Share In Their Future

A Look at La Milagrosa, Costa Rica

La Milagrosa, a welfare center located in the impoverished immigrant town of Tejarcillo, Costa Rica is the most widely visited project in our Latin American Division.  The sponsored children that receive services from this center all live with their families or relatives and attend local public schools.  The poverty in this town is extreme and fueled by a lack of employment opportunities.  Our volunteer coordinator, Sister Maria Guadalupe travels great distances distributing aid to more than 400 family homes.

A typical street view in Tejarcillo

Sponsor Dr. Martha Wallen from Wisconsin recently travelled to La Milagrosa to visit her sponsored child Loana. While there she visited her child's home.  Recalling her visit Dr. Wallen wrote:

"Going to see my sponsored child in Costa Rica was a leap into the unknown.  The young girl I sponsor wanted me to see her house.  In July, which is winter for them, it rains every afternoon, and cars can't go on the rutted road after it leaves the pavement.  We must have hiked nearly half a mile up hill in the pouring rain. On the last part of the hill, there were some concrete block stairs, and finally the house, which had one light bulb, a radio, and very little furniture.  The outer walls were unpainted wood slats, the roof was made of rusty zinc, and the floor was beaten earth.  The mom said she had lived there 13 years.  She said the hardest part of her life was hauling water from a pipe about halfway down the hill, and even then the water wasn't safe to drink.  All you can hope is that the families in the project can move to a better neighborhood since their homes are all wretched and there are a lot of drugs.  There are a lot of families with children who aren't sponsored, and mothers come to beg for food for their hungry children.  I hope my visit will encourage my sponsored child and her family, especially my mother, and I hope they will be safe.  All their food and clothing comes from the Children, Incorporated sponsorship program."

 

Dr. Wallen with Loana, Sister Maria, and others from La Milagrosa

eating a McDonalds lunch she purchased them

 

Dr. Wallen with Loana, her mother, and siblings in their home

First Annual Brent Kegley Memorial 5K Run/Walk a Huge Success

 

The First Annual Brent Kegley Memorial 5K Run/Walk took place on Saturday, July 12th at the Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, Maryland.  Magda Kegley, Director of our Latin American Division, tragically lost her son Brent to a car accident on Novermber 12, 2007.  Brent was a highly valued employee of Deer Park Water, and his coworkers chose to honor his memory by organizing this first annual 5K.  On the day of the race over 500 individuals had registered to participate!  This outstanding turnout served as a wonderful testament to the impact that Brent had on the lives of others, and continues to have. With great weather, music, and crowds of supporters, the participants in the 5K energetically completed the route in just over an hour.  Funds raised for this event will be divided evenly between Children, Incorporated and Earth Share, the two charitable recipients.  All funds designated to Children, Incorporated will go to our Haven Fund.  Congratulations and deep appreciation goes out to all those who participated or contributed to this special event. 

   

Backpack Food Program

Many of our Appalachian children rely on their schools for breakfast and lunch—and go hungry on days when classes are not in session.  We want to ensure that these children have enough to eat on the weekends, so at some of our projects we have started sending students home on Fridays with backpacks full of food. 

A $20 donation provides a child with a backpack containing enough filling, nutritious, non-perishable food items to last for a weekend.  A typical backpack contains oatmeal packets, granola bars, bread, peanut butter, canned meats, canned soups, and canned and fresh fruit.  Project volunteers strive to distribute foods that children can prepare on their own if necessary.

Click here to make a contribution! The first backpacks of the new school year will be distributed in September. 

Sponsor Travels to Kenya and Visits Child

Children, Incorporated sponsor Christine Brown recently travelled to Kenya with her son to visit and volunteer at a missionary orphanage in Nairobi.  One of the main highlights of this eye-opening trip for Christine and her son was a vist to the nearby Children, Incorporated project, Maria Immaculata School, to meet their sponsored child Lucy.  "It was a wonderful experience!" writes Christine.  "We were able to take her gifts and even return a week later on 'Visitor Day' and meet her step-mom.  They showed us the water supply tanks that Children, Inc has bought for the school.  I was very proud to meet Lucy and the people running the school. And I was glad to see my sponsorship dollars at work, good work."  Christine's visit with Lucy and the administrators at Maria Immaculata School underscores the unique opportunity and joy of actually visiting with a sponsored child.  

Christine's son Luke, Lucy, and Christine inside the school   

 

    Outside the school with Lucy, another student, and coordinator

                                       

        This hand-made necklace was given as a gift to Lucy.   

