A Shot at Health

Posted on behalf of Sarah Trapp

Let me just say it: I really don’t like shots. My very first memory of getting a shot was of a gravelly-voiced older woman looking at me scornfully and saying “If you cry, it only hurts worse!” Luckily for our sponsored children, getting vaccinated is a much more pleasant experience.

Coming out of a very nasty flu season in the United States, I’m sure you can relate to the need for flu shots. In February of this year over 18,700 children in Guayaquil, Ecuador lined up for and received their free flu shots at one of our community centers.

Join us as we follow Karina Alcivar through the process.



Karina and other sponsored children waited anxiously for their vaccinations.



Just a little stick, and then it’s all over.



A balloon and a piece of candy make everything better.



A little sore, but still smiling. Now Karina won’t have to worry about getting the flu and missing valuable days at school.

Photos and reporting assistance by Patricia Huerta, Communications Coordinator in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Four Years of eNews

Posted on behalf Damon Guinn

This April marks the four-year anniversary of eNews. And, as editor, I couldn’t be happier.

We’ve made leaps and bounds since our first issue was published in April 2004. In fact, if you mentioned the word “blog” to me back then, I might have thought you were referring to the sound a pig makes when burping. Now here I am announcing the release of this year’s April edition.

While times and technology have changed, the basics of sponsorship have not. It’s still one of the fastest, most effective and personal ways to reach out and help children in need. And eNews serves that purpose by providing a vehicle for us to share stories about children and families who might otherwise remain faceless and forgotten. This month’s issue is a case in point.

We’ll introduce you to a couple of very deserving children named Mousumi and José who really need sponsors – otherwise, they may not be able to attend school. We’ll also tell you what’s happening at some of our sponsorship agencies this month so you’ll know exactly what benefits your children are receiving. Then there’s the story of Ibelia from Ecuador. Hers is a tragic tale of the toll poverty can take on helpless individuals.

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating four years of eNews by reading the articles and sharing them with your friends and family. Because, together, we form a virtual community that is actually addressing real world problems.

If you would like to subscribe to eNews, click here to sign up.

Meet Mabel from Tabaco, Philippines

What do you want to be when you grow-up?

I want to be a teacher so I can teach children how to read.

Question of the Month

While there is no right or wrong answer, we'd love to hear what you think. Each month we will post a thought provoking question to gauge the collective opinions of the Children International community.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Look for an analysis of this question and the next "Question of the Month"... well, in a month!

We'd love to continue the conversation in the "comments" section below.

The Sponsorship Experience

Cathy Porter says her husband was skeptical of sponsorship…until he saw it in action. Recently, the family traveled to Guatemala to visit 11-year-old José Gregorio, chosen specifically because the couple have two adopted daughters from Guatemala. Cathy shares her thoughts with us on what she describes as “a very emotional and rewarding experience.”

Why did you decide to visit your sponsored child?
Gabrielle (Cathy’s adopted daughter from Guatemala) chose José from the Children International site partially because they are the same age and both are Guatemalan (our children were adopted as infants from the country).

A big issue in choosing Children International was also that we could visit the sponsored child. Our younger daughter has contact with her birth family but since Gabrielle does not, we felt like this was a great way for her to have a similar connection.

Describe how it felt meeting José
Even though we had received photos and letters from him, we still held some doubts about whether everything we received and had been told was actually legitimate. As soon as José and his family got out of the Children International truck, we knew it was all true.

We were relieved and excited at the same time.

How did José’s living conditions differ from your expectations?
Because we have made numerous trips to Guatemala and also visited other indigenous families, we weren’t surprised by his family’s sparse living conditions. Had this been our first visit to this type of home, it would have been even more overwhelming.

Could you see the impact sponsorship was having on José?
Yes. Since Children International began helping José, he has started attending the first grade, something that his family was previously unable to afford. We also got to see the new bed that Children International staff purchased for him with a special Christmas donation we made.

What part of your visit did you enjoy the most?
We were thrilled to be welcomed into the family’s home as well as the overwhelming greeting that we received by the community. We were very surprised to find out that José’s family had prepared a special meal for us and we were humbled by the reception we received.

