Meet Javiera, 9, from Chile

This pensive-looking young woman is Javiera F. She hails from Valparaiso, Chile, where she lives with her father and three siblings. Sadly, her mother, Edith Beatriz, abandoned the family, so it's up to her father Roberto Carlos to bring home the bacon AND take care of the family. The family's monthly income is about $250- and here's where I got confused. On the CI website, the family's income was listed as $195, which caught my eye because it's extremely low for Chile. Then when I accessed Javiera's detailed report, the income was listed as $250. Which is great, of course- the change just confused me.

Anyway, Javiera's father is a daily worker. Javiera has three siblings- Israel, a brother, 19; Jasmin, 15, and baby brother Walter, who must be just a very small baby because his age is listed as 0.

Javiera's home consists of three bedrooms, a dining room, and a kitchen. The walls and floor are of wood, and the roof is of corrugated metal. Javiera sleeps in a bed (it doesn't say what kind but I suppose a bed's a bed.) There is running water in the home, and there must be a bathroom because their sanitary facility is a toilet. Electricity is available, and cooking is done on a portable gas stove.

As for Javiera, she will be turning eleven years old on September 27, 2010. Doesn't she look older than nine in that picture? (She was about to turn ten when the photo was taken.) When I was considering sponsoring her I was thrown off because I kept searching for her in the 12+ girls category, just going off my memory of what she looked like. I thought she must be 12 or 13!

Javiera attends school, where she enjoys Art. Her chores at home include running errands, and she likes to dance and exercise. (I never saw a CI kid say they liked exercising before!) Unusual. I like it!

First Letter to Mirian

I'm a letter writing machine today! Hee hee. Seriously, I love to write. I would write to my kids every week or more frequently, if that wasn't (understandably) discouraged. So I'm sticking to once a month. Here is the first letter I wrote to Mirian:
Dear Mirian-
Hello! My name is Nicole Albertson and I am your new sponsor. I am so happy to be your sponsor. I have read a little about you, so let me tell you a little about me.
I am 26 years old and live in a small village near the capital of the USA. I live with my husband, Adam. I do not have any children. I have two cats and a guinea pig. They are pets and live in the house. They are fun to play with. My hobbies are reading, writing, and sewing. I also love sports. I read that you enjoy basketball. I like basketball too. I was on my school team when I was your age. I also love soccer and baseball.
My favorite animal is the horse. I also love cats. My favorite colors are blue and orange. My favorite food is pasta with meat and tomato sauce. My mother taught me how to cook it.
What grade are you in at school? Do you learn a lot? I know you like math and grammar. I like grammar too and I do enjoy math but it was not my best subject. I find math challenging!
I will say goodbye now. Please greet your family for me. I hope you all will stay well. I am always thinking of you.
Your sponsor friend,
Nicole A.
P.S. Here is a photo of me so you can know what I look like.

Meet Daniesi Z, 8, from the Dominican Republic

This cool young lady is Daniesi Z, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She lives in a two-bedroom home with her parents, Juan (an electrician) and Juliana (a homemaker). The family income is $150 a month. Why did I choose to sponsor Daniesi? Because that $150 has to stretch to support at least nine people- Daniesi has six brothers and sisters!

Freisin, a brother, is 18; Bileisi, a sister, is 16; Juan is 13; Carlos is 11, then there's 8-year-old Daniesi; and youngest of all are the 4-year-old brother-sister twins (I'm assuming they're twins), Jesus and Emelin. So that $150 really has to stretch. And, sadly, it doesn't stretch far enough to allow Daniesi to attend school.

The home consists of wooden walls, a corrugated metal roof, and a concrete floor. I don't know about other members of the family, but Daniesi sleeps in a bed (probably shared with other family members). The family cooks over an open fire, has running water in their home, and electricity is available.

Most horrifying is their sanitary facility: an open field.

