Today is the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, and after a typically chilly winter here in Kansas City, we are definitely ready. To welcome in the new season we’re sharing some photos of a place where the weather is almost always fine – Guatemala, Land of Eternal Spring.
Photos by Miriam Lemus and Javier Cárcamo.
Downtown Guatemala City is full of activity, but there's always time to stop and smell the flowers.
Or check out a gorgeous view of the countryside.
This indigenous girl makes her way through the hills of rural Guatemala.
Sponsored youth enjoy a sunny day to take part in team-building activities.
Children International's child sponsorship agency helps children in poverty in both rural and urban areas in Guatemala. To sponsor a child in Guatemala or one of the other countries we work in, please visit our homepage www.children.org.
It's time for eNews again!
And there's more great stuff headed your way this month. In the February issue you'll
- Read a heartwarming story about a former sponsored youth who is writing a surprising new chapter in a life that once threatened to be forever limited by a physical disability
- Learn about the basic benefits of our child sponsorship program and how their practical application helps children in poverty, and
- Go from heartwarming to heart-wrenching as you hear the story of Loveness, the girl featured in one of our television spots, and learn about the incredible difficulties she and other children like her face...and how Children International -- and our sponsors -- can help save a child from a life no child should have to live.
We hope you enjoy eNews, and we always welcome your comments. If you're not a current subscriber, please
sign up today. Thanks!
As you're probably aware, a little less than a week ago several of us from CI were in the Dominican Republic.
Because I've visited the Dominican Republic (or "The DR," in CI lingo) a number of times in the past, I can't say I was surprised at the poverty. Saddened, yes...but not surprised. Neither was I surprised at the heart-rending stories of incredible hardship that we heard over and over. That generally goes hand-in-hand with poverty, and it's an ugly reality.
But I'm happy to say that I wasn't surprised, either, at the way those stories usually ended. Moms, kids, families...practically all of them emphasized how hopeful they are. They also unfailingly mentioned the incredible impact sponsorship has had on their lives and how they credit their sponsors with giving them the chance to rise above their circumstances.
And it didn't surprise me when one of our doctors called me into her office to discuss several children with critical medical issues. But I'll confess that made my day -- maybe even my trip...not because of the medical issues, which are all tragic, but because of the obvious confidence in the doctor's face. She was certain the sponsorship program would be able to help, because we've developed a track record of doing just that.
To some, helping save a child from disease through reliable medical care, helping save children from poverty by providing access to education, and helping children in poverty by showing them the way to a brighter future might seem to be the stuff of superhero fables. But when you have the privilege of working with an international children's charity like Children International, it's an everyday reality.
No surprises there.
P.S. Did you see Wednesday's post by Sarah? Oscar sure could use a sponsor. Will you help us spread the word?
By Scott Cotter
Our first stop Tuesday was La Mosca. The Fly. It's a community built in the shadow of a gigantic garbage dump, where many of La Mosca's residents earn their very meager incomes as "buzos" (garbage divers).
Others who have been to La Mosca talk of the overwhelming stench and battalions of aggressive flies that crawl all over everything, including and maybe especially exposed skin. I guess we lucked out because neither were a problem during our visit with "Chilo" and her children, Gabriel and Ana Isabel.
Like so many others in the community, what little income they have is derived from what the children's father finds to sell in the mounds of garbage. And it isn't much, which has Chilo filled with anxiety. But as much as she worries about their income, she seems to be far more concerned about Ana now that she's 13. And I can understand. In La Mosca, there are plenty of distractions and dangers for any child. But for a girl Ana's age, it's easy to fall in with the wrong crowd, leave school behind and end up married by age 14. In fact, it's commonplace.
There's some good news though. Ana and Gabriel are sponsored, which Chilo says is really helping the family, especially the health and education benefits they receive. She's also happy that Ana is involved in our Youth Program, which is working with young people in La Mosca to steer them clear of early marriage, keep them involved in positive activities and to make sure they have what they need and are motivated to stay in school. Chilo thinks it will have a positive impact. I do too.
As a side note, I'm happy to report that Evelyn, who is from our agency staff here in the DR (and has been a wonderful help), is just fine despite taking a rather nasty tumble down one of the steep hillsides in the garbage dump. She was covered in dirt from head to toe but came away laughing about what could have been far more serious.
Scott Cotter has traveled the globe reporting on our child sponsorship program. As a writer for Children International, Scott realizes there is more than one way to save a child...and one of his greatest contributions to our efforts to help children in poverty has been through the written word. Check out Scott's various feature stories on our website, children.org, and in eNews, Journeys and our other sponsorship publications. And don't forget to check back tomorrow for another blog from the CI team on the ground in the Dominican Republic!
By the time you read this, I'll be on my way to the DR.
No, I'm not sick...at least, not any sicker than the thousands (millions?) of other unfortunate souls sniffling and sneezing their way through allergy season.
"DR" is the CI nickname for the Dominican Republic. And my Children International colleagues and I are getting ready to spend what promises to be an incredible week visiting our projects there.
The last time I was in the Dominican Republic, I caught the tail end of a tropical storm. That was an experience...
This time, however, we expect the weather to be more cooperative. So Andrea, Scott, Garrett, David and I will join the local CI staff for five intensive days of driving, interviewing, photographing and -- best of all -- meeting some of the great kids that make up our child sponsorship program in the Dominican Republic.
That's one of the great things about working with an international children's charity. Helping children in poverty can be an adventure!
I've been to the Dominican Republic several times. One of the places we'll be visiting is a community built right along the river. The locals say there are crocodiles in the river...but don't tell Garrett. This is his first time to go, and we don't want him to be nervous.
Look for us to blog from the field. And if you're on twitter.com, look for users named "andiwaters," "scotterman" and "CIContentGuy." If we get into any interesting situations, we'll try to let you know right away. See you soon!
Thanks for visiting our new blog. We hope that your new year is on its way to being one of the best. As one of the top charities for children, we strive to bring our sponsors and those interested in helping children in poverty the stories and insights they desire. And this blog is a great place to look for more insider information. For those of you familiar with our original blog format, you can still find all of our great content here - we’ve just made it better (and prettier) with a New Year’s makeover!
This new blog page has the look and feel of Children International’s homepage with a little added blog flare. You can add comments by clicking on the gray “Comments” button underneath each post, as well as read what others have to say. Give it a try and let us know what you think about our new look.
Kelly and I also have our own personal blog pages where you can read a little bit about us and see what we’ve been posting. Children International’s President, Jim Cook, will also be joining the blogging world and giving you his point of view on child sponsorship and how we help children living in poverty.
Peruse the links on the side of the screen, set up an RSS feed or even sponsor a child. We look forward to sharing even more with you through our blog. So here’s to a fabulous new year and helping even more needy children grow into healthy, educated and self-reliant adults through our child sponsorship program.
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