An Unexpected Visitor

You may know by now that in preparation for Halloween, we asked all of our Communications Coordinators to send us scary tales from their countries. Our Communications Coordinator in Quezon City, Philippines, Margaret Tadeja-Cruz didn’t have a story to share, but she did send us two very interesting photos.

Margaret tells us that a couple of months ago she went to one of Children International's community centers in Quezon City to take photos of Rovelyn, a young sponsored girl who dances. It was about 7 o’clock at night and there was no one around except the guard and two other people who were sitting down outside. The community center was closed, and the children you see inside the community center in the second picture are actually statues. She began snapping pictures of Rovelyn standing in front of the door of the center, and she ended up capturing something she cannot explain...



Who’s the girl standing behind Rovelyn in the first picture? (Click the photos to enlarge.) Was it just someone walking by that Margaret didn’t notice or is the community center haunted? You be the judge.

Faces of Joy

While sponsored children may be in dire need and condition with very limited choices in life, faces of joy are seen in every visit to the community center: whether it be in receiving gifts such as shoes below…


Waiting for a vaccine…


Receiving a birthday gift from a sponsor…


Writing letters of gratitude to sponsors…


Braving the needle during vaccination…


Or simply enjoying meals during the Feeding Program…



Posted on behalf of Margaret Cruz from Children International’s Quezon City Agency. Photos by Margaret Cruz.

You asked for it...

Posted on behalf of Sarah Trapp

We love hearing from our sponsors and donors; and when we do, many times they tell us that they wished they could see more pictures from their child’s country. So today we’ve decided to give the people what they want: more photos!

Every month we ask our Communication Coordinators in eleven different countries to send us some of their favorite photos they’ve taken. With so many submissions, it’s impossible for us to use all of these fab photos…but we certainly appreciate their hard work and love to put some of their best efforts in the spotlight.

This time we’ll be sharing some of the latest and greatest from the Philippines. Enjoy!

Man, the teacher assigned a lot of homework this time! Heavy backpacks are no match for clever kids in Tabaco. (Photo by Sarah Velasco)

Thirteen year old Raymond helps to support his family by selling bananas and other foods on the street after school. With the help of sponsorship, Raymond is in high school and hopes to one day support his family with a professional career. (Photo by Joel Abelinde)

Yummy! These sponsored boys and girls in Quezon City enjoy their Saturday meal provided by one of Children International’s feeding programs for malnourished children.
(Photo by CJ Tarroja)

King of the...tricycle? One man’s junk makes a perfect playground for these children in Legaspi. (Photo by Anthony Lorcha)

Rochelle stands in front of her home in Manila. (Photo by Joel Abelinde)

An Unforgettable Experience – Part 2

A sponsor of seven children, Steve Krumholz recently traveled to the Philippines as a volunteer on a surgical mission trip sponsored by the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America. While in the Philippines, he had the opportunity to visit not only his sponsored children, but also the children and their families that he has helped support with generous contributions since becoming a friend to Children International in 2006.

Part 2

After completing the surgical mission, I returned to Manila where I was to meet my sponsored child Eduardo Garcia, an 11 year old boy, and the Beltran sisters Lovely Sophia, age 7 and Richelle Joy, age 9. I first came to learn about the Garcia family when they were featured in the sponsorship magazine, Journeys. I was stricken with concern about how these families could live among the dead in Bagbag Cemetery. At the time, I sponsored two children in Colombia and Ecuador and was looking to add two more. However, time passed and the Garcia family slipped my mind until the March 15th blog post. There were Remy Garcia’s hollow eyes staring at me once again. I knew I couldn’t wait for others to do something. I contacted Children International to sponsor one of the Garcia children and to also explore finding a new home for the family, somewhere out of the cemetery.

"Real help, real hope for the New Year. Mr. Steve Krumholz, a sponsor of Children International – Manila, visited recently his sponsored child Eduardo Garcia. Together with Mr. Ron Neal, he literally dug out Eduardo and his family from the grave and from poverty of living in Bagbag Cemetery and given them a new house and a new life."

When a house was found, the cost was a bit beyond my reach. However, Vickie Wiedenmann at CI headquarters in Kansas City, continued to search for other sponsors who might help with funding. She found sponsor Ron Neal. Together, we were able to purchase a home for the Garcias, and Children International CEO Jim Cook had the enviable job of delivering the good news to the family upon his visit to June 2007. To Ron Neal, whom I’ve never met, I want to extend my sincere thanks for helping make a dream come true for the Garcia family.

