Archive for August, 2009
Bob’s notes – visit to Nicaragua
Mission awareness trip to Nicaragua
Aug. 15-22, 2009
Ever since I visited the Christian Brothers in Bluefields in 1961, I have regarded Nicaragua as a country of poets, musicians, artists, gentle people and good baseball players. I am delighted that we are able to work with and walk with close to 10,000 Nicaraguan families. We also work with a large number of Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica. I am privileged to be on this trip, and I look forward to our walk through Nicaragua in 2010.
Listening to Nicaraguan staff
Even though about half our group got to the Palmera Retreat House quite late last night, we were all up bright and early this Sunday morning for prayer and orientation. We reflected on
1 Corinthinthians: “Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud or rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful and trusting.”
A good breakfast featuring gallo pinto (rice and beans) sent us on our way north 2.5 hours to the subproject in San Lorenzo.
San Lorenzo
The families of the 316 sponsored children and 15 aging appreciate the program very much.
Ariel
Ariel’s testimonial is an example of this gratitude: “I am the son of humble parents. I have been sponsored since 2007. I am in my first year of secondary education. In order to reach school, I have to walk one half hour and ride a bus another half hour. My dream is to become a professional in order to serve my community, without neglecting the parents who have given me life.”
We have been moving…
Monday found us visiting the subprojects in Chinandega and Tuesday in Leon. On Wednesday, we visited the areas of Masaya and Granada, and on Thursday … on to the the city dump area of Acahualinca. CFCA began serving in the Acahualinca neighborhood nine years ago.
This is a sponsored family of 12 children in Acahualinca neighborhood—9 children and parents in the photo. Working hard, they struggle to make it on about $3 per day total income.
There are so many stories of inspiration in this neighborhood. On the part mothers and grandmothers, I would call it heroism. We have three children sponsored in a family of 12 (ages 8 months to 17 years). The father, Juan, 45, works as a helper in a restaurant at the Oriental Market, earning the equivalent of US$100 per month. The mother, Leticia, also worked at a restaurant until the birth of their newest baby. They face the harsh reality of sometimes not being able to make ends meet, but harboring in their hearts great love and a drive for self-improvement that encourages them to keep trying. They are a united and loving family, who show qualities of responsibility and honesty. We are honored to have the family as part of our CFCA family in Nicaragua.
Shortening distances
We spent this beautiful day in Project Masaya, celebrating Mass with sponsored families and staff. A cultural program followed, featuring poems and folk dances. One poem written by famed Cuban poet Jose Marti and recited by 9-year-old Laura stole the show:
“Cultivo una rosa Blanca
En junio como enero
Para el amigo sincero
Que me das su mano franca.
Y para el cruel que arranca
El Corazon con que vivo,
Cardo ni ortiga cultivo;
Cultivo la rosa blanca.”
“I cultivate a white rose
In June and January as well
For the sincere friend
Who offers me his honest hand.
And for the cruel person who rips out
The heart with which I live,
I cultivate neither thistle nor nettle;
I cultivate a white rose.”
Visits to families resulted in the shortening of distances between sponsors and children and the sponsorship of one new little girl, 7-year-old Neyling. We met 10 of our scholars at the attractive CFCA center in Masaya.
We say “hasta luego” to Nicaragua with many prayers in our hearts. May the Lord bless the people of Nicaragua and our sponsored families. May the Lord bless these dear sponsors on their journey forward and in their advocacy efforts, and may the Lord bless each of you, our beloved CFCA family.
Blessings,
Bob Hentzen
2 comments August 31, 2009
A special sponsor for a special family
By Cheryl Petroff, CFCA sponsor
I had the pleasure to take a CFCA mission awareness trip to El Salvador in 2008 and 2009.
I can’t convey in words exactly what I experienced, but what I know for sure is that both trips were life-changing and some of the best experiences of my life.
In 2008, I went with a friend who sponsored children in El Salvador. I had sponsored a child years ago, but when she was retired from the program, I never got another child to replace her.
I told Henry Flores (director of the communications center in El Salvador) that I was interested in sponsoring a child with special needs. I know many times the cutest children are picked first and sometimes children with special needs are left behind. Henry told me that he had a special family he would like me to meet. He arranged for my group to go to the home of this family.
After a walk through an alley and up a steep, dirt path, we arrived at their home. I was in utter shock at the condition of this home. It was a small building made of cardboard, wood and metal. It had a dirt floor, and there were four beds against the walls inside. Outside was a small area that had a metal roof, but only poles were holding it up – this was the cooking area.
