Editor: When did you first think of starting the House of Hope?
Donna: I first had the idea of starting the House of Hope after I had seen what happened to two girls that I was close to after they had left the orphanage. They were true orphans with nowhere to go, no counseling nor real job skills. I had heard that they had been living and working on the streets. After a few months they came to me for money for a room to rent. During this time I had spoken to other volunteers who had been at the orphanage before me to find out what happened to the other girls that had left. I was told: the same thing. Some had found shelter with any man that would provide it. Many ended up pregnant or homeless. Others found jobs as live-in housekeeper making $50.00 a month. These girls have never thought about advancing their education to a higher level. It would take them forever to earn the money they needed. That is when I realized that these girls have almost everything at the orphanage but are not prepared for what lies ahead of them. Our home is a transition home which provides advance education and helps them adjust slowly to the real world beyond the orphanage walls.

I had also spoken to American volunteers at other very poor towns in Bolivia and was told that the situation is very similar even for girls that have families. They are forced to go out and find jobs whether they live at home or go to another town to find one. Many end up as street children selling lemonade, gum, and newspapers on the street. That is why our home is for the orphanage girls and other destitute young women from poor families.

Editor: What sort of prayer life or spiritual formation is available at the House of Hope?
Donna: The House of Hope is run by a Salesian volunteer and myself. The Salesians are the organization I worked for when I was at the orphanage. They have been helping me by providing a volunteer at my site every year. The volunteer, myself, and the girls are all Catholic. One of the rules of the house is that we attend weekly Mass together on Sundays and we have a prayer service three times a week. One of our girls had never attended Mass before entering the home. There are many times when I get to share my knowledge of our Faith with the girls. Two of our girls have already attended daily retreats. The Communications Center has also donated several Spanish books—Bibles, Catholic Catechisms, etc. The girls have taken an interest in reading these books on a regular basis.

Editor: Is there a need for something similar to the House of Hope for poor boys in Bolivia?
Donna: I do believe that there is a need for a home for boys, but it is not as urgent as opening more homes like the House of Hope for women. The reason I say this is because many families save their money for years so that the boys in their family can have the opportunity to study in a university. The boys are also able to live on their own, study during the day and work at night (something which is very dangerous for women to do here). One of our girls was graduating the same time as her brother. Her mother told me that she knew both her son and her daughter are extremely intelligent. She knew her son would move to the big city of Santa Cruz, find a job, and study. What she didn’t know was what was going to happen to her daughter. She told me she prayed and prayed and that God truly answered her prayers when the opportunity arose for her daughter to enter our home.

Back to Catholic Faith July/August 2000 Table of Contents

Back to Catholic Information Center on Internet