I was able to meet Eduardo Garcia and his family in the house he refers to as a “palace.” Eduardo’s “palace” is small, but offers two bedrooms, a bathroom and a combined kitchen and living room. An adjacent apartment consisting of two rooms is rented out and helps bring the family much needed income. Compared to the small tarpaulin covered shanty the family called home for almost 20 years, the Garcias’ new home is a treasure.

Lovely Sophia and Richelle Joy Beltran were two girls I became acquainted with in the “Easter Shoes” blog post. These two young girls were still coping with the death of their mother four years earlier, as their father, Rio, struggled to provide for his family.

Although I am not their sponsor, I wanted to help them because it saddened me that at the ages of 7 and 8 they were receiving their first pair of new shoes. These two little girls treasure this one pair of new shoes provided by their generous sponsor. I wanted to do something more to help the family out. Over the course of a few months, I was able to help their father, Rio, make improvements to their home, including adding two new walls, a new bed to replace the rickety one where the girls used to sleep, and installing electricity. Rio was also able to start a small business selling frozen meats to neighbors.

I was greeted by a large banner welcoming me to their community when I entered the Beltran home. Amid many tears, Rio hugged me and I felt as though he was a long lost brother. I was encouraged that I had made the right decision to help this family by the happy smiles of Lovely Sophia and Richelle Joy.

We collected both the Garcia and the Beltran families and went to one of the largest shopping malls in the Philippines. The mall has partnered with Children International to provide an extra 10% to each sponsored child’s visit. Eduardo Garcia and the Beltran girls were presented with stuffed pillows in the shape of animals by mall representatives. Eduardo’s wish was for a bicycle. With a helmet, knee and elbow pads and a lock, he is now ready to ride to school. The Beltran girls settled for clothes, but the look in Lovely Sophia’s eyes as she tried on a new dress spoke volumes about her happiness. Richelle Joy is more reserved, but still, when she picked out an Elmo T-shirt, she was a very happy girl.

After shopping, we returned to the Community Center, where a holiday party was in progress. I was stunned by the warm reception provided by Agency Director Cynthia Tiotuyco and her staff. Their greetings made me feel like a celebrity! The sponsored teens at the Manila field office made me feel special as well when I praised their efforts to notify and educate their friends about dengue fever and parasitic diseases. There were so many intelligent and sincere teens that I met there. Just looking into their eyes made me see that their future holds great promise.

Check the blog again tomorrow to read how Steve was inspired to sponsor yet another child.

Meet Len, from Quezon City, Philippines

“I want to be a teacher when I grow up because a teacher can do so many things and I will be able to teach many children how to read and write.

My sponsored friends say that we should thank God because we are sponsored children who receive many gifts and help from Children International.” – Len, age 7


Photo and reporting assistance by CJ Tarroja, communications coordinator for Children International's agency in Quezon City, Philippines.

International Literacy Day

Of the world's population of 6.6 billion people, over 4 billion can read. In honor of International Literacy Day we would like to share the story of Jocelyn Franco of Quezon City, Phillippines who joined the 4 billion last year.

Never Too Late
A mother leads by example

Nine-year-old Dante Franco Jr. of Quezon City wants to be a professional basketball player, like his idol, James Caguiwa. While basketball skills are not a direct part of his Children International sponsorship experience, the mere fact that he has the freedom to dream big is telling.

When his mother, Jocelyn, was his age, she was getting ready to leave school. Her family’s desperate financial state forced her into the workforce at a time when the orchard of her mind was just coming out of the soil. After the completion of elementary school, young Jocelyn had to go to the tire factory where she glued new rubber on old tires. Although she really missed school (where she had received excellent grades), she never complained about the work that had to be done.

Breaking the cycle

Through sponsorship, Jocelyn would accompany Dante to the Children International community center often. There he would receive school supplies, new shoes and clothes, health and dental checkups.

Life was stable for Jocelyn and her brood. Their store below their small apartment sold basic produce, groceries and meat to loyal customers. Although the family’s income was meager – bringing in only $56 per month – it was steady. The children enjoyed school. But Jocelyn always felt that something was missing. That’s when Pagasa came into her life.

Pagasa is the Filipino word for “hope.” Children International’s Quezon City office initiated the Pagasa Adult Literacy Program in 2005 to address a need expressed by sponsored children’s mothers, like Jocelyn. They wanted to help their children with homework and letter writing to sponsors but often couldn’t because basic skills eluded them.

