The Pervasiveness of Poverty

Posted on behalf of Erin Fitzgerald

Poverty transcends borders. It’s not bound by language, culture or race. And it’s merciless.

As we drove through neighborhoods in Santiago, Dominican Republic, this week, we could have been driving in any number of communities Children International serves in Latin America.

We walked along dirt roads with typical tiny shacks cobbled together with scrap wood and pieces of corrugated metal. As usual, we spotted children wandering barefoot over trash-strewn streets where animals like dogs, cats and chickens ran freely.

When we entered the homes of our sponsored families, we found what we usually do – a couple beds, a table, a few chairs and not much else. The more fortunate families have a decent bathroom, a stove to cook on and access to clean water. Others go without.

The struggles poor people in Santiago face aren’t unique. They’re the same challenges that families in our agencies across the globe face. They long for decent work so they can adequately feed their children. They struggle with common health conditions like parasites and respiratory infections that unhygienic living conditions breed. And they wish they had money for the little extras that bring so much joy – like a simple gift to celebrate a birthday.

Despite the overwhelming obstacles these families face, they make the most of what they are given and are overwhelmed with gratitude at the support sponsorship provides – medical care, gifts for special occasions and educational programs. I’ve heard more words of thanks on this trip than I can count. These families don’t long for money or success but simply for the tools to achieve a decent way of life and ultimately help others like them.

As Leidy, a sponsored youth served by our Santiago agency explained to me, “It’s not about getting a job where I can have a big house, get rich and have lots of cars. It’s more about helping other people and being able to give back.”

There’s no doubt that poverty is pervasive and indiscriminate. Let’s hope that when we finally put a stop to it, the cure will be too.

Down in the Dump

Posted on behalf of Sarah Trapp

Five months into my job with Children International, I was sent to Santiago, Dominican Republic, to get my feet wet. Yesterday, we spent the morning in La Mosca (The Fly) Garbage Dump interviewing sponsored families and others who work there. Needless to say, my feet ended up a little more than just wet.

Starting in the community that lies at the bottom of La Mosca, it took us nearly 30 minutes to reach the actual dump. With each treacherous step towards the heart of the dump, the putrid stench of decay intensified, and we knew we were getting closer. The previous night’s rainstorm made it nearly impossible to navigate the steep, muddy path. Don Antonio, a man who works in the dump, guided us over a creek of greenish “water” and farther into the dump. Don Antonio also served as our bodyguard, offering us protection from men who often come to work intoxicated in order to stand the disgusting, grueling work of sorting through trash day by day.

The sight of the dump is unbelievable, and not in a good way. There is no dirt, no real paths; only what seem to be miles of foul-smelling muck and garbage – medical waste, shoes, plastic, food, diapers, old appliances…the list of discarded items is endless. When we finally reached the center of the dump where several parents and children work, we asked one of our field officers to explain what they were doing. Nuris, a field worker from our Cien Fuegos community center, explained that they come to La Mosca because there is no work anywhere else. They come to sort plastics from metal, to find items to sell, and even to find food. I can’t think of a worse job, but as Don Antonio explained to me, when people are hungry and there is no regular work to be found, you do what you have to do to survive.


It’s dangerous work, not only for the obvious hazard of broken glass and other sharp objects, but also because of the sheer number of flies and other disease carriers, including parasites. And humans aren’t the only ones working in the dump. To my surprise, there was a small herd of cattle lazily grazing on what appeared to be old shoes and other unappetizing rubbish. I quickly made friends with the numerous garbage dump dogs, who without any coaxing made their way to my side and hung out during our interviews.

I can’t tell you how long we spent in the dump. Appropriately, my watch stopped – on what seemed like an endless morning. Some time later, we made our way back down the slippery hills and back to the community. From the pinched looks on our coworkers’ faces as we climbed into the van it was unanimous – we stunk!

We spent the rest of the day interviewing Youth Corps members, a happier task, which renewed our hope for an improved life for our families. At the end of the day it was a relief to return to the hotel and wash off the dirt and grime of La Mosca. The memories of the garbage workers will not be so easily washed away.

