Archive for January, 2009
Leprosy awareness
This week the global health community recognizes World Leprosy Awareness Week. Leprosy still affects more than 200,000 people each year, but the good news is that it is on the decline, and can be treated and prevented with proper medical attention.
Over half of the new cases detected in the world today are found in India. Ilene Adams, CFCA regional director for India, provides insight about people who live with leprosy.
For more information about the diagnosis and treatment of leprosy today, visit the World Health Organization Web site.
1 comment January 29, 2009
How I found my friend
By Kelly Demo, CFCA preacher
“It was the picture that did it for me.”
“The priest had four folders left, and I just grabbed two!”
“I saw on the folder that the child’s birthday was the same as my father’s birthday. It was just meant to be!”
As a preacher for CFCA, I find it fascinating the myriad of reasons people are drawn to a particular child or aging person once they have made the decision to sponsor. Some look long and hard over the folders, reading carefully the personal information inside. Some say they feel called by God to pick “this very one.”
I often encourage people to pick someone from a country they would like to visit so they can meet their friend on a mission awareness trip. And for many, the decision is just too hard so they ask me to pick.
The longer I do this work the more convinced I am that God does have a hand in putting sponsors and sponsored friends together. I remember there was one folder of a young man in his 20s. He had special needs and would probably always need help but also had some big plans for his life.
However, for the life of me I couldn’t get him sponsored. I must have taken his folder to five appeals and no one would take him. Then, at one parish, a man came up to me, grabbed my arm and looked at me with tears in his eyes. He said, “I recently lost my 18-year-old son to drugs. He is gone, and now I need another.”
“I have just the boy for you.”
Those two men needed each other, and God brought them together.
In our family we let our 7-year-old daughter pick a folder. She picked Wendy because she said Wendy looked like someone she would want to play with. When our son gets a bit older we will let him discern who he would like to have for a new friend as well. We are deeply grateful to God for bringing Wendy in our lives and giving my kids an “older sister.”
So, what about you? How did you choose your friend? We would love to hear your stories of connection, intent and surprise. We welcome you to share how God brought someone special into your life through CFCA.
How did YOU find your friend?
7 comments January 28, 2009
Bob’s notes – Visit to India, part 2
Mission awareness trip
Jan. 6-18, 2009
After spending a most enjoyable week with the sponsors in South India, Cristina, Alvaro Aguilar (Guatemala) and I flew to Hyderabad. We were privileged to visit subprojects, families and mothers groups, together with staff members from CFCA-Kansas and CFCA-Bhagalpur.
Words from a sponsored mother
“Normally every program ends with the vote of thanks … but today this word thanks comes right from the bottom of every mother’s heart. It’s not only financial and material knowledge that is given … but we are taught how to earn our living, how to educate our children, how to build a good and happy family and how to be a good mother.”—Agnes, Rosevilla Mothers Group
Small mothers group (SMG) leaders conference
This has been a day of inspiration and celebration with about 900 mothers group leaders present and a very high level of energy, identity and “buy-in” with the CFCA program.
Inspiring to me were the 20 little girls from subproject BLP, former street children. Sister Margaret shared their stories: This one was abandoned in the railway station. This one was found in the city market. These precious children (ages 2 to10) had prepared a few songs and a birthday cake for Mr. Prakash and they literally became part of my song Esmeralda … really because they have lived and are living similar realities today.
Community based
The mothers can be seen walking from their home to the meeting place. The transparency of the program, together with the joy and confidence of the mothers, speak clearly that this program is healthy and sustainable. I believe it can be said that they are truly community-based when our own CFCA colleagues living and serving in their own community give the example of walking with poor without religious, caste or any other prejudice. (more…)
2 comments January 26, 2009
Bob’s notes – Visit to India, part 1
Mission awareness trip
Jan. 6-18, 2009
Sponsors learn the reality of south India; mothers groups become CFCA model
The creativity and dedication of the CFCA community in India has become an “expansion-of-vision center” for staff members from Bolivia, U.S.A, Honduras, Kenya and now Guatemala. Two of our colleagues from Guatemala (Jorge Armas, coordinator, and Alvaro Aguilar, regional director) were invited to participate in the experience of this mission awareness trip—followed by a more in-depth study of the Hyderabad model of mothers groups. Jorge took ill the night before departure and was not able to travel.
Group orientation
We are happy to be here in Chennai (Madras). All the diocesan priests from the Archdiocese of Chennai together with their archbishop are on retreat at the same convent conference center where we are staying. Father Cyrus Gallagher, a CFCA preacher, was able to concelebrate Holy Mass with them this morning.
12-hour train ride
We made it to the train station in plenty of time for our 12-hour overnight trip to Palay and a good rock-me-to-sleep night on the train in triple-decker sleeping bunks. Athletic types generously scampered upward.
Visit to a family’s home
About 50 kilometers out of Palay, we visited subproject SPT. About 30 mothers and five elderly received us at the humble home of Petchi. For sponsors Gene and Jean, this was a very historical moment, after 11 years of sponsorship of Petchi. Gene said that this day has been one of the “greatest in his life.”
