Gratitude of magnificent proportions
During the last week of September 2009, Typhoon Ondoy blasted the Philippines with the worst rainfall ever recorded in the area. Some parts recorded water levels more than 20 feet high, leading to mudslides and widespread loss of life and homes. Many of CFCA’s families, both sponsored and staff, were affected.
CFCA responded by sending monies set aside for emergencies from our Disaster Assistance Fund. Because typhoons are so common, the Philippines projects also set aside funds in their budget for calamities.
The staff assessed the situations of the different families and put them in one of three groups: families who were homeless; families whose homes were still standing, but damaged, and whose belongings were gone; and those who had recovered some of their belongings. The families received food, clothing, medicine, housing materials and livelihood replacement funds, according to their needs.
After the water receded and rebuilding began, Paul Pearce, director of International Programs, visited the projects and was given a surprise and heartwarming gift. Four youth in the Manila/Antipolo projects created a massive and beautiful thank-you card that was meant to send appreciation to CFCA for all of the support they received. Signed by roughly 200 people, it represents the families who were helped by CFCA special funds.
The card, done in the Japanese style of anime, depicts scenes from the flood such as brown water with debris floating in it, people salvaging things from their homes, and children in their school uniforms with their pants hiked up so as not to get their uniform dirty.
The card is 30 inches tall, and drawn with crayons and markers.
“When I saw it, I knew I had to take it back to the office,” Paul said.
However, the card was too large to fit in any luggage or backpack. So, Paul decided to carry the card during the 8,000-mile journey. He wondered just how he would get through airport security with this oddity, but found people to be not only curious, but genuinely grateful to CFCA once they heard what the card was for.
“When I reached the airport in Manila, at every security checkpoint the guards wanted to look at it and talk about it,” Paul said. “When I was walking by shops in the airport, one of the shopkeepers told me that her house had flooded as well.”
Once in Japan the security guards were impressed with the artwork of the card. Flight attendants and fellow passengers were accommodating to Paul and his giant card.
“Instead of being a hassle, it became a badge of honor,” Paul said. “It is a reminder of the special grace the Filipinos have. That in the middle of this disaster, they have the thoughtfulness to come together to make this thank-you card. They never stop amazing me by their resiliency and how they respond to hardships. It’s pretty humbling.”
The card arrived at CFCA headquarters unscathed and is on display.
4 comments February 8, 2010
An endearing spirit
By Henry Flores, director of the Communications Center in El Salvador
Manuel was a 16-year-old boy, living in El Salvador, who, in spite of his severe muscular dystrophy condition, lived with hope for the future to come.
“I want to be a radio technician,” he said, “I like it, and I can learn.”
His 85-year-old grandmother and only relative, Mercedes, kindly smiled and believed in his words, “Manuelito learns very fast and has fixed a little TV which he connects to a car battery because we have no electricity.”
A few weeks ago, after complications from hepatitis and kidney problems, Manuel passed away, leaving a great example to the world he left behind. Through his shining personality and kind smile, he was able to enter people’s hearts, which motivated many to sponsor more children in his community, others to contribute to the construction of four homes for families who were living under cardboard and plastic in the area, and sparked the creation of a new fund for children with special needs.
Because Manuel was the first sponsored person in that area, the CFCA staff and Manuel’s community members saw him as the “father” of their community. In his honor, the CFCA community he lived in changed its name from Community La Linea (train tracks) to Community Manuel.
Deep in my heart, I feel Manuel had a mission, and he accomplished it. He made us aware of the problems of his neighbors, and CFCA was able to help many because of him.
I pray to the good Lord to help me find my mission in this world, as well as the understanding to carry it with the same love, hope and joy that Manuel had.
Editor’s note: The winter issue of “CFCA Spirit,” mailed this month, features a story about Manuel and Mercedes. CFCA did not receive news of Manuel’s death until after the publication was printed.
1 comment February 4, 2010
On the other side
Nelson Figueroa, Santo Domingo project coordinator, shares a Dominican’s view of the earthquake that struck their island.
As you know, our island was jolted by a strong earthquake that affected, above all, our neighboring country of Haiti, especially the city of Port-au-Prince. Seen from this side of the island, the panorama could not be much darker. The latent reality today is that all the hospitals in our country are filled beyond capacity with our injured Haitian brothers and sisters.
From the capital, Santo Domingo, to the border zone that is serving as a bridge for the arriving international help, the hospitals in our country are not only overflowing with patients, but they are also being filled with concerned relatives in search of information about their missing family members.
