There are things that are hard, even impossible, to express in words, but that the heart still feels and understands.

Like the grief and loneliness of an orphan, and the boundless love and efforts that we are willing to shower upon them in order to ease their plight.

A little girl stands lost in the street, alone, tears streaming down her cheeks. Immediately, she is surrounded by compassionate passersby who endeavor to comfort her, offer her sweets and reassurances. “Don’t worry, darling, your mommy will be here soon. We’ll find your parents.”

Esa works with young orphaned girls who are still waiting for their mommies, for their daddies, yet who will never see them again. Our hearts explode from the depth of their pain. It’s a void that can never be filled.

At Esa, we know that nothing we do can replace the loss, but that we can give them strength and love and warmth and care. We can shower them with extra attention and a huge dose of vigor to continue fighting the odds. A full week of fun, of nonstop attractions and exhilaration in the breathtaking Austrian Alps works wonders to restore joy to their lives. The winning combination of luxury, elation, and a positive, upbeat environment among friends who are in the same boat as they salves their wounded hearts. After a full week, they return home happier, fortified, with healthier hearts and spirits, with straighter backs, with raised chins, and most of all, with broad smiles and rolling laughter to replace the tears.

The comfort and joy, like the grief, are indescribable.

80 orphaned girls will travel for a one-week wintertime retreat chock-full of fun and positive experiences that imbue them with renewed strength to continue battling the challenges of orphanhood.

Esa Wintertime Retreat for Orphans is generously sponsored by the Danielle Sonnenfeld Foundation.