Journeys to Your Mailbox

Three times a year, Children International’s Journeys magazine is delivered to the doorsteps of our sponsors and donors. We are very proud of this summer’s edition. We believe it demonstrates how sponsorship is like the summer sun that encourages the tomato plants, grape vines and corn stalks to reach their full potential. In fact, we believe the overall theme for this edition could be “the fruits of sponsorship.”

Here’s a peek into some of this edition’s featured stories.

Three of a Kind
The cover story by Scott Cotter introduces us to Adolfo, Dalis, and Remberto… three young adults from Cartagena who are following their dreams.
“…But more and more, with a little help and guidance, the sounds of change are ringing out loud and clear, and children who once would have been lost are learning the potential that lives within them.”

For the Greater Good
Damon Guinn tells the story of Dr. Mariela Castillo Pires of El Progreso, Honduras. She is one of Children International’s 152 staff doctors.
“…Suddenly, a woman burst through the front doors of the clinic, clutching the limp body of a young girl and crying out for help. Dr. Castillo sprang into action.”

A Lesson From Lucas
Children International’s communications coordinator in Chile, Leopoldo Montecinos, receives a gift from an unlikely source.
“If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that you never stop learning…”

Journeys is a great way for us to share with you the cause and effects of sponsorship. If you enjoyed this edition of Journeys, make sure to pass your copy on to someone else who has yet to sponsor a child. They may find it a journey worth joining.

Getting Down to Business…And Having Some Fun!

Dolores Kitchin and Sheila Mahony, from our headquarters in Kansas City, have now met up with all three sponsored youth – Leslie Mae, Vakeyia and Telma – in New York City. The International Youth Day is August 12, but there will be special activities at the UN today for the young people. Click here to see a program of today’s events.

Meanwhile, we thought you might enjoy sharing one of the girls’ first impressions of the Big Apple. For Telma, from rural Guatemala, the contrast couldn’t be more marked. Here are a few excerpts from her travel diary as she has taken in the sights and sounds of New York City in preparation for today’s activities at the United Nations:

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August 8, 2007

One afternoon I was thinking how nice it would be to travel again...to once again be with the people I spent time with at last year’s conference...how nice it would be to visit another country…but above all, how wonderful it would be if God would give me the opportunity to have new experiences that would enrich my knowledge so I could help other people – especially young people – who need it.

Since God knows everything, He gave me a new opportunity to expand my knowledge; just a few days after the thoughts I just described, I received a call from Rosa Joo [from Children International’s office in Guatemala City] telling me I was invited to represent Children International at a youth event at the United Nations, in New York. When we heard this news, my mother and I were filled with a great happiness I can’t explain; all I could say was, “Thank you, God!”

Time flies, and the wait doesn’t seem so long because now I’m here. I had a lot of experiences and felt a lot of emotions on the trip (I call them my “adventures”); the flight was one of them – or, better said, my arrival at the airport in Miami. We were in a big hurry and sometimes I didn’t have the faintest idea what to do, but thanks to Rosa (who is with me on the trip) everything was easier.

We started a new experience in New York: the drive through the city to the hotel. I was so impressed at the immense buildings!!! I’m amazed at all this – the view from the hotel is magnificent. You can see part of the city, and you can see the Hudson River. I felt a bit homesick when I saw it because I remembered my little brother. He always talks about this river, and now, thank God, I’ve had the privilege of seeing it – not in a book or a magazine, but in person.

Rosa and I had a very busy day. It was tiring, in part, but all in all it was a day of privilege and happiness, wonder and admiration, learning and experiences…everything you can imagine!

The day is over and we have to rest so tomorrow we can have more adventures like today’s…

Leslie Mae (left) and Telma in front of the United Nations building.

August 9, 2007

It’s a beautiful day. We went to meet the people from the United Nations. I was a little nervous because I didn’t know them, but thank God I got over that quickly. I felt uncomfortable during the interview because I was the only one who couldn’t speak English; Rosa helped me a lot because she interpreted for me. Without her I’d have been on the moon, not knowing what was going on!

Not everything was that hard, though. And seeing the United Nations building and all the flags from around the world fills you with happiness.

The afternoon was fabulous, too. Vakeyia finally got here and we were able to spend time together. We went and took some pictures and then we went to eat at an Italian restaurant.

Well, another great day has ended – one of the best. I’m sure tomorrow will be even more fun…!

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Wish these young people well as they attend today’s meetings with the anticipation of broadening their horizons and returning to their home countries with new vision and determination to make a difference in their communities.

A Chance in a Lifetime

Youth Hit the Ground in New York

Every August, the United Nations welcomes youth from around the world to celebrate International Youth Day. The day is the culmination of a focus on activities to further the United Nations’ World Programme of Action for Youth.