I meet this wonderful mother who you could tell loved her family and was doing the best that she could. She appeared very sad. She was raising four children on her own. Her husband had abandoned her and the children. All three of her sons had disabilities.
Her youngest son, Omar, was in bed and was rolling from side-to–side, making noises. He was severely handicapped and totally blind.
Her middle son, Luis, was blind in one eye, but was smiling and happy to have visitors.
Her daughter, Kenya, was very shy but was without any handicaps. She was attending school and had hopes of being a teacher or secretary.
The eldest son, Alonso, was lying in a hammock and swinging. He was totally blind and was so thin that he looked like a young child instead of his 20 years of age.
I told Henry that I wanted to sponsor the child with the most need. He said that he would ask the mother which child she wanted sponsored. She indicated that she wanted Alonso or Kenya sponsored. She indicated that Omar had little hope for improvement with his condition, but the two that she picked could have a better life if sponsored.
I decided to pick Alonso. As I stood there watching this family, I felt the strongest desire to do more if I could. I left that hilltop sponsoring both Alonso and Kenya.
Through the year, I received beautiful letters from Kenya. She wrote for herself and her brother. Her letters were like a Christmas present each time I received them. She told me over and over again how thankful she and Alonso were. She told me about her schooling, and that Alonso was being tested so he could be taught a trade. The letters have become an important part of my life.
I had decided on the second day of my 2008 trip that I would be going back to El Salvador.
I went back this year thinking that there was no way that I would have a better experience than the past year. Well, I was very wrong!
We visited Alonso and Kenya’s family again this year. I knew the way up the hill, so I went ahead of everyone. When I got to the top, I didn’t recognize the home. I actually started to walk back down the hill, but when I looked back, I decided this had to be it when I saw their mother looking out at me. I went to her and got the biggest hug. She looked so happy!
The house was now larger. Bunk beds replaced the mattresses, and she even had a sofa in the large room. The place actually looked larger. There was a difference in her, too. She was smiling and was so happy. The kitchen now had walls, and she had an actual stove. The place looked much neater and cleaner.
My two sponsored children greeted me and hugged me. I felt like I was in heaven. The kindness and love I felt in that home was like nothing I have ever experienced before.
The difference in the home and family was unbelievable. Alonso had gained weight. Omar was walking and was not as thin.
And then there was Luis, who was still smiling and kept looking at me. In his eyes, I saw that he too needed someone to sponsor him. I decided right then and there that I would sponsor him. When they told him, he couldn’t believe it. He was so happy and hugged me so hard. I will never forget this visit. I found out later from his mother that he had cried last year when he was not sponsored. I think God was right there in that spot, guiding my heart.
I can honestly say that this year was better than last year.
I love CFCA, and I love the people who work for this organization. I love El Salvador. I would encourage anyone who has or has not sponsored a child to take a trip to one of the countries where CFCA works to see what it is really like. You will never be sorry. It is the best investment I have ever made.
1 comment August 28, 2009
Children want to hear from their sponsors
In spring of last year, CFCA sent out special postcards to sponsors to encourage them to write a letter to their sponsored friend. The response has been wonderful. Many children who had not yet received any letters heard from their sponsors for the first time.
“I am very happy because I have received letters before but never one like this,” said Jilma, who lives in El Progresso, El Salvador. “My sponsor has told me in her letters that she has a beautiful garden and lots of flowers.”
The Vellore project in India saw an immediate increase in communication between sponsors and their friends because of the postcard campaign. Additionally, nine children received their first communication from their sponsors.
In the Zamboanga, Philippines, project, an estimated 140 individuals received their first correspondence from their sponsor. Project coordinator Maribel Mandi said the children and aging were delighted with the postcards, and it helped give them motivation to openly express their emotions.
“A short message from a sponsor adds life and growth to the child and sponsor relationship,” said Mandi. “The postcards created a SMILE.”
Many children in the Quito, Ecuador, project had not heard from sponsors, and the postcards brought them much happiness.
Letters are an important benefit
“I can tell you with great certainty that the kids and their families value the letters and photos that sponsors send more than anything,” said Dan Pearson, project director for CFCA international operations. “Imagine the lives of these kids. It is hard for them to believe that someone they have never met chose them and is sending help every month to give them a better chance in life.
