This past week I had chance to share where I was going and why when I was at the drugstore purchasing small tubes of toothpaste, dental floss, hand sanitizers, toothbrushes for the families. The cashier asked if I was planning a trip and I had a chance to share. She was very supportive and wished me well.
Today I did a little shopping to get new clothes for the trip. I rarely shop for clothes but I was trying to find something that had bright colors for the children and the lady liked the colors so I told her that I was taking a trip to South America. She told me about her daughter who did missions work in Colombia and Costa Rica at several orphanages. The lady herself wanted to go but was unable to due to doctor's concerns about her health. We had a nice conversation about Children International as a result and she also said that she would pray for me. The cashiers here at this store are very nice because one of them prayed for me before I had major surgery.
Then at the hairdresser I mentioned that I wanted to know what to do because I was planning a trip in June to a place that was very hot and my hair does not do very well in humidity and heat! So the conversation turned to where I was going in S. America and why. This lady seemed to be a little rude though because she wanted to know why I selected S. America to sponsor children, and if I sponsored in the USA. It was kind of accusatory. I then mentioned that I felt that the poor children in the USA had more support through various programs than in other countries that I sponsored in and I also mentioned that I have sponsored Native American children in the past. She then says that she wanted to know if I sponsored real American children and I was a little puzzled because to my knowledge Native Americans were Americans! It was a strange conversation!!!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thank You!
Today, one of my co workers at school donated some small bottles of sweet smelling lotion which I will be able to give as gifts to the mothers of my sponsored children and maybe two to Sonia's older sisters if they are there. She also gave a small donation to help out with extra things for the children. A big thank you to Mrs. Conahan! I will post photos later when I can find my cell phone!!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Thoughts
When I visited the Bahamas many years ago, I was drawn to the beauty of the beaches and tourist attractions. Life there seemed to be simple and as easy as the smiles of people as I rode with them on the bus and ate in the homes of the church members there. But there was another part that I saw in the back of the home that I stayed in. People lived in tiny one room shacks and garbage was everywhere. These were the homes of the little children who were coming to sing with us in the church services.
I know that the poverty that I will see will be overwhelming when I visit the homes of the children. I will probably battle with the desire to want to do everything to change the living conditions and the realization that with my limited means, I can only do so much. This is always a struggle when you are a child sponsor, but I will focus on trying to let them have a fun day with their sponsor, and let them know that I am here for them as their sponsor and friend.
I know that the poverty that I will see will be overwhelming when I visit the homes of the children. I will probably battle with the desire to want to do everything to change the living conditions and the realization that with my limited means, I can only do so much. This is always a struggle when you are a child sponsor, but I will focus on trying to let them have a fun day with their sponsor, and let them know that I am here for them as their sponsor and friend.
Sponsor Visits
I have added a link section to articles, blogs, ect. of sponsors who have visited their children. It is located on the right of the blog. When I was considering my visit, I began to read about the visits that various sponsors had made and this was very motivating and encouraging to me.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Odds and Ends
Once the flip books arrive, all gifts will be finished unless one of Pancho's other sponsors wants to send something to him. Right now, there is a suitcase to be stuffed with plastic bags filled with gifts for individual children. I am hoping that having the plastic see through bags will help when luggage is checked. I will also have a carryon bag and my personal suitcase.
I am learning how to upload photos and videos onto my notebook computer so hopefully I will be able to add to the blog during the trip. Most photos are to be graced by the children with very few photos of me taken. I am very camera shy!
Other items to take with you on a trip Colombia, according to seasoned travellers, are: plenty of sunblock, sunglasses, a hat, hand sanitizer, bottled H2O, and plenty of change for tips. I have to figure out how to do the currency as I have heard that ATM machines are sometimes emptied of funds!
Other tips to remember:
Don't flag down taxis, call for one!
Stay away from alleys when it gets dark.
Keep your money scattered about in various places on your body.