The day after the earthquake, in Santo Domingo, there was a collective sound of sirens coming in all directions from ambulances, carrying the injured to the health centers. Those with means flew by helicopter to the health center CEDIMART in Santo Domingo and the Metropolitan Hospital in the city of Santiago.
Our country felt the tremor, but it did not affect the physical structures as much as it did the family structures. Hundreds of families have not seen their family members return because many of the Haitian companies they worked for have collapsed. To cite an example, my oldest daughter’s classmate lost her father. They heard him alive in the rubble, but he lost his life while they were trying to rescue him two days after the quake. It is estimated that there are hundreds of Dominicans who have died.
The tragedy affects the whole territory, and emotionally, we are all sorrowful. We do not escape the shadow of this catastrophe that has affected our neighbor.
In our territory there have been a variety of fundraising activities, and truthfully, solidarity has overflowed these days, which has helped to alleviate a little of the tension that has always existed between the two countries. People can now be seen hugging each other in pain, united by one cause, forgetting their differences and prioritizing the human being.
Tragedy makes us see that we are all children of the same God, and in our case, connected by a single territory, sharing the same island, and therefore we endure the same suffering. We live sheltered in the hope of ending our disagreements and uniting ourselves as brothers and sisters who share the same rays of the sun.
Add comment February 3, 2010
Greetings from the roads of Honduras
Dear friends, greetings from the roads of Honduras in Central America.
Walk2gether continues and, step by step, we are overcoming the mountains of Santa Barbara and La Esperanza, walking at an altitude of approximately 9,000 feet above sea level.
Some of the walkers have begun to experience the wear and tear from their efforts, such as blisters and chapped lips; however, their spirit continues, strong and unbreakable.
On Jan. 24, we arrived at the area of La Paz. Because the difficulty of the altitude, mountainous terrain and roads limited our progress, we were unable to cover the full 40 kilometers planned per day. So during our rest day, on Jan. 25, we had to go back and cover the 16 unwalked kilometers accumulated from the prior days.
That very same day we decided to suspend Walk2gether for two days, returning to the road on Jan. 28. The reason for this is that the new president of Honduras will be inaugurated on Jan. 27, and many demonstrations are planned for that day. This is a risky situation for us, as any type of demonstration is viewed as political. The local authorities are mobilizing military troops and police to the same roads where we are walking to prevent protesters from entering Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras.
One little story during our walk: a few days ago, Bob fell while walking on a dirt road. I can report that he suffered no injuries whatsoever. On the contrary, he proved to be in great physical condition, and, at the same time, we discovered that Walk2gether will continue either walking, jogging, running or rolling down the road.
My best to all,
Manuel Pineda
CFCA Santa Barbara Project Coordinator
7 comments January 27, 2010
A smile and a hug
Isidor Sittenauer, a CFCA sponsor, shares some of his thoughts about his experience on the recent mission awareness trip to El Salvador.
When we first arrived at the CFCA center, I was rather surprised to be in a dormitory-type of setting and by the shock of cold water showers.
However, after visiting some of the homes of the sponsored children, I realized I was living in luxury by comparison. The people we visited were poor, yet they were always ready with a smile and hug. And, despite their housing situation, they always had on spotless clothing.
Every American citizen should appreciate the luxury we live in.
Add comment January 25, 2010
It’s about the people
The following is from Natasha Sims, CFCA web editor, who is currently in Central America participating in Walk2gether.
Jan. 11, 2010
Today the El Salvador mission awareness trip participants and I joined Walk2gether. We didn’t leave at 4 a.m. like the walk team and Bob did. We met them about 15 kilometers in, right around 8:35 a.m.
The 10 of us trickled into the line, meeting some CFCA staff and families for the first time. The morning weather was still slightly chilly from the unseasonably cold night, but the sun was quickly working the chill out of the air.
I didn’t know what to expect when we began the day. I was still trying to decide how to best cover the walk and share it with those who cannot experience it in person. In the end, I just decided to let the walk lead me, and a story would find me. And, a story did find me, many stories in fact.
Take Veron, for example. Veron is the project coordinator for CFCA’s Manila project in the Philippines. She is walking through Central America with Bob, both to represent her country in the walk and also her son, who is unable to walk. When she speaks about her 6-year-old, there’s a soft look on her face that tells me she is not entirely in El Salvador, but also 14 hours away at her home in the Philippines.
Veron overcame many obstacles to participate in the walk with “Sir Bob,” as she calls him, and now she adds a steady, soothing presence to the walk.