The team manages a smile for the camera after spending the morning in the La Mosca dump.

A Family Not Easily Forgotten

Posted on behalf of Erin Fitzgerald.

Ana María never strays far from my mind.

Even though it has been eight months since I visited her and her family in Guadalajara, Mexico, I still think about her often. And I can still see her dejected face yearning for help.

When I met her, she and 17 family members shared a tiny, dilapidated shack with dirt floors and an open fire to cook what little food they had. The family was plagued by little education, low income and health problems.

Heavily pregnant and not feeling well, Ana María didn’t say much when I interviewed her. But she didn’t have to. Her pleading eyes were enough to explain her desperation. For food to feed her husband and four children, for help with medical care, housing needs, educational support, and so much more – all issues that seemed overwhelming even with sponsorship support.

Sometimes I wonder why I am fortunate to lead such a different life from the families in our program like Ana María’s. Why am I lucky enough to live in a decent house and eat three meals a day while she and her family struggle so much?

On the surface, it doesn’t appear that Ana María and I have much in common. But when it comes down to it, we’re not that much different. We both care about our families and loved ones. Like everyone else, we just want to get ahead.

But unlike me, for Ana María getting ahead often means just having enough money to feed her kids.

Read more about Ana María and her family in the Spring 2007 issue of Journeys magazine. To read an online version, click here.

Hope Rising from the Ruins

Copán Ruinas was no disappointment. Because of its remote location, accessible over rugged – and often dangerous – washboard roads, we have not visited this beautiful town in the heart of the ancient Maya empire as frequently as we have other areas served by Children International in Honduras. Nonetheless, sponsorship is alive and well here.

We thought we’d share with you some photos we shot on location today. Although nothing can compare with actually being here, perhaps these will help you feel a little closer to the sights our sponsored children see every day.

For all of us, it was exciting to see families waiting in line to enroll their children in the sponsorship program (did you know that, with around 4,760 sponsored children, Copán Ruinas is our largest service area in Honduras?). You’ll see a picture of a mother waiting patiently as her son’s paperwork is completed, which promises to bring positive changes to his life for years to come. And we’ve included a picture of newly sponsored child, Ronal, as he and his mom write his very first letter ever to his sponsor! Hopefully this will be the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

Certainly, what we saw today affirms for us the work we do and the considerable contribution sponsors make toward the lives of the children of Copán Ruinas. And we expect to see the same positive signs as we continue our travels through Honduras.

We’ll be here two more days, talking to families, seeing how sponsorship impacts lives and telling the stories we uncover…so make sure you check back for more updates from the field.

The Children International community center in Copán Ruinas is not hard to spot.

Starting a new phase in life: Enrollment in Children International’s sponsorship program promises steady support for children’s mental, emotional and physical development.

Ronal, who just found out that his waiting is over, works on a masterpiece to share with his new sponsor.

Say, “Queso!” Sponsored children have their photos snapped so their sponsors can stay up to date with how big they’ve grown…

This dusty road stands in stark contrast to the lush semi-tropical growth in the beautiful background.

Children International cameraman Javier climbs on top of a sponsored child’s house to record a home improvement project.

Desperate Lives Bind Us

A few of you have asked, "Why did I receive an email about Honduras?"...because you generously sponsor at least one child in the region of Central America. The region is comprised of Mexico, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and Honduras. And even though you may not have a child in Honduras, we hope you enjoy learning about living conditions and issues that are similar to your own sponsored child.

And we encourage you to post any questions you might have. I'm positive that someone else probably has the same question! We'll do our best to answer your question and share what we know about the children and their communities.

And about today's posting...it's written and posted on behalf of Children International writer Damon Guinn, who is experiencing his first trip to Honduras. On to today's post...

I never knew what it felt like to be truly powerless until I looked deep into the eyes of a dying child.

There are many children who are close to death here in Honduras. They may not die today or tomorrow, but there is little doubt that their fates are sealed if help doesn’t arrive in time. This week, my colleagues and I will visit a number of children struggling to survive on the fringe of San Pedro Sula.