Keep your passport with you at all times.
Don't drink their water or eat salads.
So I have a notebook filled with tips, suggestions, information, ect. Today I also bought a little book called Spanish At a Glance with has lots of good tips and information, along with a dictionary. I have a very limited Spanish vocabulary acquired from high school and some college classes so this little book should come in handy. I really like this little book that has common phrases which might prove useful. Some of them that I am sure to use are:
Cuanto cuesta el billete? What is the fare?
Acepta targetas de credito? Do you take credit cards?
Estoy solo mirando. I'm just looking!
Cuanto es? How much is that?
Vendra el medico al hotel? Will the doctor come to the hotel????
Tengo un dolor de estomago. I have a stomache!!
Se me ha perdido un lente de contacto. I've lost a contact lense!
No quiero nada frito. I don't want anything fried.
He perdido mi llave. I've lost my key.
Bleidis will be so proud of me when I say something to her in Spanish other than Hola. She was trying to teach me some Spanish words in one of her letters :)
I am learning how to upload photos and videos onto my notebook computer so hopefully I will be able to add to the blog during the trip. Most photos are to be graced by the children with very few photos of me taken. I am very camera shy!
Other items to take with you on a trip Colombia, according to seasoned travellers, are: plenty of sunblock, sunglasses, a hat, hand sanitizer, bottled H2O, and plenty of change for tips. I have to figure out how to do the currency as I have heard that ATM machines are sometimes emptied of funds!
Other tips to remember:
Don't flag down taxis, call for one!
Stay away from alleys when it gets dark.
Keep your money scattered about in various places on your body.
Keep your passport with you at all times.
Don't drink their water or eat salads.
So I have a notebook filled with tips, suggestions, information, ect. Today I also bought a little book called Spanish At a Glance with has lots of good tips and information, along with a dictionary. I have a very limited Spanish vocabulary acquired from high school and some college classes so this little book should come in handy. I really like this little book that has common phrases which might prove useful. Some of them that I am sure to use are:
Cuanto cuesta el billete? What is the fare?
Acepta targetas de credito? Do you take credit cards?
Estoy solo mirando. I'm just looking!
Cuanto es? How much is that?
Vendra el medico al hotel? Will the doctor come to the hotel????
Tengo un dolor de estomago. I have a stomache!!
Se me ha perdido un lente de contacto. I've lost a contact lense!
No quiero nada frito. I don't want anything fried.
He perdido mi llave. I've lost my key.
Bleidis will be so proud of me when I say something to her in Spanish other than Hola. She was trying to teach me some Spanish words in one of her letters :)
More Gifts Minus the Photo Flip Books
Gifts for Pancho and cousins-Each of my sponsored children will receive an inflatable globe.
Tops for the girls
Journals, hair accessories, lipgloss for the girls
Gifts for Evelyn, little Samy, and the baby 
Gifts for the Families-flip flops, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deoderants, lotionIn a discussion on LiftOne, a social networking site for CI sponsors, someone mentioned that the families are usually in desperate need of items like flip flops, soaps, deoderants, toothbrushes and toothpaste so some of these will be included.
Gifts to Go
Gifts for Pancho
Gifts for Pancho
Gifts for new baby sister
Gifts for Sonia, Yiseth, and Bleidis
Where's the Bed?
A Full Suitcase Busy Preparing
After getting my passport and reservations made, I have been trying to find gifts for all of the children. I knew that I wanted to get all of the girls necklaces, a watch, and a Barbie dolls. Pancho's gifts were to include an etch a sketch, flying toys, a watch, and other toys. I also planned to get gifts for all siblings and other small gifts for the families in general. Since Pancho is being sponsored by a group, another sponsor, Barbara, sent him lots of goodies including a small Canadian flag and stuffed mascot, a Halloween costume, some art supplies, and a Superman ball. This little guy should be set!!
