is a role model to so many of our kids.  

He studied for months, every day, for his entrance exam into college. He was so worried he wouldn’t have the marks to get into a university but passed with flying colors. He is currently attending university. 

He could always be found helping out in different areas of the Hogar or spending time with the younger kids. From mopping in the kitchen to playing with some of the younger girls, he is a young man you can depend on. 

I asked him once what his favorite part of Amigos is. “The ambiance,” he told me. “I love hearing all the kids’ voices."

I pulled the camera away from my face to listen to his speech. "I promise to take care of my little brothers and sisters," he said. "I promise to look after them." He spoke of how much he loved being at Amigos. He told everyone he would support the padrinos, be respectful of the staff and love the kids. 

“Today,” he said, “I say to you these promises in words. But tomorrow, I will do them in action.”

As I wiped the tear off my cheek, I thought to myself, but you already are doing all of these things! 

Padrino Wilson and I must have had the same thought because as soon as Jose Louis finished giving his speech, Wilson said to everyone, “Jose Louis, you are living out your promises in action, we are so proud of you.”

Everyone always says that Amigos is a special place and this is why. It’s helping shape these kids into beautiful young adults who live out their promises not only in what they say but in what they do. 

I can't wait to see what the future holds for Jose Louis, and all of our children, knowing that Amigos has given them what they need to be role models and examples for others. 

-Emily Pettinger, volunteer 2013-2014

Month in review: September

The month of September was filled with national holidays and celebrations. 

On September 10th we celebrated Día del Niño, a day where we show our appreciation for children. Our special day was celebrated at the school with games, food, piñatas, and costumes.

In the morning, the kids arrived at school to find all their teachers dressed up as various characters, over ten different games, face painting and snacks. At each game, they could earn tickets to spend in a mini store that was set up for the day.  

The store had everything from chips and candy to stuffed animals and various art supplies as prizes. The kids loved being able to purchase all different things. After the game-filled morning, we had a special lunch, which included cake and pop. Our celebration ended by breaking into piñatas, everyone’s favorite part of the celebrations we have here at Amigos. 

On the morning of September 15th every child, padrino, staff member and volunteer was up and ready by 6:30 a.m. That Monday, we celebrated Honduras’s independence day by marching in a parade. 

This year, Honduras celebrated 193 years of independence from Spain. Our kids joined many other neighboring schools in the patriotic parade and walked through the nearby town,  Macuelizo. 

Even the little kindergarteners walked all morning showing their pride by waving pictures of important leaders throughout Honduras’s history and sporting Honduras's colors: blue and white. 

On September 22, we welcomed back our children who were in the U.S. for two weeks. Victor, Ariel, Chango and Arcadia walked through the gates with beaming smiles and were full of stories. Thank you to everyone in the U.S. who helped make that trip so special. Our kids will remember it forever.

First Days at Amigos

Hey everyone!

I’ve been here at the hogar (home) for 6 days now and what a time it has been! The day after I got here, we took all 120+ kids to a waterpark in a nearby town. A donor wanted to provide that to the kids so all of us were able to go. We spent eight hours there. It was extremely fun but ridiculously tiring.

I’m well on my way to learning all the names of the kids here. It’s a big task but shouldn’t take me too long. Between that and picking up on more Spanish, my brain is being kept very busy!In the mornings this week, we have been rotating through work at different spots here. On Monday I was in the kitchen. I chopped a lot of vegetables and then helped make tortillas for everyone. Once a month the volunteers cook a meal for the entire hogar. I’d like to thank SHC campus ministry on a head start on knowing how to cook for that many people! On Tuesday, I went to summer camp with the chiquitos (the youngest children we have here). Since they have a break from school right now, we got to do crafts and watch cartoons (a rare treat). On Wednesday I worked in the morning in agro (agriculture/farm). It was a lot of work but I enjoyed it! The Amigos de Jesus farm has pigs, chickens, horses, cows, corn, pineapple, lemons, papaya, mahogany trees, and various other small crops. However, we are in a severe drought and we may end up losing most of our crops this year. On a good year, Padrino Wilson (Amigos de Jesus director) said the farm could provide about 50% of the food we consume here. Thursday, the volunteers went to one day of training for the other group of volunteers that are here for almost a year, the BECA (Bilingual Education for Central America) volunteers. They are full-time teachers. On Friday I will be in esculita (summer camp for the slightly older kids).

The school here on site goes through 6^th grade. After that, kids who graduate from our school will go into the local town to go to collegio (high school). After that, we have a couple kids in the university at San Pedro Sula.

