【55】A Sisters' School, a Sister’s Heart @ Holy Family Institute, Ohio River Blvd

Little did I know how lucky I actually am, considering those many children in the world that can't have a full stomach going to bed, can't freely enjoy their rights to education, or those girls that are doomed to grow up fast just to be a wife and a mother.....

From a small village in the central part of China, south of the Qinling Mountain, I have come this far to be in the U.S. working with so many wonderful agencies each and everyday with the hope and mission of bringing what I will learn back to my motherland someday. The longer I am out on the road building a life, the less I behave and think like a village girl, and the easier I lose the conscious attachment to some of the early drives that helped me to start this whole voyage.   Among those drives,  is the notion of creating more opportunities for other village girls like me who wants to make a better life for themselves as well as for the society as a whole.

Sister Linda Yankoski, the CEO of Holy Family Institute, literally touched my heart when she was sharing her vision of providing scholarships to Chinese rural high school students. That is how she and her school was, is and will be remembered by me.

It was a snowy winter day few months ago, through our China-focused regional marketing initiatives, I had the chance to visit the institute and assist its efforts in working with Chinese students on its International College Preparatory Program. It was so interesting to see a Sister in person for the first time, who came across more like a respectable businesswoman who had faith and compassion as her natural make up all of her journey. It was a very pleasant experience. I still remember she invited us to have Hotpot one day because they finally learned to take care of their Chinese students from taking care of their Chinese palettes. So Sister Linda didn’t hesitate to brag about their authentic Chinese food in their schools. This is just another small thing that shows the level of care the schools has towards its students.

(Note: The picture on the left shows the entrance of the institute complex, and the picture on the right shows dear Mike and Sarah. They always tolerate my need for taking pictures, although +Sarah Liu only showed me her back and +Michael Matesic was actually saying"Wait until it is warmer!" and I seemed to always be in a hurry snapping a picture! The entrance picture didn't do the beautiful institute complex any justice. Well, what can you do? Life is a snapshot after another, and we just need to keep moving forward.)

Beer winning trivia @ Holy Family Institute, Ohio River Blvd

1. Holy Family Institute is a religion-based institute providing services to youth and families (including those with special needs) with schooling, family support, counseling, early learning, and utility assistance in Pittsburgh region and around Pennsylvania. 

It is founded in 1900, the year when three orphaned children are brought to the summer home in Emsworth after their Polish immigrant parents died in an accidental fire. 

In 1931, Holy Family Institute replaced the Orpha Asylum of the Holy Family as the formal name of the organization representing the expansion of the organization’s mission and services to all children that are in need.

In 1950s, the inistitute celebrated its Golden Jubilee. By then, 4,347 children have been harbored. 159 alumni were honored as World War II veterans. 

In 2011, Holy Family Institute launched Holy Family International College Preparatory Program, a boarding and support service for international youth seeking education in the U.S., contributing to the mission and financial stability of the organization.

2. In 1898, the original Emsworth House was purchased as a summer retreat home for the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth. This is the first experience of mine that goes beyond Allegheny and Monongahela River and reaches Ohio River, which altogether forms the three-river geographic characters of the region. 

The Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth are a Roman Catholic religious institute that was founded in Rome in 1875 by Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd (Franciszka Siedliska). The Sisters of the Holy Family are an apostolic, international congregation, located on four continents and in thirteen countries. There are over 1,700 members. A Sister of this order is identified by the initials CSFN (Latin for "Congregatio Sacrae Familiale de Nazareth"; English translation: "Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth") after her name.

ID@Holy Family Institute

How many Chinese high school students are currently enrolled?