Today I was able to find some cute tops for all of the kids from Target and some extra things for Pancho. Pancho's little baby sister is also set with some new baby clothes from Barbara. There are lots of stuffed animals and toys for Evelyn, little Samy, the older boys, Maria, and little Melani too. Hoping to pass out small things to Pancho's cousins and any friends who may happen to be in the neighborhood.
Each child will also receive an inflatable globe which they will be able to inflate with a small air pump and a photo flip book with photos of them and me. Pancho's will also have an album from Barbara. Talk about a loaded suitcase! Hopefully I can get everything inside but if not, I can make room in my carry on. This should be interesting!!
Pancho's Family
Pancho lives with twelve people in a very small cramped area. He lives with his mother, sister, Evelyn, younger brother, Samy, and baby sister who as born a couple of months ago. He also lives with other relatives. I am interested in meeting his mother and the neighbor who often writes his letters and I hope to find out the name of his baby sister. The family seems to be a close and happy family despite their poor living conditions. I will post a video of Pancho's mother and little brother in the next post.
Bleidis and her Family
Bleidis lives with her young mother, little sister Maria, and stepfather. Her biological father abandoned the family. I don't know if little Maria is sponsored but I have been so tempted to sponsor her along with Bleidis. Bleidis mentions her sometimes in her letters. Her mother is listed as a homemaker and her stepfather's occupation is not listed on the Family Report.
Sonia's Family
Sonia is a child who has moved from relative to relative. When I first started her sponsorship she lived with a relative. A couple of years later, she lived with her mother and she seemed to be much happier in her photos at that time. Last year, she stayed with her father but now she has moved back in with relatives. Maybe I can find out more when I talk to her aunt who I think is keeping her now. Her aunt was with her when Steve visited the children last year. I am not sure where her mother is right now. Sonia has a younger brother named Jhon Janier who is 8 years old, I was thinking that he is the boy in the photo but the photo report said that this child was Sonia's cousin. Sonia's aunt also mentioned that Sonia had 4 siblings so I believe that the young lady on the left and the young lady on the far right are older sisters. The photo report said that Sonia's aunt and grandmother were in this photo but the older lady in this photo was the lady who was with her when Steve visited her and she said that she was Sonia's aunt. Maybe I can figure it all out when I get there!!! Anyway, I am eager to meet the mysterious Jhon Janier :)
The Families-Yiseth
I feel very close to the families of my sponsored children and hope to see the siblings and parents/guardians on the visit. Yiseth lives with her grandmother right now, since her mother has to work in another city. I think that she has lived with her grandmother for most of her life. Her grandmother seems to be very kind and interested in making sure that her granddaughter is taken care of. I don't know much about Yiseth's younger brother except that his name is Nelson and he is 9 years old. I don't know if he is sponsored but hope to find out. Yiseth has talked about her younger sister in several of her letters and I think that she was very excited to have a baby sister in the family. Her little sister's name is Melani and she is three years old.
The Children
The beautiful Hotel Don Pedro will be in stark contrast to the living conditions of my sponsored children. I plan to spend most of the time visiting their homes and observing their surroundings. These videos show the home of Pancho and I hope spend time here with his family. This experience should truly be eye opening. Pancho's sponsors are hoping to help build an additional room for the family to give them much needed space now that the new baby has arrived. Hopefully I can see where the new room might be built and also provide incentives for Pancho to study hard in school. He is not doing well in this environment with very little support from his mother who has her hands full.
Pancho's mother and sister
Pancho's mother and sister
Hotel Don Pedro
After much research and discussion with a seasoned travelling sponsor, I booked a reservation with the Hotel Don Pedro.
Info. One main requirement is that it has to be within the historic walled city!:
"Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia is situated in the historic center of the city of Cartagena. It has an outdoor pool, and offers air-conditioned rooms (much needed) with marble floors and flat-screen TVs.