How were the local staff during your trip?
All of the Children International staff were very courteous. The director of the local office was very helpful with organizing and he took many photos of our visit. The translator was also extremely helpful and kind, too.

The visit was better than we could have anticipated and we were very pleased with the staff.

Now that the Porters are back home, they’re telling as many people as they can about the adventure they had in Guatemala. Not surprisingly, they’re also using our New Lift One Project to share the word with others in hopes that they’ll join the sponsorship family too. You can check out Gabrielle’s Lift One Page, read a few more details about the trip and catch a couple of photos here.

The Sad Reality

Our mission as a humanitarian organization is to help lift children out of poverty by meeting their basic needs through sponsorship. However, you might be surprised to learn that we have children who have been waiting for two years or more just to get into the sponsorship program. In business-world lingo, we have more product (children) than we do buyers (sponsors).

This has happened for a couple of reasons: Just two years ago, we were experiencing rapid growth only to be hit by a sudden shift in the economy. Children we were going to move into the program quickly have been placed on the waiting list where they’ve now remained for far longer than we could imagine or want. And while we would like to move them up the list, we first have to honor our commitment to the children who, for one reason or another, lose their sponsors. Because, once a child officially enters the sponsorship program they continue to receive benefits…whether they have a contributing sponsor or not.

The blog gives us a way to provide you with insider and extra information on sponsorship and what goes on behind the scenes. This is a particularly hard situation for us to wrestle with. It just kills us to know there are so many children who are so close to receiving the life changing help they need, yet they desperately wait.

So we’re going to introduce a few of these children to you over the next several weeks. If you were already thinking about sponsoring another child, maybe one of these will appeal to you or even someone you know. If you’re already maxed out, and many of us are, feel free to give us your thoughts or ideas.

And now we’d like to introduce you to Amilkar, from Rural Guatemala. He’s 4-years-old and will turn 5 in May. Click on the family record to read more about him. Can you help find him a sponsor? If so, email us at blog@children.org. We’ll personally handle the arrangements and make sure he starts receiving benefits immediately.


I know we ask a lot from you, but I hope you, or someone you know, can help.

An Unforgettable Experience – Part 3

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 3

At the community center, Cynthia Tiotuyco introduced me to 10-year-old sponsored child Rachel Labayo, who also lives in Bagbag Cemetery. Rachel felt bad that her mom works so hard to provide for the family. Rachel found a small piece of open dirt, in the midst of a sea of cement graves, and planted vegetables so her family had additional food. I was taken so much by this story of ingenuity and motivation that I asked to sponsor one of her siblings and was introduced to 8-year-old Marjorie, who became my 7th sponsored child.

On the following Monday, Cynthia Tiotuyco and her staff took me to two special locations. The first stop was at Santo Nino Elementary School in Caloocan City. This school had a new classroom built through the fundraising efforts of Aura’s House. When I entered the compound that contains Santo Nino School, I was greeted by a group of majorettes doing a dance routine, while dozens of 1st graders waved flags for me. In the background I could see the nine classes share an open classroom area. Not very conducive to a good learning environment, but they were making the most of limited classroom space (due to overcrowding in schools, there are three shifts of students, from 6 AM until 10 AM, 10 AM until 2 PM and 2 PM until 6 PM).

After completion of the choreographed dance routine by the majorettes, I was led to the classroom of Christian Capin, whose classroom was funded by Kristen Palana, the founder of Aura’s House.


Upon entering, I was loudly greeted by a sea of smiling faces. Christian, a tiny 9-year-old boy, presented me with a drawing of his classroom and a handwritten letter thanking me, Aura’s House and Children International for the construction of this special classroom. Then an upper classman, a third grader sang “Hero” to me – though I think the words are more appropriate for the Aura’s House team who helped make this classroom a reality: “So when you feel like hope is gone, look inside you and be strong and you’ll finally see the truth, that a hero lies in you.”