        Christine and Luke's photo is on one side and Lucy's

        is on the other.  This artwork was created by Christine's

        friend Sheila Earhart, whose art is displayed online

        at halohill.blogspot.com

For more information on Christine Brown's travels to Kenya, access her blog here.

 

Life in a Korean Orphanage

All of our Korean projects are housed in group homes.  These facilities receive some support from the Korean government, but that funding has been cut dramatically in recent years.  Consequently, the support we provide to our Korean children is now more important than ever. 

Some of the children in these homes are orphans, but many were born to young, unwed women who were unable to care for them.  Children often live in these facilities from infancy to adulthood.  Upon graduation, they typically go to work or attend trade school or university.  It is not uncommon for a child who grew up in a group home to later return to that institution as a teacher or social worker.

The children typically study for many hours each day:

The typical group home has an on-site library:

Staff strive to feed the children a healthy, balanced diet.  Most snacks consist of fruits and vegetables:

The group homes are usually housed in comfortable, modern buildings:

The dormitories are structured so that the children live in family-like groups of five to ten people:

Here, a group of children costumed as royalty perform a skit for Foreign Division Director Luis Bourdet:

In accordance with Korean custom, many children sleep on mats on the floor (which is heated), but some homes contain bunk beds:

The youngest residents receive special care and attention:

Many homes offer music classes:

This building contains both living quarters and classrooms for kindergarteners:

CI Congratulates Three Outstanding Graduates

Sam (at left), Myron (center), and Noah (right) are among the 124 students on the CI program who graduated from high school this year.  Congratulations to them!

Sam and Noah, who are identical twins, will attend Wilkes Community College to study law enforcement. Each will receive three different types of scholarship assistance: the Allegheny Pride Scholarship, the Dr. Dulin Scholarship (which CI bestows), and a merit-based grant from Wilkes.  After completing their associates degrees, Sam and Noah intend to return to their home town to work as police officers. 

Myron, who is an aspiring small-business owner, will also be a merit scholar at Wilkes Community College.  His honors include the Greene Scholarship, the Allegheny Cares Scholarship, and the Dr. Dulin Scholarship.  He hopes to transfer to a four-year college after graduating from Wilkes. 

Annual Fund Donations and a Special Contribution Provide Food for Family

When you donate to our Annual Fund, you give us the means to meet our children's unforeseen needs as they arise. 

Recently, Travis Shepherd, the father of three of our sponsored children, was laid off.  He is working hard to find new employment, but jobs are scarce in his rural Appalachian county.  Fortunately, we were able to send money from our Annual Fund to help provide food for the Shepherd family.  The sponsor of one of the Shepherd children also contributed $100, and now this family will have sufficient food for the summer.

Here, the Shepherd family stands next to the first shipment of food, which the girls' project volunteer delivered in her truck:

The Brent Kegley Memorial Race

Magda Kegley, Director of our Latin American Division, tragically lost her son Brent Kegley to a car accident on November 12, 2007.  Brent was a highly valued employee of Deer Park Water, and his coworkers have chosen to honor his memory by organizing the first annual Brent Kegley Memorial 5K Run/Walk. The race will take place on Saturday, July 12, 2008 at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, Maryland.  Registration will cost $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the event.   All proceeds will be divided between Children, Incorporated and Earth Share.  Click here for more information, and click here to register.  If you have any questions about this event, please contact us at (800) 538-5381 or at inquiries@children-inc.org.

Winter in South America

If you sponsor a child in South America, don't forget that it's currently wintertime in the southern hemisphere. 

Most  of our South American children live in homes that are not equipped with heating systems.  Consequently, there is a great need for blankets, sleeping bags, coats, hats, and other cold-weather items.  You can help us provide these supplies by donating to our Annual Fund, which we use to offset miscellaneous urgent needs, among other expenses.  You can also call our office at (800) 538-5381 to find out whether your particular sponsored child is in need of winter clothing or other materials. 

GoodSearch Makes Good Cents for CI!

You can quickly and easily raise money for Children, Incorporated by searching the internet with GoodSearch.com. 

Simply visit the GoodSearch website, designate CI as your charity of choice, and use the service as you would use any other search engine.  For each search you perform, CI will receive one cent. 

These pennies add up: in just a few weeks and with just a few users, we have raised $60.  If our supporters start using GoodSearch on a regular basis--and encourage all their friends to do the same--the financial benefit to our children could be substantial.  Spread the word, and help us reach $1000 by the end of 2008!