Rooms at Hotel Don Pedro boast rustic décor. They include antique wood furnishings and traditional beamed ceilings. Each room comes equipped with satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, (great) and a minibar.
In the morning the hotel serves an American-style breakfast. There is also a roof-top terrace where guests can relax in a lounge chair, and enjoy panoramic views of colonial architecture and the city.
Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia is located less than 2 miles from Cartagena Harbour and La Popa. The staff at the tour desk can provide information on museums and other local attractions."
Although I don't plan to spend to much time there, I wanted a place that has reasonable rates, has a shuttle to the airport, internet accessibility, a multi-lingual staff, good reviews, and is in a safe location. This hotel seems to have all of above and then some.
Info. One main requirement is that it has to be within the historic walled city!:
"Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia is situated in the historic center of the city of Cartagena. It has an outdoor pool, and offers air-conditioned rooms (much needed) with marble floors and flat-screen TVs.
Rooms at Hotel Don Pedro boast rustic décor. They include antique wood furnishings and traditional beamed ceilings. Each room comes equipped with satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, (great) and a minibar.
In the morning the hotel serves an American-style breakfast. There is also a roof-top terrace where guests can relax in a lounge chair, and enjoy panoramic views of colonial architecture and the city.
Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia is located less than 2 miles from Cartagena Harbour and La Popa. The staff at the tour desk can provide information on museums and other local attractions."
Although I don't plan to spend to much time there, I wanted a place that has reasonable rates, has a shuttle to the airport, internet accessibility, a multi-lingual staff, good reviews, and is in a safe location. This hotel seems to have all of above and then some.
Barranquilla Photos
This photo of Barranquilla is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Barranquilla is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Barranquilla is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Barranquilla is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Barranquilla is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Cartagena Photos
This photo of Cartagena is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Cartagena is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Cartagena is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Cartagena is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Cartagena is courtesy of TripAdvisor
This photo of Cartagena is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Good Resources
This photo of Cartagena is courtesy of TripAdvisor
One of my main resources when looking for hotels was Trip Advisor, which has a lot of info on the hotels as well as reviews.
Trip Advisor
Another good resource that I have been using is Wiki Travel, which also provides background information on the country, transportation information, a list of different type of hotels, things to see and do, restaurants, and travel tips.
Wiki Travel
The Brochure
Along with providing sponsors with a list of reputable and safe places to stay during the visit, Children International provides a brochure which has a lot of information that sponsors need as they plan the trip. See below:
The Kansas City office needs to be contacted 4-6 weeks prior to the trip and sponsors are encouraged to to contact the US Dept of State for any travel advisories. Numbers and website contacts are provided. The CI office will need to know the flight or cruise information, the city where the sponsor will be staying, the name, address and phone number of the hotel, the dates for staying in the country, the specific date for visiting the child and any companions who will be along on the trip.
Now for the good part :)
Sponsors are responsible for any transportation costs, meal expenses for the sponsor, the child and family member who may attend the visit, as well as staff (which includes the driver and translator) This means Mickey D's will be our main hang out!
Sponsors are responsible for entertainment expenses like visits to parks, movies, ec.
Sponsors make their own travel arrangements such as flight arrangements, hotel accomodations, and transportation to and from the airport. The CI staff makes transportation and translation arrangements (if necessary) directly related to the child's visit. In most cases, sponsors are able to visit the homes of the children.
Guidelines:
Visits with a child are limited to one day only and sponsors must realize the the there are certain daytime visiting hours. Offices are open 5 days a week but closed on holidays!
A staff member will accompany the sponsor at all times on the visit.
Weather precautions must be considered and sponsors need to respect cultural differences when expressing affection for the child and his or her family.
Be prepared to draw attention from crowds because new faces especially foreigners often cause excitement in the community.
Sponsors are unable to give direct monetary gifts to families but may purchase gifts for the child or provide gifts through the CI program.