The latest report on Daniesi was compiled almost exactly a year ago, and it lists her height as 3'10" and weight as 39 lbs. She was born on 7/20/02, which means she just turned eight years old. For chores, she washes dishes, and for fun she likes to sing and play baseball. (Baseball is huge in the DR!) I love a girl who plays sports!
My priorities for Daniesi are getting her in school first, and then possibly trying to raise money to build her a latrine. No person should have to use an open field for their restroom. It's not dignified or sanitary. Not to mention the lack of privacy! I just realized that I take my indoor restrooms completely for granted.

This is my lovely Hachita, from Zambia, wearing her snazzy new school uniform and her new shoes! Now she can attend school more comfortably and walk more comfortably- not to mention her feet will be warmer! (Zambia is in their cool/dry season right now.)

First Letter to Henry, 7/30/10

I have no experience writing letters to a toddler (does anyone?), so I sort of addressed Henry's letter to him AND his family. I'm not sure if either of his parents can read, but maybe one of his older siblings can, and the family can know what I've said that way. Anyway, here is what I wrote:
Dear Henry y Familia-
Hola! Como estan ustedes? (Hello! How are you all?) My name is Nicole A and I am Henry's new sponsor. I greet Henry and family with affection and caring. I would first like to say hello to Senor and Senora [lastname], brother Eduardo, sisters Dania and Reina, and all the family of Henry. I hope everyone is well!
Let me introduce myself so we can know each other better. I am a 26-year-old woman. I live with my husband, Adam, in a village called Potomac. It is near the city of Washington, DC, the capital of the USA. We like our small village. It is beautiful and there is a river and forest nearby.
In my free time I like to read, write, talk with my friends, and make things. I like to sew, knit, and weave. I also like to play sports like soccer and baseball. Do you like soccer, Henry? It is my favorite sport.
My favorite colors are blue and orange. What are your favorite colors? My favorite animal is the horse, though I like all animals. My favorite food is pasta with tomato and meat sauce.
I hope you receive many benefits from this program. I look forward to hearing from you and reading your letters! I am so happy to be your sponsor. Here is a photo of me so you can know what I look like. Stay well! Your sponsor friend,
Nicole A.

Meet Mirian

This beautiful young woman is Mirian Yesenia G. J. She is 13 years old, turning 14 on Nov. 20, 2010, and she lives in rural Guatemala. Mirian lives with her parents, Victor, a factory worker, and Reina, a homemaker. She also lives with her siblings: brothers Victor, 12; Sergio, 9; and Armando, 5; and sisters Monica, 20; and Violeta, 18. The 8 members of the family survive on an income of just $78 a month.

Mirian and her family live in a home with concrete block walls, a corrugated metal roof, and a concrete floor. They cook on a portable gas stove, sleep in metal beds, and have running water in their home. They use regulated electricity.

Mirian attends school (which is only free through the 6th grade in Guatemala). She enjoys grammar and math. She also likes playing basketball and playing with dolls. Her talents include drawing and painting, and her chores include running errands.

I began sponsoring Mirian because I wanted to sponsor a child in Guatemala, and I also recently received some excellent news about my work situation. To make a long story short, I'm going to be switching employers and receiving a 40-50% pay increase! So, I decided to share my excellent fortune with two special girls- Mirian, and a young lady from the Dominican Republic named Daneisi, whom I'll talk more about in my next post!

Letter to Jesus, 7/26/10

Dear Jesus,
Hello! My name is Nicole Albertson and I am your new sponsor! I am so happy to be your sponsor. First I want to say hello to you and your family. I hope that everyone is well.
I will tell you some more about me so that we can know each other better. I am a 26 year old woman. I am married to a very nice man named Adam. We live with our pets, two cats and a guinea pig. They are very nice and happy pets. They are fun to play with and are gentle.
I love to read, write, talk with my friends, and play sports like soccer. I love soccer. It is my favorite sport. Do you like soccer, too?
Do you live in a city or a village? I live in a village near a large city. The city is Washington, DC, the capital of the USA! My village is called Potomac. There is a large river nearby. There are woods near our house and animals come out and we can see them. We see deer, birds, frogs, squirrels, foxes, and raccoons. Do you like animals? I like animals a lot.
I will say goodbye now. I am so happy to be your sponsor. I hope you will receive many benefits from the program. I look forward to your letters! Please stay well.
Your sponsor friend,
Nicole A.