We’ll meet two sponsored children in the El Milagro (The Miracle) community who were recently hit by drunk drivers and suffered massive trauma and brain damage as a result. Their stories are not at all uncommon here. Angy, 7, and Milton, 14, are among several sponsored children whose lives are in jeopardy.

Then we’ll go to Las Minas (The Mines), where we’ll come face to face with an 11-year-old named Franklin. Chronic malnutrition and a necrotic ear infection have forced Franklin to abandon school.

You may ask what can sponsorship do for children so close to the edge? All I can say is, if you could be here and see what I’m seeing, the answer would be obvious.

In every one of the six sponsorship areas we visit over the next three days, we’ll encounter compassionate field workers who help create a vital connection between children desperate for help and a concerned community of supporters like you.

One such field worker is Dr. Mariela Castillo Pires, the Children International doctor in Las Minas, who first informed us about a little boy named Darwin when a group from Children International visited Honduras in 2005.

Darwin (right), you may recall, was living a wretched life because he was born with a rare rectal malformation. His exposed intestine and crude homemade colostomy bag caused him endless agony and dejection. When Dr. Castillo Pires intervened, he received corrective surgery and psychological support. He now lives like any other young boy his age, prompting one of our staff members to say, “It’s unbelievable…you can’t even tell he had a problem!”

Today we’re on the road to Copán Ruinas to see the difference special donations are making in the children’s lives. Be sure and check back tomorrow morning for more photos and an update.

To Colombia…And Beyond

Well, the Children International team is back from Colombia after 10 action-packed days on the ground. I hope you enjoyed tagging along with them as they visited sponsored children and reported on the difference your support is making in Barranquilla and Cartagena.

If this is your first time visiting our blog, please check out the posts below and in the archive to read about what the team saw and experienced in Colombia.

Our Children International team for Colombia included Jennifer, Scott, Andrea, Erin and David. They’ll be sharing more photos and experiences from their trip in the near future. For now, though, I asked each of them to summarize the trip in a few words…

Erin: “What stood out the most during our trip to Colombia is the dedication of the local agency staff. When we visited sponsored communities, smiles, handshakes and hugs were frequently exchanged between the families in our program and Children International employees. It was obvious to me that working for Children International is much more than just a job for our local colleagues - just as it is for me.”

Jennifer: “My Spanish is sketchy at best. Simple phrases and lots of gestures generally convey my message. However with Maria, language was no barrier with us becoming fast friends. I’ll always remember her sweet smile and kind eyes as she plopped herself down next to me on a step and stuck by my side for the afternoon. With only her grandmother to watch over her as she grows, I’m excited for the opportunities sponsorship will offer her and all that she will achieve in the future. Children like Maria are why I work for Children International.”

David: “I saw that Children International really does bring out the very best in the volunteer mothers and the youth…the workshops give them a sense of self-worth and give them the power to help their own communities.”

Scott: "In Chubal, a dusty, isolated slum outside of Barranquilla, I was overwhelmed with the reaction our agency van elicited from the children. As we pulled off the highway and into the powder-fine dirt, a large group charged toward us, screaming and leaping into the air, their smiles an irresistible welcome mat. Our driver, Victor, said this is a common reaction because families think of our staff as their friends.”

Andrea: “I am always struck by the inner strength mothers have in dire and uncertain circumstances. They bear a heavy load, yet put on a brave face for their children and do the very best they can with practically nothing. They often lean on their faith and the hope that their children will have better lives. Sponsorship gives them hope.

And of course I still love the fact that no matter where I go, children are children and can find delight in the smallest of things…like looking at a tiny digital image of themselves on the back of my camera.”

What’s next?
We really hope you have enjoyed the posts and photos from our team’s Colombia trip. In just a couple of weeks we’ll have another team on the ground, this time in Honduras. We’d like to hear from you – what types of things would you like us to update you on while we’re there? Please drop us a comment or an email and let us know!