The day’s events help encourage and empower young people to work with governments, non-governmental agencies, schools, and businesses to make a difference in their world.

This year, three Children International sponsored youth are invited observers at the United Nations program in New York City. Read below as Shelia Mahony, CI program officer for youth and education, accompanies the youth on their special journey.

For most of us, a visit to the United Nations is a once in a lifetime experience. For three girls from different ends of the earth who have fought every day to overcome poverty, the thought was only a dream. Today that dream became a reality when two of the three sponsored youths landed in New York City.

Telma, from Guatemala, was the first girl to land at LaGuardia Airport. Normally, her vista on life is filled with shacks and dirt roads. The smile stretching across this normally shy and quiet teen’s face told us that she knew she wasn’t in Guatemala anymore.

I picked up Leslie, from the Philippines, next. Leslie is the youngest of the three girls and couldn’t hide the excitement of having another chance to travel to the United States even after finishing a 24-hour airplane trip.

The girls are thrilled to have a chance to see each other again. They hugged and shrieked as only teenage girls can do. This is a miracle meeting since they met at last year’s International Youth Conference in Kansas City, and, because of their families' lack of funds, never thought they would meet again.

And now another dream comes true as they are reunited with the third member of their dynamic trio when Vakeyia, from Little Rock, touches down in the Big Apple. We are on our way downstairs for our first whole day together in New York City. We’re going to have a real New York breakfast – bagels and cream cheese!

Growing Gold in Guatemala: Soybeans Join the Fight Against Malnutrition

Soy is a food that has been known and used for a long time. It is considered by some to be one of the most complete nutrients, and some call it the “wonder bean,” the “golden bean” or “meat without bones.”

One pound of soybeans is the equivalent of five liters of cow milk and 2.5 pounds of meat; besides this, it contains a lot of protein.


In light of the soybean’s properties, Children International’s agency in rural Guatemala taught a course recently on the use of soy as part of a nutrition strategy coordinated by the agency’s health program. The course was taught to mothers of sponsored children who are underweight and who could fall prey to malnourishment if they do not receive the help they need in time.


In these classes, they heard an introductory lecture to teach them how they can benefit and save money by using soy in food preparation, as a pound of soy costs only about $.39.


The mothers who participated learned how to carry out the process of extracting milk from the soybeans and make atole (a hot drink usually made with cornstarch), meat patties, hotcakes and typical food using only a few condiments and soy instead of beef, which is very hard for our families to get because it is so expensive – about $2.35 per pound.


At the end of the course the ladies and their children were able to savor the dishes they had prepared, and they remarked about the delicious flavor of the soy. Additionally, each of the course attendees received two pounds of soy so they could begin to experiment with making these dishes for their families.


Story by Lily Mariel García, with reporting assistance by Javier Cárcamo; photos by Lily Mariel García and Gilbert Carmona. All are from Children International's agency in Rural Guatemala.

New Hope in Zambia

This past Friday marked the opening of our latest Children International community center, located in the impoverished neighborhood of Chibolya, in Lusaka, Zambia. A number of distinguished guests attended the festivities, including the Patrick Olson family, Jodie Emmett and various Zambian dignitaries -- including the vice president of Zambia, Rupiah Banda. Clementina Chapusha, our communications coordinator in Lusaka, wrote the following account of the inauguration ceremony:

"The newly built David Emmett Community Centre in Zambia’s Chibolya compound was a hive of activity on Friday when people from all walks of life met to witness the official opening of the centre.

Among those in attendance were children, parents/volunteers, sponsors, government officials, heads of departments and institutions, the mayor of Lusaka City, the area member of parliament, CI staff and the vice president of Zambia, Rupiah Banda.

As a way of showing their appreciation, the children performed a lot of dances and recited poems, much to the amazement of the crowd. The children highlighted the need for government and its cooperating partners to work together in the fight against diseases such as AIDS which had left most of them orphaned.

The sponsors were also taken by surprise as they did not expect to see what they were seeing during the inauguration. Guest of honor Patrick Olson was visibly touched by the performance from the children and their plea to the public about their rights.

The sponsors then joined the children in their dance to show the children that they were loved and therefore were not alone.

Zambia’s vice president, Rupiah Banda, could not hide his joy.

‘There is something very unique about Children International and I think it is important to acknowledge this publicly. The funds this non-profit organization uses for such programmes, including the construction of this centre we are opening today, come from ordinary people in America who give willingly without wanting anything in return.”

The vice president then asked the sponsors to stand and be recognized for their benevolence.

