COAR Peace Mission has been hard at work during this pandemic to ensure the health and safety of over 30 children in residential foster care at COAR Children’s Village in Zaragoza, El Salvador. While our fundraising activities in the US are affected, the need to care for the most vulnerable among us was not.
The children at COAR were learning remotely during the lockdown though frustrated with their new platform. Carlos 13 shared, “sometimes the teachers send the wrong homework”. Merlin 16 enjoyed doing exercise videos with her housemates every day while Raúl preferred “relaxing and connecting himself to nature” through meditation. Juan Carlos 17 enjoyed working in the COAR garden sharing what they had planted – radish, cucumber, tomato, chayote squash, and green pepper. 
Leydi, on the other hand, took her sweet tooth to the kitchen to bake. The children were also receiving Catechism classes virtually and, once the public celebration of Mass resumed in October, were blessed to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Eucharist, and Confirmation. Thanks to our dedicated staff, there have been changes but no interruptions in the daily care of these children. In fact, the pandemic has afforded them the opportunity to improve their computer skills, take up new pastimes, and grow closer to their housemates through this shared experience.
COAR Peace Mission has also provided additional funding to the parish grade school associated with our program, to ensure that our 1,000 students can continue to receive quality education during these difficult times.
COAR Peace Mission is assigned to All Hallows Church, La Jolla for Missionary Cooperation Plan 2021.
– Mary K. Stevenson, Executive Director, COAR Peace Mission, Inc.