About Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos
www.nph.org
Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH), Spanish for "Our Little Brothers and Sisters," is a network of orphanages in Central America and the Caribbean. But NPH is more than an orphanage – it is a home, a loving community with the spiritual guidance that helps children break the cycle of poverty. Father William B. Wasson founded NPH in 1954 to meet the needs of children in Mexico. His mission of love has spread and today, NPH is home to over 3,400 orphaned, abandoned or disadvantaged children in orphanages throughout nine countries. It is supported by Friends of the Orphans, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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Juan Manuel was born in Usulutan, in the municipality of Santiago de María, El Salvador with a cleft palette and dental deformities. When he was two, a fire in Juan’s home caused third degree burns on his legs and the subsequent amputation of both legs at the hip. Juan spent the first nine years of life with no prosthetic legs.
At nine years old, Juan’s mother died of an ulcer. After a turbulent foster situation, Juan was brought to Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH) El Salvador, where he started a new life. NPH provides a home for children, from infants to young adults, who are orphaned or are in untenable home situations and promises to never separate the sibling family.
At NPH, Juan’s love of and talent for music was recognized and he was encouraged to work at his music skills. He became part of the music program at the home and was chosen to help represent all the children of NPH in the musical tour group. Working with Otoneil Alvarez, the music director for NPH El Salvador, Juan began writing music and developing his talents.
In 2007, the El Salvador home was chosen to perform throughout the Midwest in a series of "fiestas" to raise funds for NPH. The fiesta tour included both musicians and dancers from the home and gave these children an opportunity to stay in the homes of volunteers, inspiring ongoing relationships with many families.
While in Chicago, Juan Manuel sang and played the guitar for an audience that included several physicians from University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). They were thrilled by his music, amazed by his story and decided to help find a way to correct some of his medical problems at no cost. Juan was accepted into a program at Shriner’s Hospital for Children–Chicago to correct his cleft palate and granted the funds for new prosthetics for his growing body. Upon hearing the story, the Mulliganeers from Chicago agreed to cover all transportation costs for the surgeries.
In late 2007, Juan Manuel began a journey to repair the cleft palate and surrounding cranial facial issues that he has had since birth. Shriner’s Hospital for Children–Chicago and the UIC doctors are managing Juan’s case and will see him through the rounds of surgery necessary to correct the palette, and the plastic and dental surgery to repair his face.
Today, Juan Manuel is a dedicated acoustic guitarist and vocalist. During his visits to Chicago for medical treatment, Juan continues his music studies at The Old Town School of Folk Music. Juan has entertained audiences at churches and special events throughout the area. At each event, he plays and sings a special ballad – the theme song for NPH – which was written as a song of gratitude.
Throughout his journey to receive medical attention, Juan Manuel and a companion from NPH El Salvador live with the Byrne and Howard families in the Edgebrook community of Chicago. They have worked to schedule both his medical appointments and foster his musical talents through lessons and other music opportunities.
In 2009, the dream became a reality as Juan began recording his songs for his CD. While working on his music, Juan decided to title the CD "El Sonido de Graditud" or The Sound of Gratitude, to help show his appreciation.
Juan’s Project
"El Sondio de Graditud"
Juan Manuel has written 10 songs – both ballad and folk style – which have been recorded and distributed to share with the world. "My songs are ones of gratitude," said Juan Manuel. "I write them to be thankful for NPH and all the people who make my life good."
Juan Manuel’s perseverance in the face of enormous challenges, the fostering of his talents by NPH, the outpouring of generosity by so many Chicagoans for this young man; makes this a story that should be transpired through his music, and told in film.