Our final stop was at Bagbag Cemetery, where Eduardo Garcia and his family formerly lived. Rachel and Marjorie Labayo and their siblings still call it home. After stopping at Eduardo’s former home, which is now occupied by his paternal grandmother, I climbed over dozens of graves, almost one on top of the other, to reach the Labayo home. A tarpaulin stretched over several pieces of wood covering three graves was home to this family of eight. An extension cord powered a fan and a single light bulb. I sat for photographs with Rachel, Marjorie and the Garcias and realized how fragile their lives are, nestled among the dead who rested here. I resolved to find a home for Rachel and Marjorie so they can also escape from the isolation of living here.

I realized that, as sponsors, we are heroes to our sponsored children. I know that not everyone has the means or ability to visit their sponsored children, but hopefully you will take comfort in knowing that your sponsorship is making a world of difference in the lives of others – children you may never meet, but who will think of you as their heroes.

On my trip to the Philippines I met many who I consider heroes. The surgeons who give freely of their time and talents to bring world class surgical care to their impoverished countrymen. The Children International field staff in Legazpi City and Manila/Quezon City, and the many staffers and executives in Kansas City who paved the way for a very successful visit. They made me feel like their best friend and they went to great lengths to make me feel welcome, to help me see the big picture and understand how sponsors fit into the global community of helping others.

To the sponsored children and families I met – the Maninangs, the Garcias, the Beltrans, and the Labayos – I owe a great deal of affection and admiration for their strength amidst seemingly overwhelming odds against them. As sponsors you can make a difference in the lives of others. Perhaps you will never meet your sponsored children, but please know that you are a hero to them…. “It’s a long road when you face the world alone”, but you are reaching out a hand for them to hold.

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.

Turning A Humble Dream into a Reality

Posted on behalf of Tony Lorcha, Children International – Legazpi

A week before graduating from his local public high school in Legazpi City, Philippines, 16-year-old Loreto Apuyan started to get very excited about going to college. Then, one day when he returned home from school to tell his mother about his plan to enroll in the local university and pursue a degree in computer science, he was struck with a deafening silence. Loreto’s mother told him he wouldn’t be able to go.

“I felt hopeless when I learned that my mother didn’t want me to enroll in college,” Loreto sighed. “But what could I do? My parents don’t have the resources to support higher education,” he acknowledged.

“One thing that revived my strength was the scholarship application I submitted to our youth coordinator for a HOPE scholarship,” Loreto said. “I didn’t lose hope that I would be called for an interview...and it happened.”

During his interview, Loreto shared his shelved plan to study computer science at the university level. He explained how his mother launders clothes for just $2 a day, while his father earns only a dollar more as a construction worker.

“Living in poverty is really hard,” Loreto told the agency’s interview committee, “but it gives me so much motivation to move on and reach for my dreams....”

When Loreto was selected as one of the 50 HOPE scholarship recipients in Legazpi City, he was determined to finish his studies and help his parents provide for the family’s basic needs. That’s why he decided to enroll in vocational education rather than the university.

“I’m a sophmore now at the San Francisco Institute of Science and Technology in the Philippines,” he said about the three-year Network Technician degree he’s pursuing. “With the HOPE scholarship, I have the assurance to finish my studies as long as I am able to comply with the requirements and maintain my high grades in school. The scholarship has provided for my daily meals, transportation, school project expenses, uniform and tuition,” Loreto attested.

Loreto is one of 734 HOPE recipients around the world who was awarded a scholarship worth as much as $350.

“I believe that HOPE scholarships uplift the spirit of youth to acquire college education in spite of poverty,” Loreto added, grateful that he can now see his dreams becoming a reality.

Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise

Keep the Promise, is the theme for this years World AIDS Day, which is observed on December 1st. This struggle became personal for us this year when Marta, a young Honduran mother whom we met many years ago, passed away just days after we checked in with her.

“I’ve been fighting this disease for four years,” she later pointed out, careful not to name the illness for fear of yielding even more power to its presence. “I suffer. My children suffer.”

We all sat in silence. We knew that Marta was suffering from AIDS. We tried to encourage her, but our sentiments fell flat. Our words were simply too little, too late.

