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Supporters of Mexico-based orphanage raise awareness
By Mary O’Connor Cornes, The Catholic Sun
November 1, 2007
More than 300 people showed their support for orphaned children at an Oct. 13 festival at St. John Bosco Interparish School.
The event raised funds for Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, an organization founded by the late Fr. William Wasson to provide homes for children whose parents have died and who live in Latin America.
Friends of the Orphans, the U.S. partner of the organization, co-sponsored the event with St. Benedict Parish.
Children from the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos home in Cuernavaca, Mexico, performed traditional dances.
“It’s not just an orphanage, but a home,” said Felipe Zetina, who has lived at the home since age 14.
“It is not only food, clothing and education, but love and support all the way through college. They let us become who we want to be to overcome the problems of our families,” the 21-year-old added. “We can’t forget about it but we can make a better life.”
Zetina is currently completing English classes in St. Paul, Minn., and has a full scholarship to nursing school at St. Scholastica College in Duluth, Minn.
“After I finish college,” he told those gathered, “I will return to Mexico to work in the clinic of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos. After that, I will keep studying to become a pediatrician, because I love children.”
The visiting children, their chaperones and instructors attended Mass at St. Benedict prior to the festival.
Eighth-grader Bethany Baca joined her class in sponsoring 14-year-old Antonio, one of the visiting dancers.
“I like it because you get to raise money and help them. Plus you get to write letters to him and see what he does every day,” she said.
“There are over 40 million of these needy children in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Deacon Jim Hoyt, executive director of Friends of the Orphans. “We try to give children a good education to break the cycle of poverty.”
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