F.A.Q.

Answering common questions!

1. How many children are in the NPH family?

• currently over 5,400 children (2024). The number of children constantly fluctuates as new children arrive and older children leave as they reach adulthood. Children in the OneFamily program are included in this number.

2. Where are the NPH orphanages located?

• Mexico - Some of the older children attend school and live in Cuernavaca, Monterrey or Mexico City, but most of the children live in Miacatlán, 70 miles south of Mexico City.
• Honduras - The home is 22 miles northeast of Tegucigalpa, there are also student homes and our disabled childrens' home in Tegucigalpa.
• Haiti - The home is 25 miles south of Port-au-Prince, and the pediatric hospital, public health and disabled outreach programs are in Tabarre, home administration and visitor center are located in Pétionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince.
• Nicaragua - Currently has two locations: Jinotope southwest of Managua and San Jorge.
• Guatemala - Chimaltenango, northwest of Guatemala City.
• El Salvador - Santa Ana.
• Dominican Republic - near San Pedro de Macoris and Monte Plata, 45 minutes northwest of Casa Santa Ana
• Peru - in Cañete in the tourist village of Lunahuaná.
• Bolivia - San Ignacio de Sara, near the community of Portachuelo, 50 miles northwest of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

3. What does Pequeño mean?

• Spanish for "little" or "child." "Pequeños" refers to a group of boys and girls or more than one boy. "Pequeña" and "Pequeñas" refers to one girl and a group of girls, respectively.

4. Are the children adoptable?

• no: children who find their way to NPH have been orphaned, abused, shuffled from one family member to another. 
• they are seeking love and security, a place they can call home.
• when they come to NPH, they are told they will never be asked to leave.
• they grow and learn in their culture and language and become contributing citizens in their own countries.
• many children arrive with several brothers and sisters; it is the priority of NPH to keep families together.

5. Do the children have contact with their families outside of NPH?

• most of our children that have family do have contact.
• we have "Visitors Day" three times a year in which children receive visitors for the day.
• families arrive and spend the day on NPH grounds and usually bring food and soda.
• families consist of brothers and sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, sometimes fathers and grandparents
• older youth have every other Sunday free to visit their family.

6. How old are children when they leave NPH?

• depends on the child and how far they want to pursue their education.
• some children may leave NPH and start working after having finished their vocational training. Others may stay in the NPH program and attend high school or even go on to university.

7. Can I visit the NPH homes?

• Yes. You are always welcome to visit if you have a godchild or are interested in one of our homes.
• check with your local fundraising office to see if they organize special trips to our home 
• please notify your local office so they can ensure the home is aware of your travel plans and can make preparations to give you a warm welcome.

8. What is the Pequeño Tour?

• various Fundraising Offices for NPH sponsor Pequeño Tours in Canada and the United States.  
• raises awareness about the orphanages and raise funds for the NPH family
• group of children from one of the homes perform at the Pequeño Tour with their own Ballet Folklorico dance troupe and Estudiantina (student musicians).
• churches, schools, and other organizations host the Pequeño Tour. It is a wonderful mission program for churches. Contact your local fundraising office for more information.

Sponsorship Questions

1. May I write to my godchild?

Yes! Your godchild will love to hear from you and will reply to each letter that you write!

We strongly encourage letter writing because it helps create a special loving relationship between you and your godchild. To send a card or letter, simply place it in an unsealed envelope and mark it with your child's full name, your child's country and your name (please do not include your address). Then place the unsealed envelope and its contents into another envelope and mail it to FOTOCAN; 392 Silvercreek Pkwy N, Guelph ON, N1H 1E7 : Be sure your letter or card will fit into a 7×10-inch mailing envelope. If you wish to write your letters in the language that your godchild uses, feel free to do so. The children in Mexico and Central America speak Spanish and the children in Haiti speak Creole or French.

2. May I send a gift to my child?

Small gifts such as stickers, drawings, photos of your family, cards, coloring books or small monetary gifts may be sent to your godchild through our office. Please make sure whatever you send is flat and fits into a 10"x12" envelope. Packages are subject to high import taxes and unfortunately are not practical. We encourage godparents to provide their sponsored children with the greatest gift of all - love!

3. What is the Sharing Fund?

Gifts to the Sharing Fund provide the little extra things that make childhood special. The money is used to give each child a personal gift on his or her birthday and at Christmas. NPH also uses money from this fund to pay for fun and recreational activities, such as excursions to the zoo or the circus, or to buy ice cream or treats for all of the children. The Sharing Fund provides the children with an opportunity to practice sharing with their brothers and sisters, one of the core values of NPH. It prevents the inequity that arises when one child receives gifts from Godparents and another receives none. Please contact your local fundraising office to donate to the sharing fund.

4. May I visit my godchild at the NPH home?

Godparents are always welcome to visit their godchildren! If you would like to visit your godchild, please contact FOTOCAN, which will notify the home of your plans. This way, the staff can be certain that your godchild will be available to meet you. Your godchild will not be allowed to stay with you overnight, but depending on his age, you may make arrangements to take him into the city or to spend the day at the orphanage with him.

5. How long does my godchild need a godparent?

A child needs daily love and encouragement. As a godparent, you become an important part of a child's emotional growth. Your financial support enables the NPH home to provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education and other provisions for all of the children of NPH, while giving you the unique opportunity to develop a special relationship with your godchild. As long as your godchild remains under the care of Fr. Wasson's family, he or she will benefit from your support. Whether in elementary school, University, trade school or in a year-of-service, your godchild is still supported by the NPH family, which includes generous people like you!

6. Am I the only godparent to my godchild?

No. To raise a child is more expensive then just one godparent's contribution. Therefore the children may also have godparents in other countries.

7. Does my donation go directly to my godchild?

Your financial support provides for the care of all the children including food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and education and now that support extends into the family unit if compliance to child welfare rules are followed. The financial support of godparents enables the NPH home to provide basic necessities for all of the NPH children, while giving godparents the unique opportunity to develop a special relationship with a specific child.

8. If I send a letter to my child, how long does it take before I can get an answer?

The children write back to their godparents in scheduled classroom events every month. Postal services in the Latin American countries are sometimes very slow and it can take up to two weeks before a letter arrives. It may take one to three months before you receive an answer.

9. How often do I get mail from my child?

You will receive mail from your child at Christmas time and for Godparent's Day. In addition, every letter, gift or card you send is always being answered.