Marta, brave and humble, admitted that all she really needed was a fence around her home so her children could safely play when she was no longer there to look after them. We exchanged glances, a reminder to do what we could when we returned to Kansas City.

A week later, Marta died. (Hear Marta tell her story here.)

According to UNAIDS estimates, 33.2 million people are living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.

Around 95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on every continent around the world.

Started on December 1st, 1988, World AIDS Day is not just about raising money, but also about increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there is still much to be done.

A Hidden Side to Poverty

Posted on behalf of Erin Fitzgerald

Poverty sneaks up on you in Chile. At first glance, it isn´t that visible. The bustling airport in Santiago, the lush vineyards that line the highway leading to our agency in Valparaiso and the modern hotels and restaurants give no hint of poverty.

A closer look reveals the startling truth -- that some people here live in desperate conditions.

Scenic hills are lush and picturesque. Just beyond the horizon, little shacks are carved into the sides of cliffs where people live in dangerous locations. They have nowhere else to go. Winter storms bring wind and rain and with them the threat of mudslides.

Even those who are fortunate to live in a more stable environment still have difficulty affording homes to adequately protect their families from the elements.

On Wednesday, we visited 11-year-old Luis who lives with his grandparents and siblings. With the steep dirt roads in his community, we had to walk part of the way to his home because we were concerned that the van we were traveling in wouldn´t be able to make the trip.

Thanks to the generous donation of his sponsor, Luis and his family will soon own the land their home sits on and will receive home repairs. They look forward to a house that will better shield them from Chile´s winters.

From new clothes to shoes and soon an improved home, Luis said Children International and his sponsor have been very good to him. "They provide the things that I need, the things that I´m missing" he exclaims.

While poverty may be a little harder to find in Chile, it remains a real and lingering problem. Children International and our sponsors are providing some much-needed relief.

Erin, Andrea and David will be returning from Chile on Saturday. Next week, David will share his reflections of Chile along with more photos. And don't forget, photos and stories from this trip will appear in upcoming Children International publications, emails and blogs and on our website, so watch for them soon!

Photos by Andrea Waters and David Nebel

Returning to Chile

Posted on behalf of Andrea Waters

This is my third trip to Chile in my 20 plus years at Children International. The first time I visited, the country was just beginning to find its way after so many years under the rule of Pinochet.

Today Chile has a burgeoning middle class enjoying better employment opportunities allowing them the income to purchase newer, larger homes. You see the new housing divisions popping up everywhere. Yet there are still so many suffering in older neighborhoods and squatter areas.

For those with less education and lacking skills, work can be difficult to find, or seasonal at best.

Even though it is spring here, the cooler mornings bring out the children in sweaters, colorful hats and their distinctive rosy round cheeks.

I love that the families we encounter, although quite poor, still have a resourceful and wonderful spirit.

On Tuesday we met Waldo, a proud grandfather who used to build homes. That is, until a recent health crisis left him partially disabled.

His wife, Maria, does laundry for others. During our visit she was finishing up laundry for a soccer team! Bright yellow jerseys were hung neatly in two rows. Between their two meager incomes, they support their family. Their daughter, Soledad, volunteers for Children International – usually helping the children write letters and helping clean the community center. They all work hard to support their family unit, all centered around little Jennifer, a precocious sponsored 5-year-old.


Our group is headed back out to visit more communities and children today. We will have more to share with you tomorrow.

Remembering to Say “Thanks”

Posted on behalf of Kelly Nix.


One of the biggest casualties of the frenzy of modern life is the simple phrase, “Thank you.”

Are we becoming more self-centered, or have our busy schedules so encroached on our minds that we’re only semi-aware of the myriad lives we touch on a daily basis, and of the many blessings of varying sizes we enjoy? Either way, the demise of “Thank you” is a big loss to our society as a whole.

Two little words that can make hours of hard labor worthwhile. Two words that bring a smile to faces creased with stress. Two words that bring things back into focus and make us remember that we’re entitled to nothing…and every comfort we enjoy is truly a blessing.

