Behind the Scenes: Meet the Writer

Beginning Tuesday, October 16, Children International’s website (www.children.org) will feature a story about a family living in desperate poverty in Mexico. We thought you might like to go behind the scenes and meet Alejandro Bonilla, the communications coordinator for our agency in Jalisco, Mexico, who wrote the story. Here’s a bit of personal insight from Alejandro:

“The first time I visited the Muñoz family’s house, I was impressed with the extreme poverty in which they live. The landscape was dreary; their house is at the top of a hill, and you have to negotiate a path made of rocks and mud to climb it. When I saw this dramatic scene I realized that Adela, the supervisor for Children International’s community center in Paraísos del Colli, was not exaggerating when she told me this family really needs help urgently if they are to make it.


“In Jalisco, most families who live in poverty at least have a brick house with a cement roof to protect them from the rain and the cold. But the Muñozes live like paupers. Roughly 10% of those who live in poverty live in situations similar to that of this family in Zapopan. I was really surprised to see the house was made of cardboard and tarps; the first thing I asked myself was how the family protected itself from the heavy rains that fall in Jalisco for five months out of the year. I got my answer right away: the children’s mother told me she doesn’t sleep, because she has to be alert every night so she can save her children in case of a mudslide.


“They get wet almost every night, because water leaks in through the flimsy walls of the house. So the children always have colds; this is evident in their faces, in their weakness and in the deep sadness in their eyes. Those apparently spontaneous smiles turn to sadness when you look into the children’s eyes and realize there would be little to hope for their future without the help Children International can offer them.

“When I finished taking pictures and interviewing the children’s mom and dad, I realized how easy my life is compared to theirs. Both of the parents are my age, but their lives have been so hard they look 10 years older. The dad works in construction all day, barely eating and always worrying because he has five children to feed. It seems the days go by and nothing changes in this family’s life…nothing improves. When you have no plans and no dreams, you learn to just survive.

“But deep down, the mother’s eyes hold sincere hope for change. Shyly and after much thought, as though it were something completely alien to her life, she said she would like for her children to go to college and become lawyers or doctors. It’s sad to know that if you’re born poor, the idea of having big goals and dreams for your life never crosses your mind; poverty itself breeds low self-esteem, and you feel helpless to have a good quality of life, to get a college education, to have a nice house, to dream….

I believe that somehow Children International teaches these families that life has many options besides simply continuing to survive in poverty. Through the work of the medical staff and the field officers, these types of families become aware that they can create changes in their lives and that they can plan the kind of life they want for their children and for themselves.”

Check out the story and its accompanying slideshow at www.children.org starting Tuesday, October 16…and if you find the story to be thought provoking, why not come back to the blog and share your thoughts in a comment under this post?

In Their Own Words...

Recently, Matt and Amy Carrithers attended the inauguration of the Nina Rae Wesson community center in Mexico. The center holds a special place in their hearts – it's named after Matt's sister, Nina. The Carrithers recently shared their experience with their friends and family and allowed us to share it with you...

Thursday 8/30/07

We checked out of our hotel and went to the opening and dedication ceremony of the Nina Rae Wesson Center…the jewel in the crown of this visit. We were let in first, before the crowds, before the ceremony began. The property is on a hilltop with panoramic views of the city and the mountains surrounding it. The top level is a huge courtyard with a basketball area and a lovely bright blue wall (great for wall-ball!) - then steps go down to the slopy playground, then the two-story center itself. It is gorgeous inside, light, airy and clean. Pots of geraniums sitting in the sunshine. Lovely tiles.

We rounded a corner and there was the huge portrait of our lovely Nina and her children…we had forgotten it was going to be there, and it took several long minutes for us all to recover. The portrait and accompanying plaque are the heart of the main floor of the center, displayed prominently…her sunny smile will be reflected in the faces of the thousands, thousands of kids who see it and read about who she was.

We feel strongly that all the children of Jalisco are also Nina’s children now. We know without question that she would be so humbled, so honored, that we have continued her legacy of kindness in this way. As Matt put it - “My sister has many, many friends…some she never had the chance to meet.”

The ceremony was fantastic. A children’s choir sang. There was a military-style presentation of the Mexican flag (which we quickly learned how to salute!). Many wonderful, emotional speeches in Spanish and English. We had a wonderful lunch on the upper courtyard, during which we were amazed, looking around at all the dressed-up tables: here we are in a foreign country, strangers in a strange land, and we were looking at so many friends. Everywhere we looked: friends we’d made. An all-female mariachi band came, played and sang, and then traditional Mexican dancers with their whirling, colorful skirts. Awesome! All our sponsored kids were there. Sugey was much more courageous today, and she had huge smiles and many besitos (kisses) for us!

Our hearts were so full. We will be carrying Jalisco home with us.
Words could never express our thanks to Jim, Shanna, Jan, Lesly, Oscar, Alejandro, Margarita, Ophelia, Sara and the dozens of others who made our trip so fun, taught us so much, opened our eyes, bettered us as human beings by showing us how to provide “real help” and “real hope,” and made us feel so welcome in our new country and second home. The work you are doing is wonderful! We know we will see you all again soon!!

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.