Archive for May, 2008
Bob’s report: May visit to Guatemala
Mission Awareness Trip
May 10-17, 2008
Just within the last month, we celebrated the April 2008 Mission Awareness Trip to Guatemala, the Latin American Staff Encounter, the Organizational Audit of Project Hermano Pedro and a week’s trip to Chile. I am filled with gratitude and pleased to bring you this news of our May 2008 MAT trip to Guatemala. In spite of the recent loss of his daughter, Renee, sponsor Jerry Menard is here with us. We are inspired by his spirit. On May 15, the Feast of San Isidro Labrador, Father Greg Schaffer offered Holy Mass for Renee, Jerry and their family—with all the sponsors and the elementary school children in attendance.
Search and rescue—CFCA style
When sponsor Laina visited Guatemala in May 2005, her sponsored boy Cesar had dropped out of school—this in spite of a good academic record. As the oldest boy, he had gone off to the capital city in search of work in order to help his family. We struggled to locate Cesar during the MAT and the effort really paid off. Laina and I talked with Cesar and his mother. Laina offered to help his family during these years of schooling. Happily Cesar returned home and went back to school. Cesar will graduate as a young professional accountant later this year. Laina wants to make an Individual Sponsor Visit to attend his graduation.
Touching Mother’s Day story
During our first Sunday morning in Guatemala City, we were deeply touched by the testimonies of a single mother, Mari, her sponsored son Kevin, 11, and little daughter Kimberly, 6.
A few years ago, the family moved to Guatemala City from the countryside. In her poverty, she was able to attend only two grades of elementary school. Mari married young. She found herself facing life alone when the father of the children left and remarried. In the last six months, Kevin had two surgeries to correct hernias—this with the loving help of his sponsor. He is a confident boy. He offered an emotional dramatization of a poem about his grandmother. Lively Kimberly spoke, too, thanking the sponsors for helping her brother and sadly lamenting the split up of her parents.
When I mentioned to the sponsors that Kimberly was not yet sponsored, it took Jerry Menard about three seconds to step forward and sponsor her. Tomorrow, we will bring Kimberly out to San Lucas to spend the day with Jerry.
Thanks for your solidarity and prayers. Cristina and I now head to Venezuela for another mission awareness trip, then to the Nicaragua Staff Encuentro meeting, followed by a Colombia MAT and then up to Kansas City for our exciting annual gathering. We look forward to seeing each of you. God’s blessings.
Bob Hentzen
Guatemala
2 comments May 28, 2008
Visit to Tanzania – entry 3
This is the final entry in a series of three. In March, Rachel Scherzer, who works in Child Services at the CFCA Kansas City office, traveled to Tanzania to visit her sponsored child, Bariki. She spent more than a week living and volunteering at the CFCA Dar es Salaam project.
When I got off the plane in Tanzania, I had no idea what to expect. I had been traveling for more than 24 hours, I was exhausted and in serious need of a shower.
I knew my sponsored child, Bariki, would be beautiful. I had loved him since I got his first picture, a huge smile with several baby teeth missing. I didn’t know that this shy little boy would change the way I thought about things. I had prepared for an adventure and, in the week I spent with him, that’s definitely what I got.
Bariki lost both his parents and two siblings to AIDS, all within a few months. He was shipped from place to place, unwelcome because of the virus he carried or turned away because there was no room for him. He finally landed at the project in Tegeta with Mary Dawn, a stranger who took him in and is now a mother to him.
In sub-Saharan Africa, stories like Bariki’s are tragically common. But the difference is that this particular story belongs to someone that I love. Bariki has become a part of my life. His story is now part of my story.
For me, Bariki has put a face on “world problems” that often seem a comfortable distance from my life here at home. The AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, something I have been studying closely for years, was not real to me until I met Bariki and his friends in Intensive Day Therapy and saw for myself the staggering drug regime they have to follow. Poverty was not real to me until I saw people doing without basic necessities in Bariki’s neighborhood. I had not realized the general sense of security I felt—knowing that I was protected from such things by the random circumstances of my birth—until I felt its absence in the developing world.
