Mar 18 2013

23 quick tips to cut international travel costs

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

Alison, a CFCA sponsored youth, and Felix, brother of a CFCA sponsored child, perform a dance to welcome sponsors on a CFCA awareness trip to Bolivia.

Interested in traveling internationally, but unsure how much it will cost? With a little planning and budgeting, the costs may not be as formidable as you think.

CFCA’s awareness trip coordinators Karen Allemang, Stacy King and Erika McDonnell provide 23 helpful tips for reducing overall travel costs:

Disclaimer: Saving a few dollars here and there is not worth risking your personal safety. Please use common sense when planning personal travel and make safe choices.

Research lodging options

Look into whether it is less expensive to join a package tour, stay at an all-inclusive resort, or plan your own adventure (reserving your own transportation to your destination, in-country transportation, lodging and activities). You might be surprised at the price difference, depending on the type of trip you are considering.

Consider staying at a local bed and breakfast, hostel or small family-run hotel. They are usually less expensive and will give you a local taste of the country plus recommendations on what to do in the area.

Explore affordable entertainment options and activities.

†Borrow travel books from the library about your destination. A lot of museums offer free entry once a month. Take these days into consideration while planning.

If you qualify for a student or senior discount, make the best use of it! Many hotels, parks, museums and transportation services offer these types of discounts.

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Mar 8 2013

Trip to Kenya: ‘Becoming an instrument of peace’

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

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“Bob’s notes” are reports from CFCA President Bob Hentzen, who regularly accompanies awareness trip participants. You can see Bob’s full update on his Facebook page.

Heartfelt greetings from Kenya.

I am very grateful to the Kansas City awareness trip team and the staff in Kenya for all of their preparation for this journey.

Photo credits for this report go to Regina Mburu, CFCA communications liaison for Africa. Regina was with the group for the entire trip. Don’t miss her latest blog post, which features her reflection about her visit to Madagascar.

The estimated 2012 population in Kenya topped 43 million, with more than 3 million living in Nairobi, the capital and largest city. Read more

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Feb 13 2013

Trip to the Philippines brings learning and love

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

Our sponsored child Shaima, second from right, her brother, far right, mother Jean, left, and a friend from Zamboanga, second from left, offer us their welcome to the “Pearl of the Orient Seas.”

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“Bob’s notes” are reports from CFCA President Bob Hentzen, who regularly accompanies awareness trip participants. You can see Bob’s full update on his Facebook page.

Photo credits go to our devoted staff in our Quezon and Antipolo projects.

The reception for the sponsors was very dynamic and very musical.

The Filipino people mean it when they say “Mabuhay,” meaning “welcome.”

What a joy to travel with such a fine group of CFCA sponsors. It was a large group and big on inspiration. We are truly companions in learning and action. Read more

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Jan 11 2013

Guatemala trip showcases ‘joyful miracle’ of CFCA’s growth

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

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“Bob’s notes” are reports from CFCA President Bob Hentzen, who regularly accompanies awareness trip participants. You can see Bob’s full update on his Facebook page. Photo credits go to Ricardo Ajpuac, CFCA staff member in Guatemala.

Here’s wishing you every blessing in this special season to give thanks and begin anew.

Counting on God’s blessings, we look forward to a tranquil and relaxing journey. The coffee is red ripe on the trees. School is out, and children fill the mountain air with their giggles. Read more

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Jan 7 2013

How children can benefit from doing random acts of kindness

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

Children in Mexico prepare to welcome sponsors during a CFCA awareness trip to Merida in 2012.

A National Public Radio story about how random acts of kindness can make kids more accepting and more popular caught our attention recently.

Schoolchildren in Vancouver, Canada, took part in an experiment designed to see how performing acts of kindness could influence empathy and altruism.

One of the more surprising results from the survey? The children who performed the acts of kindness not only were more likely to accept their classmates, they also experienced significantly bigger increases in peer acceptance.

Apparently, it’s always cool to be kind!

We’ve often heard from parents who tell us how CFCA sponsorship has helped their children reach out in kindness to others.

They can participate in writing letters to sponsored friends, learning about their friends’ countries, and traveling with their parents on CFCA awareness trips. Some have even started fundraising efforts for families in the sponsorship program.

One example is Liberty, who raised $1,500 for a CFCA chocolate-making mothers group in Guatemala. She was 7 years old at the time. (Her family sponsors several friends there and traveled on CFCA trips.)

“I feel good because I did something nice,” she said to us later.

Her compassion earned her deep gratitude from the mothers, who used the money to buy a chocolate grinding machine to help their business. They were able to significantly increase their chocolate sales as a result of Liberty’s contribution.

Another example is Matthew, who generously donated money from his past five birthdays to his family’s sponsored child, Magdalena. He came in person to the CFCA headquarters office in Kansas City in 2010 to make sure his donation arrived safely!

Did the results from this survey surprise you, based on your own experience with children? Why or why not?

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Dec 29 2012

Three generations give back through sponsorship

Posted on December 29, 2012 by admin

Erin meets her sponsored friend, Jose, Dec. 28 while on a CFCA awareness trip in Guatemala.

For Erin Gaffaney, CFCA sponsorship runs in the family.

Erin learned about CFCA through her grandfather, Harold.

Over the years, Harold talked to his family about sponsorship and it stuck with them.

“Over time I think some of his children and grandchildren saw the example he was setting and we now sponsor kids or elderly people ourselves,” Erin said.

Erin, an elementary school music teacher, sponsors an elderly gentleman, Jose, in Guatemala. Sheís also using her musical talents to support CFCA’s work.

Erin collaborated with a friend to record a Christmas CD titled, “Prepare Him Room.” The duo will be donating proceeds to CFCA.

“It was never our intent to make this CD a money-making venture,” Erin said. “It thrilled me more to make a quality product knowing that what we were doing was really going to affect people’s lives.”

The musical team put on two CD release parties in their local area and had CFCA sponsorship folders displayed on tables during the live shows.

Erin said CFCA was on the top of her mind when she was thinking about where proceeds would be donated because she was getting ready to meet her sponsored friend on a CFCA awareness trip. She met Jose Dec. 28 at the CFCA center in Guatemala.

The group of sponsors participating in the trip includes her grandfather, mother and two sisters.

“It’s kind of turned out to become a generational thing,” she said, “which is really neat to see.”

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Dec 16 2012

CFCA volunteer hits ‘home run’ in fundraising effort

Posted on December 16, 2012 by admin

Bob Meyer, CFCA sponsor and volunteer

Bob Meyer has volunteered at CFCA headquarters for the past seven years and is dedicated to helping fight poverty around the world.

In addition to volunteering, he’s using his writing talents to help families in poverty realize their dreams for a better life.

Inspired by his love of baseball and a desire to help others, Bob wrote and self-published a book, “Small Town Baseball Ö BIG LEAGUE DREAMS,” focusing on semi-pro baseball in eastern Iowa from the early 1900s to the present. Proceeds from the book are being donated to CFCA and another charity close to Bob’s heart.

Bob has sold more than 600 copies so far, and is planning to donate $1,500 from book sales to CFCA.

“It was the right thing to do,” he said.

Meyer first learned about CFCA sponsorship through a priest visiting his church.

Shortly after beginning their sponsorship of Jeferson in Guatemala, Bob and his wife, Ruth, decided to visit him on a CFCA trip. Read more

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