Nov 5 2012

‘Inspired by our CFCA sponsored friends and their families in India’

Posted on November 5, 2012 by admin

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

Photo credits go to Sreekanth Gundoji, CFCA communications liaison, for India.

After a few days at CFCA headquarters in Kansas City, I entered this trip energized and grateful for CFCA board members, co-workers and family.

We are inspired by our CFCA sponsored friends and their families in India. It is a privilege to spend these days with them.

Since 1988, the CFCA presence in India has grown to include 29,315 sponsored children and youth, 860 sponsored aging friends and 1,114 families on our waiting list. Read more

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Sep 15 2012

Joy accompanies visitors on a trip to Bolivia

Posted on September 15, 2012 by admin

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

It’s a joy to communicate with you from Bolivia.

In this multicultural country of more than 10 million people, many are said to survive on less than $1 a day.

At CFCA, we’ve had the privilege of walking with the Bolivians since 1988. In Bolivia, CFCA currently serves 10,182 sponsored children, 824 sponsored aging friends and 917 families on our waiting list. CFCA scholars play an important role in every project. Read more

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Aug 27 2012

Bob’s notes from Honduras: ‘Welcome to my world’

Posted on August 27, 2012 by admin

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

It’s a joy to send you this message of solidarity and love from our CFCA sponsored friends and their families in Honduras.

Since its humble beginning in 1982, CFCA-Honduras has grown to include 16,088 children and 1,698 aging friends; all in four projects and 60 subprojects.†Currently, 1,955 individuals are on our waiting list in Honduras. Read more

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Aug 6 2012

Experiencing the grace, elegance of Nicaragua and its people

Posted on August 6, 2012 by admin

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

It’s a joy to share with you the beautiful people of Nicaragua.

With a population of more than 5 million, statisticians rate Nicaragua as the largest in geographical size and economically poorest of Central America.

It is popularly known as the land of volcanoes, poets, artists and good baseball, but let’s add beautiful harmonies and colorful dances to that list.

CFCA serves 9,626 children and their families in Nicaragua, along with 856 aging friends. Currently, 1,280 families are on our waiting list for sponsorship. Read more

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Jul 29 2012

Costa Rica mission awareness trip hits home for travelers

Posted on July 29, 2012 by admin

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

It’s a privilege and a joy to share this mission awareness trip with 32 fellow travelers and a dedicated Costa Rican staff. And it’s great to have the youth with us.

“We would like to live this trip with a profound spirit of gratitude to the Lord of Life for having given life to CFCA,” Villalobos said.

As soon as Cristina and I landed in San Jose, Costa Rica, on the afternoon of July 7, we learned that the evening before, July 6, our two CFCA staff leaders for this trip (Jean Carlo and Elizabeth) were hit by a car while riding a motorcycle.

After making a few final preparations for the trip, they were on their way home in heavy traffic. Both are hospitalized, with leg injuries serious enough to require surgery, but medical reports show that they will recover. Read more

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Jul 22 2012

Parish group from Colorado finds loving reception in Guatemala

Posted on July 22, 2012 by admin

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

I find the group from Risen Christ Parish as hopeful and dynamic as its name. Here in Guatemala, we are deeply grateful for their love of our people, their presence among us, their example.

Seems like their long-term pastoral plan flows into a very natural outreach toward their neighbors at home in Colorado and in Guatemala.

These friends encountered a richly green and fertile country, but a country heavily burdened by social problems.

Entrusted with the good will and the economic help of their fellow parish members, they worked hard (sometimes under good rains) to offer three sponsored friends and their families a more dignified home. Read more

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Jun 27 2012

CFCA’s partnership with Cristo Rey Kansas City

Posted on June 27, 2012 by admin

Laura, Cristo Rey intern at CFCA office in Kansas City

Laura, one of the Cristo Rey interns working at CFCA this year. Laura helped prepare photos and family profiles of children and elderly awaiting sponsorship. These profiles are shown at weekly church presentations around the country.

Every day we see how education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty worldwide.

It could be a CFCA scholar graduating from college.
Perhaps it is a sponsored child walking hours to school and back.
Or perhaps it is a sponsored youth getting a new uniform so she can attend school with dignity.

We also see the importance of education much closer to home ó that is, right here in our Kansas City headquarters.

For six years since the inception of Cristo Rey, our CFCA office has had a local partnership with Cristo Rey Kansas City High School, one of 25 innovative high schools in the Cristo Rey Network. These schools serve culturally diverse students with economic need.

A Jesuit priest, the Rev. John P. Foley, began the first Cristo Rey high school in 1996. He had just returned to Chicago after working in missions in Peru for 34 years.

Our mission of solidarity with those living in poverty complements the Catholic high school’s mission, detailed on its website: “Cristo Rey Kansas City is shaped and energized by the educational vision of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth in the Vincentian spirit of service to the poor and partnership with those of means.” Read more

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