“The sponsor is often a central figure in the child’s life, and they want to know who this person is. They want to know what they look like, who is in their family, and why they decided to help.”
In an age of instant information, emails and text messaging, letter writing is becoming a lost art. It is one of the many gifts that our brothers and sisters in developing countries can give to us—to remind us of the joy that can be found in taking the time to sit and write a simple note of love and encouragement.
On behalf of the sponsored children and aging, we thank you for writing, and we encourage you to continue growing your relationship through letters.
Below are the three postcards we mailed to sponsors
1 comment August 27, 2009
A thankful trip
By Kathy Cvetko, CFCA sponsor
Imagine walking a gauntlet of men, women and children who are thanking you for the help you have given them. At the beginning of these lines, children are waving American and Honduran flags. At the end, they are escorting you to front-row seats at a Honduran cultural extravaganza rivaling any off-Broadway performance you’ve ever seen.
That is only one of the many extraordinary occurrences that my family and I had on our June 2009 mission awareness trip to Project Ocotopeque, Honduras. However, it serves as a relevant starting point for the story of our visit.
The theme of giving thanks was revisited again and again. At times, it left us sponsors feeling both confused and amazed at such appreciation. Most of us were just as much, if not more, thankful to our sponsored friends for allowing us to experience the full beauty of giving. And yet, looking into the eyes of the people of Project Ocotopeque, we sensed only their deepest sincerity at finally being able to meet us and tell us with a look and a smile that, “It means so much to me that I matter to you!“
Our story of connection with Project Ocotopeque began in 1998, when we first laid eyes on a picture of Yessika del Carmen. We had just finished listening to Jim and JoAnne Rogers speak about a sponsor trip they had completed, and they were inviting those in the audience to sponsor a child or elderly person.
Three things struck my husband and me as reasons to say “yes”: 1. We could afford the amount each month; 2. CFCA did not advertise, so more of the contributions would go to the sponsored friend; and 3. The organization helped both children and the aging in poor countries across the globe.
We asked our daughter and son, then ages 12 and 7, to help us pick out a child or elderly person who needed a sponsor. They took this decision very seriously as they carefully reviewed each folder. They finally agreed upon a 10-month-old, beautiful baby girl named Yessika.
So, began a lifelong association with a little girl more than 3,000 miles away from our home in Portland, Ore. It was delightful to receive pictures of her every year and to read letters about her and from her as she learned to write. Admittedly, we wrote much less frequently and didn’t send pictures. Still, she was always in the back of our minds, and we’d pray that she was thriving and getting the care and love she needed and deserved.
In 2003, my mother, Helen Wyninegar, passed away at the age of 86. She left us a small sum of money, and she was such a giving person that it seemed a fitting memorial for us to use that money to take a sponsor trip to Honduras to meet Yessika. (more…)
2 comments August 24, 2009
Can I provide additional educational assistance?
Q. I understand that the cost of education sometimes exceeds what my monthly sponsorship can provide. What options do I have to provide additional assistance for my sponsored child as he or she gets older?
A. As more sponsored children pursue higher education and costs for education continue to rise, our projects find it increasingly difficult to stretch sponsorship dollars to cover higher education costs. For sponsors who have the means and desire to provide additional assistance, we can inquire at the project whether your child requires additional assistance beyond what sponsorship provides.
It helps us to know if you are interested in providing a modest incremental amount or if you want to help fund higher education or a degree. If you are interested in providing additional educational assistance, please call our Sponsor Services team at (800) 875-6564 or (913) 384-6500.
Add comment August 21, 2009
Our pilgrimage
By Nicole Mirti, CFCA sponsor
My family and I started our involvement with CFCA about 10 years ago when a priest spoke at our parish. We were really moved and touched by the work CFCA does for those less fortunate, so we decided we would become sponsors. Upon learning of the countries where CFCA has projects, we chose Colombia. Colombia was an easy choice for us because that is where I was born. I was adopted from Bogota, Colombia, almost 24 years ago, and the country still holds a special place in our hearts.
My family and I sponsor a 7-year-old girl named Wendy, who is part of the Bogota project. We have been her sponsors for about two years. When we first learned of the mission awareness trips, we thought they sounded interesting but had to wait for a summer trip as I am a teacher and my mom also works for a school. I remember when we first got word about the 2009 Bogota mission awareness trip, I was so excited. My parents knew how much I wanted see Colombia and thought this would be a perfect opportunity for us to go and meet Wendy. Unfortunately, my dad had to stay behind and work.