And are we ever blessed! I could go on endlessly about the want and deprivation the families we work with around the world suffer…I could talk about the days some of them don’t eat, and of the hours of sweat and toil under hot tropical suns, to be rewarded with nothing more than a buck or two for their labor…but I’d rather talk about what they DO have.

They have dignity. Most have a strong work ethic. Thanks to sponsorship, they have hope. And they know how to say “Thanks!”

In fact, that’s what we hear more than anything else when we visit the field. From moms…dads…teenagers and little children: “Thanks!” Thanks to God. Thanks to their sponsors. Thanks to the agency staff…and thanks to you.

That’s what I had in mind when I put together the “Thanksgiving Around the World” slideshow that’s currently on our homepage, at www.children.org. Why not check it out and let us know what you think?

And most importantly, have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving celebration!

In Stock and Available – CI Spirit!

Have you ever noticed the veritable army of unpaid advertisers that are just about anywhere you look? Free advertising for stock car racing, football teams, car manufacturers, soft drinks…and the list goes on.

When people believe in something, they’re passionate about promoting it. And some of you who believe in child sponsorship and the power it holds to bring lasting change to the lives of children living in desperate poverty have been asking for a way to purchase Children International clothing and accessories to help you get the word out.

It’s here.

Now you can visit http://www.children.org/ and click on the “CI Store” button on the right-hand side of the screen. We invite you to browse our selection of caps, shirts, mugs and other Children International accessories.

Get the word out about sponsorship – in style!

P.S. While you’re there, check out the new, airier design of our homepage. We hope you’ll find it easier and more enjoyable to navigate.

As Seen on TV: "Shoes"

A few weeks ago, Gretchen Dellett shared her experience about a recent filming trip for Children International. Many people wanted to know where they could watch our commercials and since they are shown in random time slots on various television channels, we decided to bring them directly to you.

The first spot we're happy to bring you is called "Shoes". This commercial and three others, including one in Spanish, can be see on Children International's You Tube channel. Here you can check out not only the other commercials, but various other videos that highlight the different countries where we work.

Let us know what you think!

Start Spreading the Word

Posted on behalf of Deron Denton

Last year was, in many ways, the Year of Giving Big. Warren Buffet pledged $37 billion dollars to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Clinton Global Initiative hosted a conference that read like a “who’s-who” of philanthropy: non-profit, corporate and political leaders from across the globe pooled their expertise and wealth to tackle issues of poverty, climate change, global health and education.

In 2006, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to a Bangladeshi man who founded a bank that helps poor people by providing them affordable loans to start their own small businesses. U2 front man Bono seemed ubiquitous: he was at the White House, in Africa, and everywhere in between. Scores of other celebrities were not only getting involved with humanitarian causes – they were talking about it. (The fact that they talked about it bugged me. But more on that in a minute.)

The same trend appears to be continuing this year…the actions of the rich and famous are being replicated by the rest of us. It is estimated that two-thirds of Americans gave to charity last year.

The friends and family who began sponsoring children since I started working for Children International 3 years ago seem to confirm this trend. Most of them, I think, already donated time or money to humanitarian causes prior to signing up for sponsorship. But when they learned about what Children International does, they wanted to be a part of it.

I know that two of those friends have provided special donations to their children’s families. One of them told me, more than once, that sponsorship has made him more aware of just how fortunate he is. The fact that we are not one of the 3 billion people on the planet struggling to survive on less than two dollars a day, he says, makes us wealthy. At least, we are wealthy beyond the dreams of half the people with whom we share this planet.

I don’t know if you can relate to this or not, but I have a tendency to not talk about the charitable endeavors I am involved with. Somehow, I think, this cheapens it. I’m not sure where that comes from, but I’ve had that notion for a long time now. So when I see celebrities talking about their involvement with certain humanitarian causes, it tends to turn me off.

But I have come to realize just how eager people are to help the less fortunate. And if we are passionate about something, that passion is contagious. Letting friends, family and co-workers know about the philanthropy that energizes us is a way to get more people involved. The more people we get involved…well, I think you get the point.