The Kansas City office needs to be contacted 4-6 weeks prior to the trip and sponsors are encouraged to to contact the US Dept of State for any travel advisories. Numbers and website contacts are provided. The CI office will need to know the flight or cruise information, the city where the sponsor will be staying, the name, address and phone number of the hotel, the dates for staying in the country, the specific date for visiting the child and any companions who will be along on the trip.
Now for the good part :)
Sponsors are responsible for any transportation costs, meal expenses for the sponsor, the child and family member who may attend the visit, as well as staff (which includes the driver and translator) This means Mickey D's will be our main hang out!
Sponsors are responsible for entertainment expenses like visits to parks, movies, ec.
Sponsors make their own travel arrangements such as flight arrangements, hotel accomodations, and transportation to and from the airport. The CI staff makes transportation and translation arrangements (if necessary) directly related to the child's visit. In most cases, sponsors are able to visit the homes of the children.
Guidelines:
Visits with a child are limited to one day only and sponsors must realize the the there are certain daytime visiting hours. Offices are open 5 days a week but closed on holidays!
A staff member will accompany the sponsor at all times on the visit.
Weather precautions must be considered and sponsors need to respect cultural differences when expressing affection for the child and his or her family.
Be prepared to draw attention from crowds because new faces especially foreigners often cause excitement in the community.
Sponsors are unable to give direct monetary gifts to families but may purchase gifts for the child or provide gifts through the CI program.
Planning
Planning for the trip is hard work! Fortunately, Children International makes it a little easier by providing sponsors with suggestions, information, and frequent contact. Sponsors are encouraged to visit their children and every effort is made to accommodate sponsor requests and to make the experience an enjoyable and memorable one for both the sponsor and the child. This contact has been very important to me as one who does not travel often and as one who dislikes airplanes!! But with the support of friends and Children International, I see that what was once a dream can become a reality.
So many sponsors wonder whether or not they could ever take the plunge to visit their sponsored children. I believe that if the seed has been planted in your heart, it can happen. Initially, I checked cruises to avoid traveling by plane, but soon discoverd that cruises do not happen during the time of the year that I want to visit due to the extreme heat. So, this idea was taken off the burner and I explored the shortest plane routes available. After researching the web and speaking with a travel agent, I found an hour and a half flight to Cartagena with a 3 1/2 hour return flight. I think I can handle that!
After doing all of this research, I contacted Lori Kays who is charge of sponsor visits and she contacted the field offices at Cartagena and Barranquilla to see if the second week in July would work and it did! An itinerary was set up so that I could see visit all of the children's homes as well as take them to the arcades for fun. My plan was to do a two day visit, visiting Sonia and Yiseth on day one and visiting Pancho and Bleidis on day two. I would only have a short time to meet with Pancho at the community center with his mom and sister Evelyn because I would need to travel by van to see Bleidis who lives in Barranquilla which is about an hour away. That would work since I had already seen Pancho's home on the videos that Steve had taken on his visit.
Well after about 2 weeks, the airline contacted me to say that the flight schedule had been changed and the return flight was now going to be two days later! So this meant that I would need to stay for a longer time in Cartagena. It was okay, just a little more expensive and meant that I could possibly have more time with the children as well as do some visiting in the old historic city of Cartagena. Barbara, another sponsor who has done much traveling, had encouraged me to spend a little more time with the children and in the walled city anyway. I also wanted to up the dates of the trip and so wanted to see if the last week in June would work.
Fortunately, Lori has informed me that this is doable and now I am waiting for the new updated schedule. She says that I will be able to spend a day each with Bleidis and Pancho and still see Sonia and Yiseth on one day. This will be good because it will be fun for them to have each other to spend time with at the arcades as I do not plan to play games or do any rides there!!
I received much support in figuring out which hotel to stay in and after much research and discussion, I decided to go with the Hotel don Pedro de Herida. A little more on this hotel in a later post!