Dante appreciates the help with his studies. A nonjudgmental environment and broad curriculum were created, and to date, 39 mothers have completed the program. Quezon City’s agency director Lei Orioste explains, “The program is designed for parents to relive the educational experience they missed. We want to empower them with enhanced skills like reading, writing, basic English, mathematics and interpersonal communication. Above all, the students are taught the value of education as a powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty, to make a different path for their children.”

For three months, Jocelyn diligently attended the classes for two hours every Saturday. She relished the homework.

“At night, after closing the store and before sleeping, I would review the lessons for about a half an hour. I even shared the lessons with my children, Babylyn and Dante, like English, vocabulary, weather reports and songs that we were taught,” Jocelyn explains. “I managed the time and responsibilities very well.”

Jocelyn’s self-esteem has been enhanced. The dividends of the Pagasa course are evident in all aspects of her life. Some of her former classmates have become her customers. “My neighbors say I am friendlier now. That is because we were taught a good attitude and how to apply it in our everyday life,” Jocelyn shares.

Before Pagasa, Jocelyn had to rely on simple addition and subtraction. “Now I will just multiply numbers, because I received much practice in multiplication. I am also more accurate in giving change.”

The Pagasa program has reaffirmed Jocelyn’s feeling regarding the power of education. She will not let her children repeat the mistakes of her past. Jocelyn says, “Education plays a very important role in breaking the cycle of poverty. If you finish your education, this is a good opportunity for you to have a good and stable job and a good stable life.”

In the News...

Fire Ravages Sponsorship Community in the Philippines

Fire swept through a shantytown in Quezon City, Philippines, the afternoon of April 26, destroying homes and property as residents fled for their lives. There have been no reports of serious injuries or casualties.

The ravaged community consists of approximately 150 homes. Our staff in Manila rushed to the scene to check on the welfare of the families in the area. They informed us that 39 families of sponsored children – as well as two former sponsored children – have been affected by this disaster.

Sponsored families have been provided with temporary shelters within the Bagbag community by local government agencies.

Since most sponsored families were not able to salvage any personal belongings, Children International immediately provided emergency items such as blankets, pillows and toothbrushes. Additionally, government agencies distributed food to the victims.

We'll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Photos and information provided by Arlene De Vera, of our Manila agency.
__________________________________________________________

Power returning to Colombia after nationwide blackout

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Colombia's electrical grid collapsed Thursday, causing a nationwide blackout that briefly halted stock trading, trapped people in elevators and left authorities struggling to determine the cause.

President Alvaro Uribe told journalists in the southern city of Cali that the blackout, which began at midmorning, "appears to have affected the entire country."

Luis Alarcon, manager of state-controlled electricity distributor ISA, issued a statement that the power outage apparently began with an undetermined technical glitch at a substation in Bogota and quickly spread to the rest of the country.

He said work crews had re-established power to about 20 percent of the country and hoped to reconnect the rest in a few hours.

Bogota's stock exchange resumed trading around noon as power returned. It said trading would be extended for an hour to make up for the suspension.

RCN television reported that power had returned to central Bogota, and to parts of the city's northern districts, where many companies have their headquarters.

Rosa Ortiz, who runs a cigarette stand at a busy intersection in Bogota, said that with traffic lights knocked out, "we've seen a few near accidents, but so far the drivers seem to be adapting to the situation."

There was no indication of a terrorist attack, though leftist rebels routinely sabotage electric transmission lines as part of their four-decade old campaign to overthrow the government.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Hope Through Housing: Part 2 of 3

Posted on behalf of Tom Owens

Sponsorship provides the platform that allows CI to work in other areas of importance to the children and their families, such as housing. The community knows us and trusts us for our long-term commitment. Established networks like our volunteers and partnerships with local organizations are all part of our built-in capacity to do housing on a large scale.

Helping those who help themselves: Children International partners with prospective homeowners, who provide the labor to build their own homes.

Hope reborn: the “Renacer” (Rebirth) housing project in Honduras.

We began a formal housing effort at Children International in Honduras in 1999 following Hurricane Mitch. During the three years after Mitch we built nearly 700 houses for Honduran families, most of them with children sponsored through Children International.

Better than before: secure housing emerges after the floodwaters in India.

Other disasters have moved us to provide urgently needed assistance for shelter in other countries. CI built more that 500 houses in India in 2001-2002 following destructive floods and cyclones. We built still another 72 houses for families in Quezon City, Philippines, that lost their homes in a fire.

