by International Samaritan | Jan 10, 2025 | Weekend Reflections
Someone, somewhere in your family line, broke out of poverty, an accomplishment that changes the direction of an entire family tree. Almost 1,000 young people in eight cities are working hard to accomplish a similar feat for their families this year through a... by International Samaritan | Dec 27, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
International Samaritan’s founders were shocked when they visited a dumpsite in Guatemala. With this shock a dream arose: to help people who were picking through trash at the dump. That mission reached us here in Villa Guadalupe. Our scholars all have the dream of... by International Samaritan | Dec 20, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
One of the blessings of my role here at International Samaritan is to visit with our teams and scholars in all eight communities at least once each year. In these Weekend Reflections, we try to share with you what life is like in these communities and a sense of the... by International Samaritan | Dec 13, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
In Honduras, “everyone knows how to make nacatamales,” says Ronia Romero, our program director in Tegucigalpa. And the cooking typically starts at four in the morning on Christmas Day! With an early start, the nacatamales (a mixture of meat, rice, vegetables, and... by International Samaritan | Dec 6, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
When Christmas nears, the Jamaican Christmas cakes start appearing. “The newspaper man gets a cake, the garbage man, the neighbor, the church, the school,” said Sonja Robinson, our Program Director in Jamaica. “She makes 50 to 60 cakes!” Sonja said, about her older... by International Samaritan | Nov 22, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
In Ethiopia, “there’s no such thing as Christmas morning gifts,” said Selam Kahsay, our Health and Wellness Specialist. Instead, their Christmas Day celebrations revolve around food, coffee, and time with family and friends. “On Christmas Eve, we’re very caught up in... by International Samaritan | Nov 15, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
Food has a unique way of bringing people together, and that’s true all over the globe. As we prepare to gather with family and friends for Thanksgiving and Christmas, we asked a few of our international team members to share their Christmas traditions and a favorite... by International Samaritan | Nov 8, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
“When you’re dancing, you’re not so concerned about your troubles. You’re asking, ‘Am I in sync with everyone?’ It’s a momentary break from your problems, and you get a bit of joy,” said Grace Flavia Ibanda, one of our team members in Uganda. Joy is what Grace wants... by International Samaritan | Nov 4, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
As we go to the polls in America next Tuesday, I thought you might enjoy the remarks I made at the University of Michigan Board of Regents meeting on October 17. May we all treat each other with grace and dignity, regardless of whether we vote to go blue or to go red.... by International Samaritan | Oct 25, 2024 | Weekend Reflections
Four years ago, I made “a big ask” of a successful business owner and well-respected Catholic philanthropist I had only recently met. A big ask for us is finding people willing to sponsor ten of our scholars at $3,000 each–or $30,000. Before answering my request, she...