So many sponsors wonder whether or not they could ever take the plunge to visit their sponsored children. I believe that if the seed has been planted in your heart, it can happen. Initially, I checked cruises to avoid traveling by plane, but soon discoverd that cruises do not happen during the time of the year that I want to visit due to the extreme heat. So, this idea was taken off the burner and I explored the shortest plane routes available. After researching the web and speaking with a travel agent, I found an hour and a half flight to Cartagena with a 3 1/2 hour return flight. I think I can handle that!
After doing all of this research, I contacted Lori Kays who is charge of sponsor visits and she contacted the field offices at Cartagena and Barranquilla to see if the second week in July would work and it did! An itinerary was set up so that I could see visit all of the children's homes as well as take them to the arcades for fun. My plan was to do a two day visit, visiting Sonia and Yiseth on day one and visiting Pancho and Bleidis on day two. I would only have a short time to meet with Pancho at the community center with his mom and sister Evelyn because I would need to travel by van to see Bleidis who lives in Barranquilla which is about an hour away. That would work since I had already seen Pancho's home on the videos that Steve had taken on his visit.
Well after about 2 weeks, the airline contacted me to say that the flight schedule had been changed and the return flight was now going to be two days later! So this meant that I would need to stay for a longer time in Cartagena. It was okay, just a little more expensive and meant that I could possibly have more time with the children as well as do some visiting in the old historic city of Cartagena. Barbara, another sponsor who has done much traveling, had encouraged me to spend a little more time with the children and in the walled city anyway. I also wanted to up the dates of the trip and so wanted to see if the last week in June would work.
Fortunately, Lori has informed me that this is doable and now I am waiting for the new updated schedule. She says that I will be able to spend a day each with Bleidis and Pancho and still see Sonia and Yiseth on one day. This will be good because it will be fun for them to have each other to spend time with at the arcades as I do not plan to play games or do any rides there!!
I received much support in figuring out which hotel to stay in and after much research and discussion, I decided to go with the Hotel don Pedro de Herida. A little more on this hotel in a later post!
A Little About Colombia, Cartagena, and Barranquilla
Yiseth, Sonia, and Pancho live in Cartagena, Colombia and Bleidis lives in Barranquilla, Colombia. Cartagena is a city on the northern coast of Colombia and it is known for its rich history and fairy tale beauty. There are many huge churches, cobblestone streets, and horse drawn carriages. Cartegena is listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Barranquilla is an industrial port city located in northern Colombia. It is Colombia's largest industrial port city and it is a site of one of the world's largest carnivals. It was Colombia's first port city and is home to Colombia's first airport. It is also home to several universities and has one of the best libraries in Colombia.
But poverty abounds in both cities. This video provides insight into the areas where Children International works to bring about change for poor children.
Barranquilla is an industrial port city located in northern Colombia. It is Colombia's largest industrial port city and it is a site of one of the world's largest carnivals. It was Colombia's first port city and is home to Colombia's first airport. It is also home to several universities and has one of the best libraries in Colombia.
But poverty abounds in both cities. This video provides insight into the areas where Children International works to bring about change for poor children.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Francisco de Jesus
A growing Francisco holding gifts from one of his sponsors
Francisco, last April with sister, Evelyn on an outing with SteveFrancisco de Jesus
Francisco is a little boy who is sponsored by a group of Children International sponsors. His sister, Evelyn, has a sponsor named Steve, who visited Evelyn and her family last April. When I saw Francisco's cute face on the video and the extremely poor living conditions that the family lived in, I asked to see if a group sponsorship could be started for him. He was enrolled in the program and Francisco, called Pancho, now has 12 sponsors :)
Francisco lives in Cartagena with his mother, sister Evelyn, younger brother, Samy, and new little sister. I don't know her name yet but hope to find out on the trip. Francisco is eight years old and he likes art and soccer. Thirteen people live in the home which has one multi purpose room, a dirt floor, and wooden walls. There is a toilet in the home along with running water.