When I don’t know what to pray for, I pray for Bariki. When I need to remember what is important, I think of him. I made the seemingly small decision to let Bariki into my life, and now my life is different.
Add comment May 21, 2008
Visit to Tanzania – entry 2
This is the second entry in a series of three. In March, Rachel Scherzer, who works in Child Services at the CFCA Kansas City office, traveled to Tanzania to visit her sponsored child, Bariki. She spent more than a week living and volunteering at the CFCA Dar es Salaam project.
I did home visits yesterday, visiting two families who are new to the sponsorship program. These kids live really, really far out. I’m a bad judge of distance, but I know it took us at least 45 minutes to get to the first kid’s house, most of it walking under the scorching African sun. I have some pretty wicked burn/tan lines. It got to the point that I was thanking God for every breeze and patch of shade.
The second girl’s house wasn’t as far but it was all downhill getting there, which means it was all uphill getting back. And, of course, during all of this I’m wearing flip-flops, which was a disaster! My feet were so filthy by the time we got to the first house that the mama insisted I wash my feet. Not only did she insist, she “helped” me, using water that I know she probably couldn’t spare. And then she thanked me profusely for visiting her home!
The kid’s house was so remote that I was probably the only white person the villagers had seen. All the kids rushed out of their houses to stare at the “mzungu” (white person). We also rode the daladala, which is basically their bus, but really it’s just a big van. It was like a clown car in there. Every cubic inch was filled with bodies. I had some woman practically sitting on me at one point. But after all that walking I was grateful to be in a car.
Today I went into town with one of the seminarians. I basically followed him around while he did errands, so I got to see a lot of the city. And we went to the national museum, which shows all the traditional homes that people still live in. They were literally mud huts. The coast is pretty westernized but the further inland you get, the more primitive the conditions. I bought some beautiful postcards and paintings, too, but you may never see them because I will have trouble parting with them.
More to come tomorrow…
Add comment May 20, 2008
A visit to Tanzania – Entry 1
In March, Rachel Scherzer, who works in Child Services at the CFCA Kansas City office, traveled to Tanzania to visit her sponsored child, Bariki. She spent more than a week living and volunteering at the CFCA Dar es Salaam project. This week we will post a series of reflections from her trip that she e-mailed home. Rachel hopes to return to Tanzania soon!
Today was my first day at the project and I got to see it in full force. I don’t know if I will ever really be able to describe it but it was incredible. They have an intensive day program for about 12 kids who are HIV positive (including my sponsored child, Bariki). They spend the whole day at the project and get all their medicine and meals here. I watched the staff put out all their medications for them, and it was staggering what these kids have to take every single day, twice a day.
A new little girl was admitted to Intensive Day Therapy today, so we had our first day together. Her name is Neema. Her AIDS is full blown, which basically means she has no immune system. She had sores from shingles all down her right arm. But the odd (and very cool) thing is that all the kids are really energetic and happy.
I am also getting stared at like you would not believe. I am one of two white people in the entire city. There are about 2,000 kids at the school here, and I think I was gawked at by every single one. In the nursery school the kids followed me around. Just stopped what they were doing to come over and look at/touch/hug the white girl.
More to come tomorrow…
Add comment May 19, 2008
What makes a home?
By Trisha Pitts
Trisha Pitts and Chris Shillito just returned from the Philippines, where they visited all five of the CFCA projects there. This description comes from a visit to the Manila East subproject.
The contrast between the homes of the wealthy and the homes of the poor is just as stark as in the U.S., maybe more so. On our recent trip to the Philippines, we saw a huge building that was modern, sleek and full of windows as we were driving down the street. I asked our project staff what the building was, and they said it was the home of one of the wealthiest families in the Philippines.
Having just visited so many of our sponsored families’ homes, I was struck by the contrast.
Some of our sponsored families live in single rooms they have built along a canal that are maybe 5 feet wide and 10 to 12 feet long. A family with 6 children may live in this “house.”
