When will humanity put an end to the raging conflicts of war and the abuses that result from it? Eleven Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth were victims of the Nazi regime. The sisters were rounded up, shot, and buried in a mass grave. They gave their lives so others could live. One could only hope that humanity would put an end to such horrendous crimes. Unfortunately, war, corrupt governments, violence, and extreme poverty continues around the world. Far too often children are the victims. Forced to make the perilous journey to a far-off land seeking asylum, safety, and a decent life. Eighty years after the death of the sisters in Nowogrodek the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth continue to minister to children who make the journey from Central America to the USA on their own unaccompanied by any protective adult.
Since 2014, Holy Family Institute’s Journey of Hope program has provided shelter, counseling, recreation, and education to unaccompanied minors arriving in the United States, with the goal of reuniting each child with their parents or relatives. This year, building on the shelter program’s eight years of success, we began a new initiative to serve even more children at a vulnerable point in their young lives.
The program’s true beginning was in 2010, when twelve children arrived at Holy Family Institute, or HFI, in January, just one week after their home country of Haiti was devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. When they arrived in the United States, the children were brought to HFI where they were cared for by staff and volunteers and provided with a safe and stable environment.
Four years later, after an unprecedented surge in the number of children arriving at our southern border without parents or legal guardians, we reorganized the program to provide supportive services to these unaccompanied minors. Journey of Hope continues to offer shelter, food, clothing, counseling, recreation, and education to these children, many of whom have endured a long, perilous journey in search of a brighter future. While the plight of these children is heartbreaking, the Journey of Hope staff strives to help them feel safe, loved, and hopeful during their time in our care.
The Long-Term Foster Care (LTFC) program, launched in January 2022, provides a safe, stable environment for young people who require a longer stay than those served by our shelter program. This program provides care for up to twelve teenage boys in a home-like environment, including comfortable housing, group meals, and dedicated case managers, clinicians, youth care workers, and interpreters.
Fifteen-year-old Sayed* came to us from Afghanistan, where his family still lives. “I’m very happy to be here, I can’t express how happy I am. I am comfortable and safe here,” says Sayed, “I am only concerned about my family, I hope that someday they can come to America, too.”
In a warm, family-like environment, the children are given a chance to work through any emotional or behavioral difficulties and are also provided with opportunities to explore their interests and grow as young men. As often as possible, the staff seek out additional enrichment opportunities for the kids, from summer camps specifically for ESL (English as a Second Language) students to group ceramics classes at local arts centers.
Sayed, who plays striker on the Avonworth junior varsity soccer team, dreams of one day playing soccer for an international team. “My dream is to play for an international soccer team, to raise the Afghan flag so that Afghans can see me and have pride in Afghanistan and in America.”
Sayed and the other young men living in the home consistently show their resiliency and strength of character, enriching the lives of everyone they meet. Each child makes their mark on the program and leaves a reminder in the form of a painted handprint, many of which adorn the living room walls of the house. This program, along with the shelter program and post-release services gives Holy Family Institute and the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth the opportunity to bring help, healing, and hope to a new generation of children.
*Not his real name