We have set up fundraisers to help Francisco and his family and hope to make a difference in this family's life.
Bleidis Rico
Bleidis is one of my newest sponsored children from Children International and she lives in Barranquilla, Colombia. I began her sponsorship in May of last year. She lives with her mother, stepfather, and younger sister named Maria. Bleidis likes math, grammar, dancing and playing with dolls. Her home has three rooms and is made of wood with a roof made of corrugated tile. She has electricity but has to use an open field for sanitation purposes like Yiseth did five years ago. I was drawn to Bleidis because of her smile and she was sooo thin. Bleidis seems to really like school and she wants to be a vet one day.
Sonia Lucia Julio
I saw Sonia about six months later on the CI site and immediately was drawn to her because she had the saddest look on her face and the prettiest brown eyes. She seemed to be unhappy and I wanted to bring a smile. I learned from her bio that she liked art and that she also liked dolls and dancing. At that time, Sonia lived with relatives and her parents were not together. She lived in a home with three rooms that was made of wood and had a dirt floor. The roof was made out of corrugated metal. Fortunately there was a latrine and electricitry was available.
Over the years , Sonia has moved around a bit from relatives, to mother, to dad, and most recently back to relatives. She has an older brother and at least two older siblings. Steve was able to visit her last year and I saw that she had a strong support system and that she was a very shy and reserved child. This reminded me of myself. I hope that sponsorship has been a stable force in her life. Sonia likes sports, music, and social studies.
Who Are The Children?
Let me introduce you to the children who stole my heart when I first saw them on the Children International website. A little over five years ago I decided sponsor children when I became financially able and one of the first children that I saw was a sweet shy little girl who lived in Cartagena, Colombia. I think that when I saw her, I was drawn to her sweet smile and learned from her bio that she lived with her mother and that her father was deceased. She also lived with a younger brother who was two years old. At that time the family income was $40 and they lived in a home that had four rooms, was made of concrete block and had a corrugated tile roof. Water was stored in a barrel at home and they used an open field for sanitary purposes.
This little girl's name was Yiseth Vanessa Arrieta and she liked art and playing with dolls. She also like to sing. I loved her name!
After a couple of months of sponsorship and after sending her a letter with a small gift, I was surprised to see new photos of Yiseth one day. She had the biggest smile and she was holding my letter along with the little necklace that I had sent. She was the cutest little thing and from then on, she had the brightest smile on her photos.
Yiseth turned eleven years old on April 13 and she still likes dolls. She also enjoys science, social studies, dancing and wants to become a pediatrician. She was a top student in her class last year. I was fortunate to have another sponsor visit her last April along with other sponsored children and this is when I decided to take the trip to Colombia. She had already asked me to visit in one of her letter and then stated to Steve that she wanted to see me and my family. Well, my family won't be able to come, but I hope to be there :)
Why Being a Child Sponsor is So Important to Me
People have asked me why I sponsor so many children. And a friend even said, "You were born to be a sponsor!" I have always wanted to adopt and planned to adopt from an early age but once I started sponsoring one child, I became hooked and wanted a big sponsored family :)My very first sponsored child was a little boy named Joseph and I don't even remember which country he was from but he was from Africa. I felt like I was making a small difference in his life as I saw changes in his photos and read about him in his letters.
The most important reason that I sponsor is because it is one way to make a positive difference in the life of a child who needs help. There is no greater blessing for me than to put food into the mouth of a hungry child or provide clothes, medicine, and an education, to help them become more self sufficient. I grew up in a family that struggled to make ends meet and someone was there to help, to offer their hand to help us when we were in need. So I want to do the same for as many kids as I can.
