Tag Archives: Colombia

Oct 4 2012

CFCA birthday celebrations in Guatemala, Colombia

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Did you know that for many of our sponsored children and aging friends, a CFCA birthday celebration may be the first time they’ve ever formally celebrated their birthdays?

These much-anticipated celebrations often include family members and others in the local community.

Here are a few photos of recent CFCA birthday celebrations in Guatemala, Colombia and India. They were too precious not to share with you!

Edgar, CFCA sponsored child in Guatemala, and birthday celebration

Edgar, left, a sponsored children in Guatemala, is really enjoying his cake! A birthday tradition in Guatemala calls for the birthday child to eat the cake without utensils, and when they lean in to take a bite, they are pushed into it.

CFCA sponsored children in Colombia and their birthday celebrations

It’s a special day in Colombia as sponsored children wait for their birthday cake and drinks.

Leydi, sponsored child in Guatemala, and a big birthday cake

Little Leydi from Guatemala is excited to join in the CFCA birthday festivities. She can have her cake and eat it, too.

See more photos

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Oct 1 2012

Working with the sponsored elderly in Colombia

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By Sandra Rodriguez Nieto, aging program coordinator for CFCA’s Bogota project in Colombia

CFCA sponsored aging friends in Colombia work on Christmas cards

Sponsored aging friends in Colombia work on coloring Christmas and year-end greeting cards to their sponsors.

Working with the sponsored elderly in Bogota has been a very interesting process. We meet many people who have histories filled with pain and loneliness.

However, it is inspirational to see how they have overcome these situations.

They are always ready to move forward. That’s why, through CFCA’s Hope for a Family program, we seek to improve the quality of life for elderly people, empowering them and offering dignity.

Our programming includes working with aging friends to make crafts and establish exercise routines to strengthen their mobility. These tools enable them to learn new things while reaching within the skills and talents they already have.

Every two weeks, aging friends meet at each CFCA office in their local area. Rain or shine, they always show up on time, though most of them live in the peripheral neighborhoods of Bogota.

They always come with a smile and sometimes bring small presents such as biscuits, crackers or fruit to share. Read more

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Sep 20 2012

Good news around the CFCA world

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Just a few of the awesome ways that sponsored children, aging friends and their families are serving as agents of change in their local communities!

1) Sponsored seminarians in Philippines ordained to Sacred Order of Deacons

CFCA sponsored seminarians in the Philippines

Seminarians in the Philippines

Malou Navio, our project coordinator in Antipolo, Philippines, told us that six sponsored seminarians were recently ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons, a perpetual vow to religious life made before the vow to priesthood.

“They are very grateful for the thoughtfulness of the sponsorship that constantly supports part of their needs while studying at the seminary,” Malou said.

Several CFCA staffers and fathers of sponsored children came to watch three of these seminarians take their vows at the St. Gregory Cathedral in Legazpi.

CFCA co-founder Bud Hentzen created the CFCA vocations program, which sponsors candidates studying to be priests and religious sisters, in 1996. Read more

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Aug 21 2012

A CFCA Christmas card contest in Bogota, Colombia

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August isn’t always the first month when people think about Christmas cards, but it’s never too late to start preparing ñ especially if you’re in a CFCA community in Colombia!

Every year more than 300,000 children and aging friends sponsored through CFCA send Christmas cards or year-end greetings to their sponsors. That’s a lot of mail for our projects to coordinate, process and send.

Harry Garcia, our communications liaison in Colombia, explains about a competition for the best Christmas card to be sent to sponsors this December.

Christmas card contest in Colombia

All the Christmas cards ready to be chosen.

We decided to have a competition for the Christmas cards in the CFCA communities in Colombia where the sponsored children and mothers participate with new designs, decorations, sizes and messages.

In this way the community creates the cards, and at our office in Bogota we choose the best card for the sponsors. Read more and see the final card chosen!

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Aug 13 2012

Building strong families through fun activities

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Family integration activity day in Colombia

Sponsored children and their families gather together for a family fun day.

Do you ever wonder how your family can build stronger bonds together?

Maybe you have something like a family fun day involving board games or going to the park?

A CFCA community in the town of Sopo in Colombia understands that sharing and group activities help build strong families.

Take a look at the changes CFCA has made in the lives of sponsored friends and their families in Colombia.

Local CFCA staffers encourage sponsored children and their families to spend quality time together by playing interactive games such as basketball, board games, soccer and ping pong.

The CFCA community in Sopo received help from the mayor’s office to support this recreational program.

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Aug 9 2012

CFCA scholars in Colombia share talents with community

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By Harrison Garcia, CFCA communications liaison in Bogota, Colombia

CFCA-Colombia scholars

CFCA scholars Ingrid and Samuel plan their workshops at their local CFCA office.

A scholarship means a lot for a youth who wants to continue getting an education.

The CFCA project in Bogota has 14 scholarship students who want to give back after the support they’ve received from CFCA.

We recently chatted with two of them, Ingrid and Samuel, and heard about their hopes and dreams for the future.

After years of sponsorship, both these youth were selected to receive a CFCA scholarship in addition to their sponsorship.

Ingrid, 21, a CFCA scholar

I am learning to be a sports teacher at the National Pedagogic University in Bogota. For me, sponsorship is great and really changed my life. Read more

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Jul 23 2012

Dear sponsor, I would like to know …

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Have you ever wondered what sponsored children like to know about you? Well, wonder no more! We asked five adorable children in Colombia what they would like to know about their sponsors.

Hopefully this helps you in writing your next letter to your sponsored friend!

Marlon

Marlon, CFCA sponsored child in ColombiaMy name is Marlon and I am 9 years old. I have been sponsored for two years.

I have a message for my sponsor: I wish you will do well with everything on your farm. I would like to hear from you soon.

I like it when you tell me about your grandkids. They are 7 and 8 years old.

Where do you live? Do you have wintertime? What do you grow on your farm? Do you have animals?

I would like to get a picture of you again. Thanks for your family picture and the Christmas picture.

When I grow up I would like to be a singer!

Yessica Read more

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