Our Little Roses, the central ministry for homeless girls in Honduras began in 1988 in a small rented house with 26 girls. In 1990, the unique ministry caught the interest of government officials of the city of San Pedro Sula. They gave some land to Our Little Roses, on which were built facilities to house girls and administrative offices for the mission. To this day, there is no other institution in Honduras dedicated to building lives, preparing and equipping and supporting once homeless girls to enter into middle class society. This is important because uneducated girls with no skills have little to no opportunities to escape poverty-level circumstances. Our girls graduating from high school who attend university also hold jobs. Other ministries housed within the walled campus include Holy Family Bilingual School, chapel and B & B hostel.
There are no governmental social services or funds for Honduran children who become victims of violence, poverty, disease and oppression. The need was desperate in 1988, and it is even more compelling today. Children are often forced onto the streets to fend for themselves when their families cannot or will not care for them. Poverty produces abusive situations for many pre-adolescent girls who are deprived of an education by being kept home to take care of younger siblings, with no adult supervision or oversight.
At Our Little Roses Homes, every girl is given not only shelter but education and love. Uniforms and school fees are provided, and a staff of teachers helps newly-arrived girls catch up with their peers. The sense of family at Our Little Roses sustains all the girls, who are active in church. Many are members of the choir, youth fellowship leaders and acolytes.
St. George’s has been blessed to be a part of this mission since its inception. We have built a long-standing relationship with the girls and staff of Our Little Roses, and have taken groups down to Honduras every summer for the past 10 years.
Check out the monthly newsletter, The Rose Garden.
See www.ourlittleroses.org for more information.
Please watch the film teaser for the Our Little Roses Documentary below.