During the summer of 2012, a group from the cathedral spent a week at El Hogar de Amor y Esperanza (The Home of Love and Hope), an Episcopal orphanage in Honduras. The cathedral sponsors this faith-deepening experience as a part of the summer mission trips for youth and adults and will continue to do so annually.
El Hogar takes in young children who have been deserted by their parents. The staff of the orphanage raises the children in a loving environment, providing for their needs while teaching them how to achieve their dreams of their futures. Visiting church groups work to improve the facilities and nurture the children by engaging in healthy activities and building relationships with them.
For more information, contact Slocomb Reed.
Check out scenes from our trip to El Hogar.
Flying Pig Marathon and El Hogar
The Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon has accepted El Hogar Ministries as an official charity to benefit from race events. To ensure part of your registration fees go directly to El Hogar, select the charity El Hogar when registering and use the code ELHOG. Not only will you save money, but part of you will support crucial outreach efforts.
Flying Pig events will take place on Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, March 5. There will be opportunities for adults, children and even infants to participate.
If you are not participating in the Flying Pig, join us in cheering on the marathoners. We will meet at 6 a.m. in the cathedral and walk up 7th and Sycamore to cheer on those in the race. We will then return to the cathedral for a light breakfast before worship.
For more information, contact Beth Mendez. To join our El Hogar Flying Pig Team, contact Laura Booke.
Messages from The Home of Love and Hope
We share some thoughts from the youth and adult volunteers who traveled to El Hogar.
"The thirteen of us piled into the van and were driven to St. Mary's Cathedral for the Sunday Service ... The peace or 'la paz' was passed generously throughout the congregation to all of us. We felt so welcomed." – Judy Beiring
"My favorite part of the day was when I was in the craft room, and the children were making earrings. After we finished making the earrings, all of the children were running up to me and trying to put the earrings they made in my ears ..." – Nia Warren
"I am beginning to realize that there is more to life than ... wireless devices ... The more important things in life are family, friends and enjoying what is going on in front of you without being plugged in." – Shea Miller
"The night ended with a 'thank you party' ... being the only Spanish-speaker, I explained to the children that we have received from them more than we could possibly ever give. These children have been God's love, present in our lives, to a degree that none of us have ever before experienced ... This bunch of orphans are the bright future of Honduras." – Slocomb Reed