Our next challenge is once again in the Philippines, where a series of four brutal typhoons caused widespread destruction last year. Over 300,000 homes in the region around the cities of Legaspi and Tabaco were demolished and about the same number were partially damaged. We are currently securing land and seeking funding that will allow us to mount a response to this dire situation.

Through all these projects CI has maintained the principal of “building back better than before.” The idea has always been to help the families create something of lasting value. That’s why we ensure that we use the best quality materials available at the best price and used tested construction techniques to strengthen the homes against severe weather. We also take simple, inexpensive measures – such as good cross ventilation – to make the houses more comfortable in hot climates.

Our Home Improvement Loan Program grew out of these new construction projects and has helped hundreds of families make incremental improvements to their homes. Again, the beneficiaries provide the unskilled labor for the improvements, develop construction skills and take a genuine pride in their homes.

Tom Owens is the Director of Grants for Children International. Check back tomorrow for part 3 of this 3-part post on Children International’s efforts to improve housing for sponsored children around the world.

Easter Shoes

Posted on behalf of Arlene De Vera, Manila, Philippines

For over a year now I have been the communications coordinator for Children International-Manila, and I have seen poverty in many shapes and forms, and to different depths and extent. Our agency assists over 23,000 needy children. I get a lot of opportunities to interact with them and learn about their triumphs and challenges, and each time the experience either leaves a familiar dull pain in my heart or I rejoice with them.

As I entered Rio’s home last week I didn’t feel the usual impact. Rio Beltran is a 34-year-old volunteer area leader helping the agency operate its largest center in Quezon City (near Manila) and a father of two sponsored children, Lovely Sophia, 7, and Richelle Joy, 8. They live on a meager allowance, which Rio receives from the government as barangay tanod (village watcher) and for doing errands for their neighbors.

As he graciously welcomed us, I got disoriented and was unsure of where he was leading us. Were we in a covered entrance or in the house already? It was 10:00 a.m., yet it was very dark inside because they don’t have electricity. He opened a window, the only one they have, and slowly I was able to see the whole place.

The old house is literally bare; it’s clean, but it looks – and reeks – like a pigpen. The smell could be coming from a canal just feet away from their door that serves as their convenient multi-purpose washing area where they brush their teeth and bathe. Aside from a dilapidated cabinet where their kitchen utensils and other things precious to them are kept, and a rundown, wooden bed in their bedroom (which can be entered only by going in sideways through a very narrow opening), the family has nothing else.

This picture was stuck in my head even after we joined other sponsored children and youth at SM Mall, where they do their Easter Gift shopping. My heart aches for these two children and I couldn’t imagine how they are able to live under such pitiful condition.

When Lovely Sophia happily showed to her father a pair of black boots, it was like showing the best find in the whole world! “The Lord has been so good! I just got a new pair of shoes and I could even buy slippers to replace my old pair!” I got goose bumps upon hearing these words. For a child who watches TV from someone else’s window (that is often closed upon learning that she is there), drinks from salvaged cups of instant noodles, and is only able to taste a good meal on her birthdays because she visits her godmother who cooks for her, it was a concrete demonstration of unfaltering faith not many people could muster.

It was the first time the two children received material benefits from Children International, so I asked Rio how it was accompanying the kids to shop. There was a lull and when I looked at him, he was holding back his tears but could not hide his emotions. “I was like on air seeing that joy in their eyes which I realized I had not seen since their mother passed away almost four years ago. I’m thankful that what I couldn’t provide for my children is generously given to them by people we don’t even know!” said Rio in between sobs. He got one of each of his daughters’ slippers and showed them to me. “These slippers should have long been discarded but I repair them every now and then so my children will have something to use. I’m so happy that finally they will wear new ones!”

I froze when I realized how a pair of new shoes and slippers could make such a difference, while Mabel, an officemate who was with me to help cover the Easter Gift distribution, couldn’t hold back her tears.


There are nights that I think about Lovely Sophia and Richelle Joy. I imagine them lying on their wooden bed which squeaks whenever they move while their father wonders how to make ends meet the next day. I sigh in relief thinking that although sponsorship cannot not provide everything this family needs (they are grateful just to have a bowl of rice and salt), it could very well take away the fear of a father that his children might not have a chance to finish school.

So, if you ask me about the significance of Easter to the children we help…? It’s about raising hope for Lovely Sophia, Richelle Joy and the 23,000 other children and youth they represent. And I thank all of you for making this possible.

Arlene De Vera is the communications coordinator for Children International's agency in Manila, Philippines.