The mission of El Hogar Ministries, Inc. is to assist in the improvement of social and educational conditions in Honduras, principally by supporting El Hogar Projects. El Hogar Ministries, Inc. raises funds and maintains an office for coordination and communication with North American sponsors, contributors and outreach groups which form a sacred community of service and are the backbone of financial support for the 200 children at the three schools and homes of El Hogar Projects.

The Episcopal Relief and Development office of the Episcopal Church USA provides emergency assistance in times of disaster, rebuilds devastated communities, and offers aid to developing countries around the world. ERD has just granted El Hogar significant support to launch a new community development initiative through El Hogar’s Agricultural School and Farm. This multi-year grant from ERD is a partnership that not only recognizes the quality of El Hogar’s Agricultural School, but demonstrates the way both El Hogar and ERD are directly supporting the UN Millennium Development Goal to eliminate extreme poverty by 2015.

The Holy Land Committee is an important part of St. Andrew’s Outreach Committee, through which financial support is given to the Evangelical School in Ramallah, the Fund for the Needy in Bir Zeit, and St. Peter’s Bir Zeit.

The Committee seeks to remain aware of what is going on in the Ramallah and Bir Zeit from news reports and communications with the pastor in Ramallah and other friends in the Middle East.

The news is more and more devastating from the Middle East. Everyday the newspapers and TV broadcast continue to show the conflict between Israel and Palestine, more bombings, more attempts at the peace process failing… What the news doesn’t show is how the conflict is increasingly putting at risk the children and staff in the school, and the clergy and parishioners in Ramallah.

An excerpt from a recent letter from St. Andrew’s in Ramallah , dated April 24, 2002 gives us some insight into what is happening.

"We are all getting tired of our long confinement to which is added the constant sound of explosions as the Israeli army continues to explode its way into houses, shops, businesses, institutions, cultural centers, theaters, clubs and the different ministries as well as the municipality. They continue to destroy everything in their way including valuable documents, archives, research work, medical and dental clinics ... etc ... etc. In short, they are destroying the Palestinian people - their identity, their culture and their memory.

St. Andrews has a long and active relationship with the Northern Virginia affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Founded in 1990, they are headquartered in Arlington, VA. We build homes in Arlington and Fairfax Counties as well as the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax. We have co-sponsored homes in Alexandria and Fairfax.

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia is actively looking for new land in Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria.  To make a contribution to the land development fund or a general Habitat donation please visit their web page.  Get more information at these sites: Local Affiliate - Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia and Habitat for Humanity International Organization