I feel like it is making an investment in a child which will improve his or her life now and in the long run. Our children are our future and I feel like all kids belong to us as we are all the family of mankind under one Creator who loves each and everyone. We belong to each other, regardless of race, culture, country, and this is a way to be a part of His great work, as we help one another :)
Another reason that I sponsor is because of the personal connection that I can make with a child which will hopefully make that child a kinder and more compassionate person. Many of these children are faced with obstacles and circumstances which could make them bitter and hopeless but sponsorship can give them hope and the realization that someone does care. Hopefully these will take root in their lives and they in return will have a great love and compassion for others. What the world needs now is love, sweet love.
Last but not least this is a chance for me to just give and be a friend to a child who needs a friend. I enjoy being in this role as opposed to being in the disciplinarian role that I have at school much of the time as a teacher. I can let my hair down and just be that big sister or "Aunty" as some of them refer to me as. It is a chance to really enjoy making a child smile and I love that too.
The most important reason that I sponsor is because it is one way to make a positive difference in the life of a child who needs help. There is no greater blessing for me than to put food into the mouth of a hungry child or provide clothes, medicine, and an education, to help them become more self sufficient. I grew up in a family that struggled to make ends meet and someone was there to help, to offer their hand to help us when we were in need. So I want to do the same for as many kids as I can.
I feel like it is making an investment in a child which will improve his or her life now and in the long run. Our children are our future and I feel like all kids belong to us as we are all the family of mankind under one Creator who loves each and everyone. We belong to each other, regardless of race, culture, country, and this is a way to be a part of His great work, as we help one another :)
Another reason that I sponsor is because of the personal connection that I can make with a child which will hopefully make that child a kinder and more compassionate person. Many of these children are faced with obstacles and circumstances which could make them bitter and hopeless but sponsorship can give them hope and the realization that someone does care. Hopefully these will take root in their lives and they in return will have a great love and compassion for others. What the world needs now is love, sweet love.
Last but not least this is a chance for me to just give and be a friend to a child who needs a friend. I enjoy being in this role as opposed to being in the disciplinarian role that I have at school much of the time as a teacher. I can let my hair down and just be that big sister or "Aunty" as some of them refer to me as. It is a chance to really enjoy making a child smile and I love that too.
What is a Child Sponsor Anyway?
A child sponsor is someone who decides to make a commitment to support a child who is in need. The children that I plan to visit are sponsored through Children International, which is a very well known and well respected organization. Children International works in various countries to help bring about positive change in the lives of children who are living in poverty.
I became a child sponsor when I was a teenager and have sponsored off and on over the years. I have been blessed to maintain my longest sponsorships for a little over five years now. As a child sponsor I am able to help provide support for children such as school supplies, clothing, dental visits, nutritional supplements, and other support. I try to write to the children five or six times throughout the year and send gifts when I can. The children write back and as a result, we have formed a special bond even though we have never seen each other in person. I hope that my visit with my sponsored children will help to strengthen that bond and let them know that they truly have someone who is rooting for them.
I became a child sponsor when I was a teenager and have sponsored off and on over the years. I have been blessed to maintain my longest sponsorships for a little over five years now. As a child sponsor I am able to help provide support for children such as school supplies, clothing, dental visits, nutritional supplements, and other support. I try to write to the children five or six times throughout the year and send gifts when I can. The children write back and as a result, we have formed a special bond even though we have never seen each other in person. I hope that my visit with my sponsored children will help to strengthen that bond and let them know that they truly have someone who is rooting for them.
Introduction
This blog was created to post thoughts, information, updates on my upcoming trip to Cartagena and Barranquilla, Colombia to visit four children that I sponsor through Children International. This will only be my second trip out of the country and my first time seeing them, so I am a little nervous and very excited! The children that I hope to see are Sonia, Yiseth, Bleidis and Francisco. I decided to visit the children after seeing videos of other sponsor trips and after hearing how the experience has such a positive influence on both the children and the sponsors' lives. So I hope to share as everything unfolds and hope that this will also encourage others to become sponsors and to visit their own sponsored children in the future!
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