After the inauguration ceremony, the mayor of the City of Lusaka, Stephen Chilatu, invited the sponsors and CI's vice president for development and marketing, Brian Anderson, to his office to sign the visitors’ book.

Brian Anderson took this opportunity to appeal to the mayor to assist CI with acquisition of land for the third centre."

The Children International David C. Emmett Center is bringing new hope to thousands of poor children in Zambia. We extend our sincere thanks to all who have worked and contributed to make this and other centers like it around the world possible.

Zambian Vice President Rupiah Banda cuts the ribbon.


Vice President Banda (center) poses with the children and the guests of honor.


The children presented some typical Zambian dances, and some of the guests joined right in.

Making Every Penny Count

The value of financial integrity and a culture of transparency can’t be overstated in today’s business climate. We thought you would enjoy learning more about Children International’s financial practices and meeting David Houchen, who has been with CI for 10 years and serves as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.


Kelly:
What was your background before joining CI?

David:
As an auditor for a large CPA firm in KC I worked on and managed many audits of organizations like CI.

Kelly:
What interested you in the accounting/finance field, particularly in the non-profit sector?

David:
I have always enjoyed working with numbers and finances. While working in public accounting, I had the opportunity to work with many organizations, for profit and not-for-profit. When I interviewed at CI and learned more about their extensive financial policies and practices, I was impressed by their thoroughness and how well these were understood throughout the organization.

Kelly:
What do your duties here at CI involve?

David:
I oversee the Accounting and Information Technology areas -- plus the overall finances of CI. We have a really good staff, both at headquarters and at the field locations, that make sure all contributions are spent wisely.


Kelly: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

David:
The most rewarding thing is knowing that at the end of the day, all of our efforts go to provide assistance to needy children and their families. There is no better cause to work for than helping children.

Kelly:
Have you had any memorable experiences in the field or with sponsored children?

David:
I am fortunate to get to travel regularly to program locations to check on financial controls first-hand and to interact with children we assist and their families. I remember visiting Zambia when CI began working there. One of the first things we did was to build a community center in the middle of an urban slum where many of our sponsored children live. On the day before the grand opening of the center, there was much work still to be done. When I saw the volunteer mothers digging in and helping with many tasks, including scrubbing floors, I knew that not only would the grand opening be a success, but more importantly, the program would be a success too.

Kelly:
In a nutshell, what safeguards does CI have in place to ensure sponsors’ donations are used appropriately?

David:
I'm proud to say we have a well-developed system of financial controls at headquarters and at field locations. In KC, we employ 3 CPAs in the Accounting department. Each year we undergo a thorough budgeting process that is approved by our Board of Directors. We monitor variances every month and report on them to the Board. Contributions are received via a bank lockbox. We undergo an external audit annually, and we comply with the standards of the major charity oversight agencies. Another important aspect is that we have a worldwide culture of accountability that influences all of our decision-making at CI.

Kelly:
From an ethical standpoint, what is CI’s obligation to its sponsored population and to its sponsors?

David:
Our obligation is to do the best job we can with every contribution we receive. While a few hundred sponsors annually choose to visit their sponsored child, most sponsors are not able to do so. They put their trust in us to use their contributions in a way that will benefit their sponsored child as they intended. CI hires qualified employees and puts good accounting systems in place to ensure those contributions are indeed used as intended by the sponsors. The sponsored children and their families put the same level of trust in us.

Kelly:
Any particular message you’d like to share with our readers?

David:
Don't get discouraged when you read about millions of children and families who need help all over the world. As much as we would like to do so, we can't improve the lives of all of them. However, we can make a difference in the lives of those we are able to work with, and each sponsor who signs on with CI means there is one more child we can help. At last count, we are helping over 325,000 needy children around the world. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to serve them, and with the assistance of our dedicated sponsors, we help a few more every day.

Psst…SPREAD THE WORD

You may be an advocate and not even realize it. If you sponsor a child, you are an advocate. You lend your voice and give your support to a child who previously had lacked both. If you have ever had a conversation with a friend over a cup of coffee about sponsorship, you are an advocate.

Children International advocates believe in the transformative power of sponsorship. There is no better person to engage others in the cause than you!

While an informal chat is still a great mode of communication, many sponsors have asked for supporting materials to help make their chats more dynamic.

Filled with downloadable power point presentations, speeches, videos, posters and brochures, our new Advocate Center allows the Children International community access to valuable outreach tools.

You have the power to arrange for the sponsorships of more children. Your place of worship, bridge club, parent teacher association, family reunion and any community organization would be a great place to spread the word.

We hope you enjoy it and find it useful. We designed it for you, so…

…Dive into the Advocacy Center.