In the weeks prior to our trip, I had a mixture of feelings going through my mind. I was happy, nervous, excited and scared all at once. It would be an amazing experience to see and meet Wendy, but it would also be one of wonderment. I have looked at many pictures and read articles about Colombia, but being there first-hand would be completely different.
A big surprise came when we exited the doors of the El Dorado Airport—we were greeted by Wendy, her mom and baby sister. She was there along with Bob, Cristina, CFCA Bogota project coordinator Judith, and translators Jamie and Lindsey. My mom and I felt so welcomed after meeting everyone and felt an immediate connection with Wendy.
The trip was an amazing experience. One that is extremely difficult to put into words. I consider the trip to be two-fold for me: we got to meet Wendy, and I got to see my birth country. The trip was one only those who had the privilege of going can understand—together we went on a spiritual journey filled with many laughs, tears, love and appreciation. The feelings I walked away with from that week led me to sponsor a child on my own. I cannot wait to go back to Colombia and see Wendy again and meet my new sponsored child Kevin.
Bob was with us on the trip, and I remember a quote he said on our last day together, “Life is a pilgrimage.” The people who were on the 2009 Bogota mission awareness trip will always hold a special place in my heart because they were with me on that incredible pilgrimage.
7 comments August 20, 2009
Bob’s notes – visit to Guatemala
Guatemala mission awareness trip
Aug. 1-8, 2009
A solidarity walk, including an estimated 1,500 CFCA scholars and families, took place in San Marcos two days before the arrival of the mission awareness trip group, and was televised on three local stations. The next day, the CFCA rural livelihood project turned over 75 young bulls and cows to the San Marcos mothers groups.
CFCA has two projects and 103 subprojects in Guatemala. A total of 94,500 children and aging are sponsored, plus 56 vocations candidates. Those awaiting sponsorship total 5,407.
Lots of inspiration
We are most grateful for the presence in San Lucas of the parish groups of Church of the Risen Christ, Denver, Colo., and Holy Trinity, Lenexa, Kan. A few notes shared by participants:
From Rich Swan: “Thank you, CFCA, for touching my family’s hearts. Kara and Chris are who they are partly because of our first trip back in 2003. Thank you for helping us help you to reach others at at Church of the Risen Christ and in Denver.”
Another sponsor: “We all experience God’s love in different ways. I love seeing God’s love and joy in the Guatemalan way of life.”
Another sponsor: “The experience I had with my sponsored child was amazing. It warmed my heart to see how much I mean to the family. They were so kind and respectful. I look forward to seeing them for years to come. The experience made me rethink what is important in life.”
From Ilene: “This week has been very special for me. I have been able to open myself up to be here in this place and see what is really important in this life. Thank you for a fabulous experience and thanks be to the Holy Spirit for bringing me here.”
(more…)
1 comment August 17, 2009
A poem of hope
Maria del Carmen is an 8-year-old sponsored girl who lives near San Salvador, El Salvador. She is in second grade and dedicated this poem to all the sponsors who participated in the June mission awareness trip to El Salvador.
2 comments August 13, 2009
Praying for the future of youth
By the CFCA Prayer Team
Maykel of Nicaragua hopes to be an entrepreneur someday. In India, Rosy dreams of being a police officer. Industrial engineering is the path to which Edwin in Bolivia is called.
Many teens and young adults are partnering with CFCA sponsors to achieve their dreams and change the world for the better. As we celebrate International Youth Day on Aug. 12, let us recognize those young people who soon will be taking the reigns of adulthood and leading the world to a brighter future.
For a glimpse of those students with whom we are partnering in this endeavor, go to www.walkwiththepoor.org. Read their stories and pray with us that they achieve their goals.
Please pray:
Gracious God, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world. Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world. Help them to accept setbacks, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to maintain their faith in you and keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessings,
CFCA Prayer Team
Add comment August 12, 2009
August isn’t back-to-school month for everyone
As U.S. students prepare for the onset of school, students in other countries have already taken mid-terms.
That’s right. For students in many countries where CFCA works, school does not start in August or September.
The school year in Central America started in January or February. Those lucky children are only two months away from the end of school. Schoolchildren in India and the Philippines are already into their third month of the school year. And students in Kenya—well, they follow the British system and attend school all year, with long breaks at the end of each quarter.
Find the school calendar for your friend on the graph below. To read more about why school calendars differ, click here.
Related links
Time for school
3 comments August 11, 2009