The mothers became teachers and the sponsors learners, as we enjoyed a beautiful and meaningful dialog for a couple of hours. One of the special gifts Jean had prepared for Petchi was an anthology of their relationship over these past 11 years. I’m sure it will be treasured.
The profound joy of belonging to CFCA was expressed by children and their mothers, who were clad in sharp-looking blue saris. Following dancing, dialogue and emotional sharing, sponsors were very quiet in the van as we made our way back to Palay in the night under a beautiful Pongal/Harvest Moon.
1 comment January 23, 2009
Creating King’s ‘beloved community’
By Paco Wertin, CFCA chief executive officer
No individual can live alone, no nation can live alone, and anyone who feels that he can live alone is sleeping through a revolution. The world in which we live is geographically one. The challenge that we face today is to make it one in terms of brotherhood.
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968
I see and feel a kinship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and CFCA as we celebrate his birthday.
He believed in the “beloved community,” in which all people can share the wealth of the earth and that obstacles like poverty, racism and war can be overcome if we learn to resolve conflict non-violently, together.
I find an echo of that in the words of CFCA president and co-founder, Bob Hentzen:
This community is based on new relationships forged between those who have and those who do not have what is necessary to live. The first step is overcoming obstacles. Obstacles can be lack of nutrition, lack of access to health care, education and skills development, and lack of community and hope. The next step is having choices. Having choices means freedom. So free from the obstacles, we can be free for creating community.
CFCA communities in India and Africa express their desire to overcome all that is in the way of forging these new relationships by singing “We Shall Overcome” at their gatherings.
We join them in that song and deep in our heart, in kinship with Dr. King, we pray:
With you, O God, we are a liberating force of love in our world today.
Add comment January 19, 2009
CFCA helps families put food on the table
Soaring food prices in 2008 made it more difficult for CFCA families to feed themselves. Though prices have fallen some, a recent United Nations report predicts that the cost of food will remain high in the long run. To improve long-term food security, CFCA has awarded several food grants to help families grow and produce their own food.
Donate to CFCA’s Food Assistance Fund now.
2 comments January 14, 2009
Why are my friend’s letters written by someone else?
Welcome to Ask Sponsor Services, a monthly post based on frequently asked questions by our sponsors. We invite your comments and questions about the topic featured below.
Q. Sometimes I receive a letter written by someone else. Why doesn’t my sponsored friend write?
A. There are a variety of reasons why a letter may be written by someone other than your sponsored friend. When this occurs, CFCA asks that the person writing the letter clearly identify themselves so you will know.
Letters to sponsors sometimes are written by parents, relatives, social workers or project staff on behalf of the child or aging person. It may be that the parents or project staff want to help a child write a more meaningful letter, or the child may be too young to write.
If your sponsored friend is elderly, conditions such as vision problems, illness or illiteracy may make it necessary for a representative to write on their behalf.
For some people in developing countries, oral communications are the norm and letter writing is a challenge. Composing a simple letter may require the assistance of a family member or a project staff member.
Add comment January 12, 2009
Kenya’s gradual return to peace
By Janet Tinsley, CFCA international project director for Africa
After the disputed presidential elections of December 2007 that were marred by allegations of corruption, the president-elect, Mwai Kibaki, and opposition candidate, Raila Odinga, formed the Grand Coalition Government in an attempt to quell the violence that erupted in January 2008. However, since its inception, the coalition has been tenuous at best, with many worrying that any disagreement between the parties could send Kenya into another violent tailspin.
During the year following the post-election violence, which resulted in more than 1,000 deaths and more than 350,000 internally displaced persons, people wishing to heal and move on have largely been forced to take reconciliation efforts into their own hands. In a demonstration of their perseverance, communities around the country have formed ad-hoc, cross-tribal support groups with the common goal of gradually bringing peace back to their community. Coming to terms with what happened last year is taking time, but gradually, people have returned to their communities and begun the arduous task of putting their lives and communities back together.
The government, however, has been relatively silent with regard to reconciliation and national healing following last year’s violence. It wasn’t until November that legislation was passed to form a commission on election violence, and commissioners have yet to be appointed. As a result, very few of those who instigated the violence have been tried or prosecuted, and many Kenyans fear that the main perpetrators will go unpunished.
Post-election violence contributed to a significant slowdown in agricultural production and tourism during the first half of 2008, which had a major impact on Kenya’s already struggling economy. Kenya was also impacted by skyrocketing fuel and food costs as well as the global economic slowdown. Exceedingly high food prices, food shortages, and several thousands of internally displaced persons in the aftermath of the elections made 2008 a very difficult year for Kenyans.
Nevertheless, Kenyans are resilient and optimistic. The economy is already showing signs of starting to bounce back, and peace is returning for most of the population. While most were ready to put 2008 behind them, it seems that people are hopeful that 2009 will be a better year.
Read about how CFCA mothers groups are helping heal divisions in Kenya.
2 comments January 12, 2009
