About Us
| The number of children at the Hogar is around 130 - 140, with growth expected because of rising food prices. The first three girls, who were the reason for the home starting, were eventually adopted, however children are very rarely given for adoption, and therefore the idea is to provide them a loving home. Children are supposed to leave the home at the age of 18, but some stay longer to finish their secondary education and help care for the small children. Such is their love for the Hogar that many of them build houses nearby so they can remain part of the Tierra Santa community. From the beginning the vision for the children was that each one receive an education so they can become productive citizens and better serve their community and country. Some of the girls, after completing high school, have obtained scholarships to study overseas, and many do typing, textile and computer courses, etc., to learn skills which will help them become financially independent. Santiago also believes that they should not only be recipients of charity, but should also be serving members of society. One of their service projects, for example, is to run a regular soup kitchen in the village. Emphasis in the home is placed on reward for good behavior rather than punishment for poor behavior. Each older girl has a younger one to care for and they all participate in the daily tasks which increases their sense of being useful members of society. Creativity is considered very important, particularly dance and drama and the home has its own traditional dance troupe. |
Frequently Asked Questions
| Can I adopt a child from Hogar Tierra Santa? | Current adoption laws in Honduras require that requests for adoption be made to the Honduran Institute of Childhood and Family (Instituto Hondureño de la Niñez y la Familia, IHNFA). You can find more information on their website: www.ihnfa.hn as well as at the US Department of State’s website for international adoption: travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_393.html |
| Is the Hogar a religious institution? | The Hogar provides for the spiritual nourishment and training of its children, but it is not affiliated with any particular religion. In fact, we are very proud of the religious diversity of the Hogar’s staff and supporters. At the Hogar we have Baha’is, Lutherans, Catholics, Evangelical Christians and Mormons working together in harmony for the benefit of the children. The children themselves also come from varied religious traditions and we allow them the freedom to investigate and practice the religion of their choice. |