New Friends and Old

This is Constanza Nicole. She is 13 years old and lives in Valparaiso, Chile. I chose to sponsor Constanza even though I thought my family of sponsored children was complete. I chose to sponsor Constanza because she reminds me of my friend Betsy.

Betsy and I were on the volleyball team together in high school. We weren't bestest best buddies off the court, but we were teammates, and we all became very close in the way that teammates do. Betsy had an infectious laugh and a beautiful smile.

Sadly, Betsy died of cancer in summer 2004, when she was just 20 years old. In her life, Betsy was a very giving person. Even in high school, when she didn't have much money, she gave freely of her time to help those in need. Instead of flowers at her funeral, her family requested donations be made to certain charities.

So when I saw this photo, I couldn't help but think I was meant to sponsor Constanza. Add to that the fact that she's being raised by a single mother, the fact that we share a name (Nicole is my first name, if you didn't know it!) AND that her family's monthly income of $161 is extremely low for Chile...well, I just had to sponsor Constanza.

Constanza's birthday is April 30, 1997. She is 13 years old, 4'9" tall, and weighs 82 lbs. She attends school, where she enjoys learning grammar. At home, she helps out with running errands, and in her spare time she enjoys listening to music, playing with dolls, and dancing.

Constanza's father, Pedro Alvaro, abandoned the family, so Constanza and her three siblings are being raised by their mother, Clara Adriana, a homemaker. The family's monthly income is about $161. Constanza has two older brothers, Sebastian, 23, and Pablo, 20. She also has a younger sister, Valentina Clara, who is 12.

The family lives in a home consisting of two bedrooms and one multi-use room. The floors and walls are wood, and the roof is slate. They sleep in beds and cook on a portable gas stove. There is running water in the home, as well as a toilet.

I'm really looking forward to getting to know Constanza! I just began to sponsor her last night and already I'm excited to get the first letter from her! She just seems like a really, really cool kid.