One such house we saw had a battered dresser for clothes at one end and a card table with some kitchen utensils at the other end. That was the extent of the house. I asked the project staff where the family slept, and she said they probably move the card table out at night and all sleep on the floor, packed in like sardines. This particular family was trying to build an additional room, meaning they were collecting scrap lumber and other possible materials they can find to tack another room on.
There are many “houses” like this along the canal. The side of the canal has a ledge that is about 12 inches wide. This is the “main street” of the community, with a number of “houses” that have sprung up along this busy thoroughfare. The children scamper up and down without looking. I watched every step, knowing that if I wasn’t careful, I would end up in the canal. In this picture, Chris is standing on the ledge, pretending to dive in.
I asked the project community worker how the family might spend its day, since there is no TV or computer games, no toys, no furniture to dust, etc. She said the mother spends her day with the children, watching them and making sure they are okay. She might take some clothes to the community water tap to wash, and of course, she has to fix food for the family, but during all this time, she has her children with her. In the evening, after the children have been put to bed, the mother and father might sit outside and talk about their day.
It seems nice. Although we look at these “houses” and cringe or feel sad, it is clear that they are more than just houses. They are homes, no less than any of ours.
1 comment May 16, 2008
Seventh consecutive 4-star rating!
We’re excited to report that CFCA has received its seventh consecutive 4-star rating, the highest rating possible, from Charity Navigator!
According to Charity Navigator, less than 1% of the charities that Charity Navigator has rated have received at least seven consecutive 4-star evaluations.
“This ‘exceptional’ designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Christian Foundation for Children and Aging from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust,” wrote Michael Smith, Charity Navigator’s chief operating officer. The rating indicates “that Christian Foundation for Children and Aging outperforms most charities in America in its efforts to operate in the most fiscally responsible way possible.”
To our sponsors and donors – thank you for your continued trust. We strive to use all funding in the most efficient, trustworthy manner. We’re happy that Charity Navigator agrees!
For more information about CFCA’s 4-star rating, please visit the Charity Navigator Web site.
1 comment May 12, 2008
Building relationships through CFCA and Fair Trade
By Charlotte Willenborg, CFCA sponsor
A few weeks ago I received an e-mail about the World’s Largest Coffee Break to be held May 10 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. Hoping to break the record of 3,000 people taking a break at the same time, the Fair Trade Organization wants to educate people about fair prices, fair labor conditions and direct trade agreements. This brought back memories of a CFCA Mission Awareness Trip to Guatemala that I took this past December with my daughter, Dawn, who works for CFCA in the Kansas City office.
During the trip, we met our sponsored children and their families. It was a wonderful experience and it truly gave me an appreciation of the simple beauty and the richness of the Guatemalan culture.
In Guatemala: Charlotte, CFCA-Guatemala staff member Claudia, and Charlotte’s daughter Dawn
While visiting the San Lucas Mission on the third day of our trip, we listened to Father Greg Schaffer talk about the Juan Ana Coffee Project. He told us how Juan Ana coffee, though not part of the famed “Fair Trade” program, is very similar in the respect that it provides a fair price for the farmers of San Lucas Toliman area. The producers in San Lucas actually determine the price they will need for producing and selling the very best coffee they produce. He explained that every aspect of their coffee production: from picking the coffee fruit, drying, sorting, roasting and finally packaging the coffee is done by small independent farmers. These families take great pride in what they produce and are directly involved in deciding how the extra funds they receive will be used to benefit their community.
That day we saw how CFCA partners with the San Lucas Mission to empower people to use their God-given talents to provide a decent standard of living for their families. We left the mission that day with 10 bags of coffee, envisioning how we would invite our parish back home to build a real and lasting relationship with these coffee producers of Guatemala.
Now, on the second Sunday of each month, we sell Juan Ana coffee and “Fair Trade” decaffeinated coffee, tea and chocolate to our parishioners. Our parish takes pride in the fact that we are making choices that respect human dignity and promote economic justice while building a true sense of global solidarity.