Henry Daniel, Age 2

This cutie is Henry Daniel, age 2, who hails from San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He lives with his father, Reinaldo, a farmer, his mother, Inelda, a homemaker, and his three older siblings (Brother Eduardo, 18, and sisters Dania, 13, and Reina Purificacion, 15) on an income of $53 (US) per month.

The family lives in a one-room home, with walls of adobe, a corrugated metal roof, and a concrete floor. They cook on an earthen stove, sleep in wooden beds, and have running water in their home. Electricity is available, and they use a latrine for sanitation.

Henry likes to sing, dance, and play with toys and cars. He's too young for chores, and doesn't yet attend school. He stands 2'10" and weighs 30 lbs.

Henry is special for many reasons, one of which is that he shares a birthdate with my mother- November 12. I chose to sponsor Henry because of his family's low income and because of the birthday coincidence, and also because, well, could YOU resist that little face?

Jesus Salvador, Age 6

This young man is named Jesus Salvador. He is one of my two latest sponsored children through Children International.

Jesus is 6 years old (born 2/26/04) and lives in Jalisco, Mexico. He lives with his father, Jorge Alberto, a bricklayer, and his mother, Maria De La Luz, a homemaker. Jesus has two big brothers: Jorge Angel, 10, and Juan Carlos, 9.

Jesus enjoys sport, running, and playing with his siblings. His chores are general housework. He stands 3 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 35 lbs.

Jesus and his family live in a home consisting of one bathroom and one multi-use room. The walls are brick, the roof is corrugated metal, and the floor is concrete. They cook over an open fire, and sleep in beds. They have a private well, non-regulated electricity, and have a bathroom in their home.

I chose Jesus because of his family's low income- the five of them survive on $76 a month. This is especially low compared to the other incomes I see listed for CI children's families in Mexico. Other incomes for sponsored children there are in the $200s-$400s.

Sadly, Jesus does not currently attend school because his family lacks the money to send him. This is the same situation that my sponsored child Elizabeth, from Zambia, is in. I have commited myself to sending both children to school starting as soon as possible.

I am Jesus's first sponsor, so he wasn't receiving benefits until I sponsored him. I am so happy that I am able to provide these benefits for him!

Letter to Samuel, 7/21/10

Dear Samuel,
Hello! How are you? I hope you and your family are well. Please greet them for me.
I would like to tell you some more about myself so you can know me better. I am a 26 year old lady. I am married to a very nice man named Adam. I have no children yet. I live with my husband and our pets. We have two cats and a guinea pig. They are nice pets. They are fun to play with and are gentle and funny.
I know that you have a large family- 7 brothers and sisters! I have just one younger brother. His name is Eric and he is 22. He lives with my parents in another state in the USA.
I am glad to know that you attend school. I see that your favorite subjects are Languages. When I was in school, my favorite subjects were Languages, too! Do you learn English in school? School is very important for your future. What do you hope to be when you grow up?
In my free time I like to read. I also enjoy crafts and sewing. I like to spend time outdoors walking and riding bicycle. I also like to write poems!
I will say goodbye now. Please take care. You are very important to me.
Your sponsor and friend,
Nicole A.

Two Little Boys

This young man is named Jesus Salvador. He is from Mexico. His family (which includes him, his parents, and one sibling) makes only $76 a month! Jesus is 6 years old, and his date of birth is February 26.
I also have to point out that $76 is the lowest income I've seen for a child (on CI's site) living in Mexico. Most of the other children's families have incomes in the $200s-$400s. There must be some kind of extraordinary hardship in Jesus's family. Also, Jesus has been waiting for a sponsor ever since he was enrolled in the program about 1 year ago.

This little guy is Henry Daniel, age 2. Henry is from Honduras, where he lives with his parents and three siblings on a meager income of $53 a month. His talents include singing and dancing, and he likes to play with cars and toys. He shares a birthday with my mother- November 12!