For the first time in my life, I have washed my clothes completely by hand. It’s a time consuming task but I actually really enjoyed it. It’s nice relaxing time to listen to music and think.

My washer

My dryer

The volunteer house

This weekend, we have our first offsite trip with just our volunteer group. We will be going to Lago Yoja. This is one of the only lakes in Honduras and is supposed to be really beautiful with lots of things to do! We are all pretty excited!

Almost every night here ends with a prayer circle. It is, without a doubt, my favorite part of the day. Everyone gathers into a huge circle, holds hands, and the ones who want to take turns thanking God for what they are thankful for. A little girl who has become attached to me held my hand during prayer circle and took her turn thanking God for different things, one of which happened to be the fact that I was there. Talk about powerful!

-Michael Kernahan, volunteer 2014-2015

A Year Of Many Names

One of the first overwhelming things about starting life at Amigos de Jesus was something that I hadn’t thought about for one second. I worried about not knowing a word of Spanish before boarding a plane to Honduras. I worried about boarding a plane that would land in San Pedro Sula, the city with the world’s highest murder rate. I worried about all of these things complicating my marriage, which was not yet a month old. But neither Ali (my wife and my motivation to volunteer) nor I thought for a second about having to learn a bunch of new names. Through the application process we easily set to memory the major players: Fr. Dennis, Emily Ford, Amy and Wilson Escoto. Once we got here it was fairly easy to learn the volunteers’ names, as they were Americans like us and we spent ten days living in a house with them. The kids’ names were another story.

Ninety new names was plenty, but as you may have thought, but I never did, the names in Latin America are a little different. Jose, that’s easy enough. But it was a little harder a few minutes later when I met Josue (Hoe-sway), and than felt hopeless the next day when I met Jesuan (Hey-swan). Also, we have a Jose Antonio, a Jose Alexander, and a little girl named Maria Jose.  

The group of Jose-ish names was just the start of the challenge. Knowing kids names allows you to get their attention and avoid too many awkward “hey there …buddy’s.” To live in this world you also need to know the nicknames. If you insist on political correctness, well come down and change the culture yourself. We have a “Chinito”— little china boy, “Mata Perro" – dog killer, “Negro” and “Negrita” – black man and little black girl, “Chucho" – puppy, “Chango" – monkey, “Chimpa" – short for chimpanzee, “Cabeza" – big head, and “Shrek” – the resemblance fades as he is thinning out and bathing more consistently. You don’t have to use them, but this is all information you need to know if you want to understand what the kids are saying to one another. Though at times, it’s better not to know.

Shrek

Eventually we all figured out the names. Counting the staff, plus kids, the total number is about 160 names you need to know. Some of my favorite names are Virgilio, Otilio, Pipo, Ivis, Henrry (roll the double Rs if you can), Arcadia and her little sister Cleofis, and Fany. It took me about two months to commit the last of them to memory.

Tomorrow is the last day I will be called Padrino. Padrino is my job title; Madrina is my wife’s. The words translate to godfather and godmother. But those weren’t the only names we have been called this year. I have gotten a lot of “gringo” - white man, “viejo" – old man, (which was funny because I am 25 and look about 18) and “perro” – dog, which makes more sense as an insult here because the dogs are filthy animals. Surprisingly, about six months passed before anybody bothered to call me “cuatro ojos" – four eyes. I will spare you the bad words which I have been called in some of our children’s less charming moments.

Padrino is the name I will miss the most, which is ironic, because it represents a job that was absolutely exhausting to me. It was exhausting because being a Padrino requires the Honduran staff, and for 1-year my wife and I to do what is not possible. The Padrinos work at Amigos de Jesus to compensate for parents, and they fail every day. It is not the fault of the Padrinos, it is not the fault of Amigos de Jesus, there is no compensating for the absence of parents, there is only attempting and failing. They will continue to fail every day as long as Amigos de Jesus takes in kids. They wake up too early, and stay up too late. They clean clothes, bodies, and toilets. They get hit by fists, spit at, food and rocks thrown at. They do what parents do, but they are not parents.  “Godparent” is a good name for them. Not only because they fulfill the responsibility of godparents, but because it reminds us that we are working for and living with God’s children. The children who at times scream at, spit at, and hit us, are the same ones that turn into responsible young adults like Keka, who just spent months working hard to pass a test that will allow him to go to college. Amigos de Jesus – Friends of God, is a good name for this home. Padrino is a good name for the workers, because they are raising God’s children. 

-Pat Kenny, volunteer 2013-2014