“Another 40 kilometers done,” she said at the end of the day.
Then there is Harry, a sponsor from Wisconsin. Harry has met Bob on several mission awareness trips. He is fully committed to CFCA and his sponsored children. I pulled out my audio recorder to document a sponsor’s view of the walk, but he was so choked with emotion before I finished my first question that he only managed to say this:
“This is the biggest thing I have ever done in my life, and Bob does this every day.”
Harry and I spoke several times during the walk and the rest stops, trading stretching tips and chatting about light topics. At the end of the walk, however, he smiled at me with tears in his eyes and said he might not be able to do that interview after all. That’s OK, Harry. Your eyes say it all, anyway.
At the 20-kilometer mark, I spoke briefly with Jose Francisco, a quiet man and the father of four sponsored children. “Which children?” I asked. He pointed at the two children I had just taken a picture of. They were giggling over my notepad, writing their names for me. I told Jose Francisco that I would like a picture of him with his family, meaning the two children. He sadly told me that only four of his 8 children were there. So I took a picture of him with his four children, and his wife and mother-in-law, who were also there, as it turns out. I took several photos of them but the one I like the best is the one in which I caught them laughing with each other. It isn’t perfect – the grandmother’s eyes are closed and Dina isn’t looking at the camera, but you can see the love they have for each other.
The final 10 kilometers of the walk were along a busy, noisy highway. We walked single-file, which gave us time for some internal reflection. I thought about all those I had spoken with through the day, and decided that Bob was right.
Walk2gether really is about the people.
6 comments January 15, 2010
Praying for Haiti
Our hearts are heavy as we think about the millions of people affected by the earthquake that shook Haiti yesterday.
Please join us as we pray for all those impacted by this terrible natural disaster.
We’re thankful that CFCA communities in Haiti did not suffer physical injuries or damage. To learn more about the impact on CFCA projects in the area, please read the news story on the CFCA website.
4 comments January 13, 2010
Video: Walk2gether crosses into El Salvador
CFCA President and Co-founder Bob Hentzen reflects on the first border crossing of his 8,000-mile walk through Latin America. On Jan. 7, 2010, the walk team crossed from Guatemala into El Salvador. Follow Bob’s journey at walk2gether.org.
2 comments January 12, 2010
Don’t forget your sticker!
If you’ve read the most recent Sacred Ground (our bi-annual magazine for all friends of CFCA), or looked around the Walk2gether website, you’ve heard about Sticker Sundays. But, just in case you haven’t, let’s re-cap:
On the second Sunday of each month, we encourage our sponsors to wear their Walk2gether sticker, found in the Fall 2009 edition of Sacred Ground. When people ask what the sticker represents, tell them about your sponsored friend and how you are “walking” with your friend through your sponsorship.
This is a great way that we can support the Walk2gether team, and find sponsors for the 789 children, youth and elderly waiting for sponsorship in El Salvador (where Bob is walking this week).
So, this Sunday, put on your sticker and watch for other CFCA supporters wherever you go. You may be able to make a new CFCA friend, and find a sponsor for a waiting child, all at the same time!
Your friends can sponsor through CFCA on our website, or by calling Sponsor Services at (800) 875-6564.
If you would like Walk2gether stickers, please call Sponsor Services at (800) 875-6564.
1 comment January 8, 2010
On the road: “Even the Earth’s a pilgrim”
The following is an end-of-year reflection by CFCA President and Co-founder Bob Hentzen as he walked along the route in Guatemala on the last day of 2009:
This is Dec. 31. The first 10k before dawn. Beautiful morning. Full moon. And the interesting thing is that the volcano called Pacaya is in eruption and we’re walking straight towards it. Our reflection: Even the Earth is changing. Even the Earth’s a pilgrim.
Henry Flores [CFCA-El Salvador communications director] is kind enough to bring this recorder and my Flip camera out on the road together with Judy-Anne [CFCA-Kansas communications staff] and Loretta [CFCA-Kansas communications director]. They are filming as we actually go down the road. Everybody’s doing OK. Suresh [Hyderabad, India, project coordinator] has been fighting a fever and is taking a little break in one of the vehicles.
It is amazing to look at this line of volcanoes from Fuego, Agua, Acatenango, Pacaya: the ring of fire. It is just amazing.
Our little poet from last night [Miguel] is now walking with me. And when we reach the first stop he is going to be declaiming another poem that he calls, “The Challenge.” I asked the father a little about the family. There are two other children. It’s an uncle and the dad who teach this little boy these poems and acting.
3 comments January 7, 2010