Very few of us are famous. But that doesn’t matter in terms of getting other people to hop onboard the train of charitable giving. We can still spread the word. Even fewer of us are billionaires. Nonetheless, most of us can afford to support a humanitarian cause…even if it’s just a small, once-a-year gift.

And talking about it, in terms of how giving helps the recipients – and how giving is its own reward – is a great way to further the cause.

An Experience Beyond Belief...

Last week Clayton Yearns, a Children International staff member, visited our Guayaquil agency and met his own sponsored child, 5 year old Narcisa, for the first time. Here is what Clayton wrote as he recalled his special visit:

I just got done with my child visit, and it was an experience beyond belief!

I was afraid that a 5-year-old girl would be terrified of a stranger, but the visit started off with a great big hug and a card like she had known me for years. The card read (if I can read her writing) "te quiero y espero que te guste esta tarjeta que la hice con mucho cariño para usted" which means "I love you and I hope that you like this card that I made with much love for you." It also contained a drawing of Narcisa, my sponsored child, with a great big smile.


I was so overwhelmed with how beautiful she and her family were that I almost forgot that I had brought them any gifts. I handed dolls to Narcisa and her sister, Kayla, along with colored pencils and paper, and gave their mother towels and washcloths.

As expected I was in awe without questions to ask, but I managed to finally start asking questions as well as telling her much about me and my life. I found out that Narcisa is already in the 1st grade because she was too advanced for Kindergarten. She remembered from my first letter that I had cats and wanted to know more about them. I also showed her pictures of Mickey, my dog, but I guess she is more of a kitty person, as she talked about her cat a lot.

I told them that I had their letters and pictures on my fridge at home; I have more pictures of her than I do of my own family! And I wanted her to know that I felt bad for not writing enough, but now that the family was "real" to me I would be sure to write on a more regular basis.

Narcisa and Kayla drew pictures for me, and Narcisa insisted that I draw a picture, too. I forewarned her that I could not draw but I drew her and me anyway with a note that read "I'm sorry I can't draw and I'm sorry that I don't speak Spanish."

"I don't understand anything he is saying," she spoke lightly in Spanish to her mother, perhaps disappointed that she couldn't talk directly to me. It was heartbreaking to see her sad as I think she was looking forward to it. However, my translator did a phenomenal job.


The time we spent together went by too fast. After many hugs, kisses, pictures and videos, it was time to say good-bye. As I walked out of the building trying not to cry, something grabbed onto me. It was Narcisa wanting to say one last good-bye. Even after I was on the bus, she was at the office door waving good-bye.

It is hard to comprehend how much of an impact you can have on someone for a few dollars a month and a few moments of your time. I would like to think now that since I have visited her city, our facilities, and seen the dire poverty that exists there that I have at least a mild idea of how I impact her life. I'm sure I still can't truly understand and, sadly, I never will be able to. But I can at least try. I know that I comprehend enough that when I get teary eyed about her situation, I could do more for her and her family.

The people in Ecuador are beyond generous, and Narcisa and her family would most likely rather me help another family than just focus on them. They are selfless people and if everyone would aspire to be as selfless at them, then just perhaps the world might not have as many problems anymore. Well, we can all dream, can't we?

Incremental Change in Mexico

Posted on behalf of Erin Fitzgerald of Children International.

More than a year has passed since I first met the Ponce family in Guadalajara, Mexico. But I can recall the family’s house, the smell of poverty and the sound of suffering like it was yesterday.

When I visited the Ponces, 18 people lived together in a tiny shack with dirt floors and an open fire to cook food. Several family members were plagued with health problems, which only made it more difficult for them to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter for their children. Ana María was pregnant with her fifth child, and life didn’t seem like it could get much worse.

Since we initially reported their story in our Spring 2007 issue of Journeys magazine, several sponsors and donors have sent generous contributions to help the family. With their assistance, Children International was able to provide the family with new clothing, shoes, food, and more.

Earlier this summer, our communications coordinator in Mexico sent an update on the family. Here’s what we have learned:

• Ana María, her husband and children are now living with her mother-in-law and father-in-law in a two-bedroom house with a concrete floor – a major improvement over the old shack, which had dirt floors and didn’t keep out the rain.
  
