In my last post, I hinted that I would be updating everyone on how you can financially support the Hogar if you feel called to do so. I had a conversation with the sisters and this is what they said.
They are currently in the process of constructing a new building to house a place for a music room and computer room. They received an initial $10,000 in donations which covers the cost of the building materials, but they haven't yet received the funds for the doors, windows, and electricity. Also, they want to buy new computers and instruments when the building is done. We have had an interesting time navigating online school with only 5 computers cramped into a small space.
The sisters have also said that they have dreams of one day building a new room for studying and working on homework. Right now we have about 20 girls in a room that is about the size of a bedroom. (One room for the little girls, one for the older ones.) It gets a little noisy and packed when they are all present.
On top of that, we could use money to take the girls to a dentist. So many of them have untreated cavities, and the sisters typically only send them to receive care when it is causing pain. We would love to be able to get them care before things get very bad.
Now, I have two options for you if you would like to donate to the Hogar. The first is the way that the sisters would prefer. They said it works better if the money is wired directly to them. If it is sent through the Salesians, it could take a month or more of processing before they finally receive the funds. So my dad, Scott Steffen, has offered to collect funds and wire them directly to the Hogar. You can contact him at sbsteff63@gmail.com, and he will tell you about what to do next, and he can explain how you can get a tax deduction.
If you are looking for an online donation option, you can head over to https://www.salesianlaymissioners.org/donate/online-donation-through-salesian-missions/. Make sure you select the correct program (Bolivia-Hogar Maria Auxiliadora-Orphange (Cochabamba)). You can also leave a note about what you are donating to. If you want to mail in your donation, you can find the information you need at https://www.salesianlaymissioners.org/donate/donate-via-mail/.
Please do not feel obligated to donate. I am only asking because I know some people have expressed an interest in helping, and I said I would let them know if any projects arose. If you have any questions, you can email me at asteff2013@gmail.com.
Comments