I see a great connection between CFCA and Fair Trade. Both organizations are about living out the Gospel call to serve the poor. Both focus on building relationships and recognizing the God-given dignity of each person and their gifts. Both CFCA and Fair Trade provide hope for those who are trapped in poverty.
So on the weekend of May 10, you may want to consider being a part of the World’s Largest Coffee Break by drinking Fair Trade coffee. You can purchase Juan Ana coffee, the best coffee available from Guatemala, through the San Lucas Mission office in New Ulm, Minn. Or you may want to celebrate Mother’s Day by giving a gift of tea, chocolate or flowers (available through “A Greater Gift” Fair Trade).
Thank you, CFCA and Fair Trade, for helping me learn to build relationships.
2 comments May 6, 2008
Bob’s Report: Visit to Guatemala
Mission Awareness Trip
April 12-19, 2008
The children, mothers and chompipe (turkey) say, “Welcome to Guatemala.”
It’s a real joy to share this mission awareness trip with you. We are a nice big group, with many children, youth and aging to be visited and plenty to learn. This is the season of Pascua (Easter) … of life-giving rains … of planting and gratitude and hope.
Mothers and children join walk
More than 400 mothers and children met us up on the Panamerican Highway and walked with us to Zaragoza with an abundance of hymns and firecrackers. Great memories. A good number of these folks walked with us in 1996 and they remember it. Today these campesino (farm worker) families shared the fruits of their labor in the fields. Our pickup is now heavily laden with fresh tomatoes, peaches, apples and beautiful flowers.
On our way to Guatemala City to meet the sponsors, we spent an entire day visiting sponsored families in the area of Zaragoza. We have 1,687 sponsored children in Zaragoza and 60 CFCA scholars. Today we were able to turn over the ownership and keys to five new homes. The team here did a good job in selecting these families … healthy attitudes … real need … a view to the future … a commitment to keep their children in school. Myra is only 29, but she has seen a lot of life: education to the 4th grade, an abusive relationship, abandonment, two daughters ages 10 and 8.
“This nice home of our own will help us to focus on the future,” she said. “I thank God … and the sponsors of my daughter … and CFCA.”
In the last two years, just in Project Hermano Pedro we have been able to turn over new homes to more than 480 sponsored families. I can’t think of a better way to prepare for a mission awareness trip than visiting these families.
Facing west during the Mayan prayer service, sponsors and staff reflect on the sunset as a symbol of life after death.
A liver transplant
With two children of her own, Luisa Morales, community worker in Guatemala City, is in her sixth year with CFCA. To share this morning with the sponsors, Luisa brought Ana Beatriz, 14.
Ana Beatriz has been sponsored by Janet for the past nine years.
When she turned 10, Ana Beatriz was diagnosed with severe liver failure. She needed a transplant. Her older sibling, Roland, came forward and offered to become a donor. A foundation in Spain invited them to Madrid for the surgery.
Ana’s mother, Imelda, with a total of seven children, finds herself as the sole support after their father took off. One of her daughters is married. Imelda informed us that both Ana Beatriz and Roland are doing very well now.
Steep paths to families
On our visit to Aldea Pujujil, where 218 children are sponsored, our sponsors braved some steep paths on foot to visit a humble widow and two sponsored children who wanted to express their gratitude for sponsorship and for their new CFCA home. This family visit was followed by a gathering in the lean-to shelter for this CFCA community. I find them beautifully shy, but admirable in their hope. I calculate about 300 children and parents.
Nine new children sponsored
En route to Antigua through the highlands, we visit Chimaltenango with 8,721 sponsored children and teens in this region along with 461 aging and 287 scholars. Nine new children were sponsored during this trip, and the sponsors got to meet their new children and parents.
Thank you for being with us during this mission awareness trip, so rich in experiences and blessings. God’s blessings.
Bob Hentzen
Guatemala
1 comment May 1, 2008