  
• The house doesn’t have potable water, but it does have a cistern to accumulate water during the rainy season.
  
  
• Thanks to a donation from Children International, the family cooks with a small electrical stove, a safer method of preparing food than the open fire they once used.
  
  
• Ana María’s baby, Natalia, is now about 8 months old and appears healthy but hasn’t yet received all her vaccines.
  
  
• Celia, Ana María’s mother-in-law, is better able to control her epilepsy because Children International has provided her with needed medicine.
  
  
• Lupita, Celia’s young daughter who suffers from cerebral palsy, received a wheelchair from the municipal government and is expected to undergo therapy. She looks well and has grown.

Many thanks to the sponsors and donors who have helped provide the Ponces with the basic essentials of life that no one should be without. This family is so poor and uneducated that it’s impossible for special donations and sponsorship support to bring about vast improvements immediately. But with contributions over the long-term, little by little their lives will improve. And hopefully when the Ponce children are grown, they’ll have an easier life than their parents.

A Place For The Children...

Posted on behalf of Jim Cook, President of Children International.

It was an emotional, wonderful, stimulating, enriching dedication of the Nina Rae Wesson Center - made possible by a generous contribution from Nancy Richards, the mother of Nina Rae Wesson, who passed away suddenly and all too soon, in order to make an enduring tribute to her memory. Her mother, along with other contributors, attended the wonderful opening ceremony, which was filled with emotional words and tributes as well as festivities that were enjoyed by all. It was really a celebration of her life as well as a dedication, and was complete with traditional dancers, singers, and words of support from members of the community and the mayor’s office.

Newly sponsored children were already playing on the playground of the beautiful new center before the last speech was even completed.

It was wonderful to see how, despite being from different places in the US, the donors immediately shared a rich camaraderie.

We concluded with a tour of the lovely facilities that will serve 5,000 youth through the health and dental clinics, pharmacy, library, and nutrition center.

It was beautiful event, and a good time was shared by all the children, their families, the donors who made it possible, and the Children International staff.

More than a building…

Posted on behalf of Global Expansion Project Manager, Eddie Welsh.

The joy of cutting the ceremonial ribbon and walking through the door of a newly constructed community center does not come without its challenges. The fresh paint serves as a visual cue of accomplishment to those who have invested their precious time and effort. The new building aroma is welcoming and gives way to the finished product. It also has a uniquely artistic way of masking the hours of planning, scheduling and coordinating orchestrated by dozens of laborers, masons and contractors.

The pure delight in the eyes of the children and families entering a community center for the first time is what motivates us to construct a quality building, one that is functional for facilitating the distribution of services provided by Children International and our sponsors.

I remember walking the bare piece of land some 10 months ago that is now home to The Nina Rae Wesson Community Center. I recall thinking construction would be tight. The small terrain, closely surrounded by a heavily trafficked park and a few moderately used neighborhood thoroughfares, was not the ideal construction site.

We began the process of selecting a contractor more than a year ago. After working through some minor design changes we adjusted our model to fit the land and requirements of our programs.

Similar to projects here in the U.S, communication and coordination on a project of this magnitude are essential. We are fortunate to have a solid staff in Jalisco, complemented by a knowledgeable construction supervisor.

As anticipated, the early challenges we experienced were with the steeply sloped and rocky terrain. The solid rock provides an excellent support for the building but required hours of jackhammering to accurately manicure the openings for the foundation.

As the building grew out of the ground and the structure began to take shape, our team continued to finalize touches that would best serve the community. It was a true collaboration between the contractor and Children International. The exterior façade was selected based on durability and local architecture. Interior finishes were chosen considering ease of maintenance and functionality. It seemed logical to have tile throughout as opposed to carpet and drop ceilings as opposed to open trusses to maintain a cool environment.

Not without its challenges, the Nina Rae Wesson center was constructed under the watchful eye of experienced professionals. It is one that the sponsors, donors, CI and most definitely the community can be proud of for many years to come. And this Friday, the 31st, there will be a fantastic celebration for the children and families living in the community of Villa de Guadalupe.