My direct deposit paycheck hits my account around 11:15 Thursday night. I have a feeling that my first phone call on Friday morning is going to be to Children International...to sponsor these boys!

Letter to Francisco, 7/19/10

I'm on a letter-writing rampage! Ha ha ha. I think it's going to be tough for me to resist the temptation to write "too often." But I understand and respect the reasons why I can't write, say, every week. It would be just overwhelming for the child, and it would also bog down the translators and other staff.
Anyway, here's what I wrote to Francisco, the little boy I'm part of a group sponsorship for:

Dear Francisco,
Hello! My name is Nicole A. and I am one of your sponsors. We are a group of friends who all care about you very much. We live all over the world. I live in a village near Washington, DC, the capitol of the USA. I like my small village. I live near the forest and I see animals like deer, foxes, frogs, birds, squirrels, and raccoons. I like to watch the animals.
I also have three pets who stay in the house: two cats and a guinea pig. They are cute and I like to play with them.
I know that you like to play soccer. I also love to play soccer! I also like baseball and volleyball, but soccer is my favorite sport of all.
Do you like school? What grade are you in? When I was your age I liked school. I liked learning reading, writing, and art.
Please greet your family for me. I hope everyone is well. I think of you often and always hope you are healthy and happy. Take care. You are very special.
Your sponsor and friend,
Nicole A.

Letter to Crestetor, 7/12/10

Dear Crestetor,
Hello! My name is Nicole A. and I am your sponsor. I hope you and your family are well. I am very well. I am very happy to be your sponsor. I would like to tell you a little more about me so we can know each other better. I am a 26-year-old lady. I am married to a very nice man named Adam. We live in a village in the state of Maryland, not far from Washington, DC, the capitol of the USA. We like our village. It is beautiful. We live near the woods and we see deer, birds, frogs, squirrels, raccoons, and foxes sometimes. They live in the woods and sometimes come out, and we watch them. I love animals.
I know that your favorite color is Red. My favorite colors are orange and blue. What do you like to do for fun? I like to read, walk outside, and talk with my friends. I also like to play soccer and baseball.
Do you learn English in school? I hope you enjoy school and learn a lot. I always thought school was fun.
I hope to hear back from you soon! Your sponsor and friend,
Nicole A.

Letter to Lavendah, 7/12/10

Dear Lavendah,
Hello! My name is Nicole A and I am your new sponsor. I am very happy to be your sponsor and I hope you are happy and healthy today, and that your family is well. I am very well. I would like to tell you some more about me so you can know me better. I am a 26-year-old lady. I am married to a very nice man named Adam. We live in a village called Potomac, near Washington, DC, the capitol of the USA. I live near the woods, and I like it because the woods are very pretty. Animals come to the woods around our house and we can see them. We see deer, birds, squirrels, frogs, raccoons, foxes, and our neighbors' dogs!
I know that your favorite color is black. My favorite colors are blue and orange. I also read that you like to play Netball. I have never played Netball. I like to play soccer and baseball. I also like to walk outside, read, and write.
I am so happy to be your sponsor and to hear about your life. I wish you blessings and happiness every day!
Your sponsor and friend,
Nicole A.

Letter to Hachita, 7/12/10

Dear Hachita,
Hello! In case you haven't gotten my letter, I will say hello for the first time. My name is Nicole A and I am your sponsor! I am looking forward to getting to know more about you, so I will tell you some more about me. I am a 26-year-old lady. I am married to a very nice man named Adam, and I live in a village near the capitol of the USA, Washington, DC. I like living in my village. I used to live in the city and it was very loud and busy. I don't mind being busy but I dislike it when it's too loud. Do you live in a village? Does your family keep animals? The only animals we have are 2 cats and a guinea pig. They are pets. We play with them and they stay in the house.
How is school? Do you enjoy school? I know your favorite subject is Social Studies. When I was in school my favorite subjects were languages. I also liked reading and writing. I still love to read and write even though I am not in school any more.
I hope you and your family are in good health and are happy. I look forward to getting to know you better!
Your sponsor and friend,
Nicole A.

2nd Letter from Padmashree!

On Saturday I received another letter from Padmashree- a CP (Child Participation) this time. It's a reply to the first letter I sent to her in May! Here's what she wrote:
Dear Nicole, (She wrote this part in English letters!)
Please accept our thanks and love. Hope all of you are well. We are well. We are happy to get you as our sponsor friend. I study in grade VII. I like to study. Besides study I like to play and like to listen to songs and like to draw. I have drawn a picture for you. Hope you will like it. [I do! It's a nice red flower in a pot.] You stay in Washington. I am glad to know that you have pet cat and ginipig [guinea pig]. We also have a pet cat. Please all of you stay well and healthy. With regards,
Yours lovingly,
Padmashree

I think that's a great letter. And it came when I wasn't even expecting anything, so that made it even better. I received it when I checked the mail from the car while driving to lunch with my husband and I was tempted to try to read the letter while driving...I didn't, though, which probably saved us some trouble! :P

Hachita's Package Is On Its Way!

I mailed Hachita's birthday package this morning! All the items fit in a large padded envelope, which cost $14.50 to ship to Zambia. It weighed only 1lb 5oz, which is part of the reason it cost so little to mail. I included a nice card with a little letter from me. Here is what I wrote:
Dear Hachita-
Happy Birthday! Here are some gifts for you. The bear is called a Teddy Bear. Lots of children in America have them. I have one myself. This one is especially for you, from me. Please share the balloons, decorations, and horns with your brothers, sisters, and friends. Also please make sure babies don't play with the balloons. It's not safe. The balloons are for older children. You can play many games with them once they're blown up. Have fun!
How is school? I hope you are doing well. Did you get my letter in Tonga and my postcard in English? Do you learn English in school? I hope you enjoy school and learn a lot.
I saw a photo of you with the mosquito net you were given at the end of June. I'm very happy that you got it! I look at the picture and think of you often.
Here is some more about me: I love sports like soccer, volleyball, and baseball. I have a job in an apartment building that I enjoy very much. I have 2 cats and a guinea pig as pets. I am 26 years old.
I hope you have a very happy birthday!
Your sponsor and friend,
Nicole

I also included a little photo of myself in the card. This is probably the first birthday card she's ever received!

Padmashree's 12th Birthday Card

Padmashree will be turning 12 on August 12, so I picked out a card I think she'll like. It's shiny and red and silver. It occurred to me that she's probably never received a birthday card before, unless one of her earlier sponsors sent her one. (And most sponsors don't write or send cards to their children, so this may really be her first birthday card ever!)
I included a photo of myself, a packet of smiley face and star stickers, and a letter. Here's what I wrote.
Dear Padmashree,
First of all I want to wish you a very happy birthday! I'm so happy to be able to help you celebrate. I hope you have a great day!
Is your family well? I hope so. We are all fine here. It is summer here now, our hottest season. I like the summer. I like to go swimming when it is very warm. What is the weather like for you now?
I am happy to learn that you are in school. Do you enjoy school? I know that your favorite subject is Language. Me too! I think your language, Bengali, is beautiful. Your handwriting is very nice. [True. Her handwriting is impeccable, and the Bengali script is lovely.] I have saved your letter because you are important to me. I enjoy getting to know you!
I am 26 years old. I have one brother, Eric. I work at an apartment building. I am married to a very nice man named Adam. I have no children. Adam, my husband, works fixing computers for business. [He works in IT for a genetics company, but there's no way a 12-year-old is going to understand what that means, or probably care.]
Here is a photo of me. I keep a photo of you in an album, and I see it and think of you often.
Being your sponsor makes me very happy. I hope you receive many benefits from the program. I hope you will write back to me because I like getting letters from you! We can know each other even though we live far apart.
I will say goodbye now. Please work hard in school and stay healthy and happy!
With affection, your sponsor,
Nicole B. A.

Letter to Egda, July 2010

Dear Egda,
Hello! How are you? I hope you and your family are well. I am very well. I received your letter- thank you! I liked the pretty picture you colored for me. It is so nice to learn about you. What kind of pet do you have? I have two cats and a guinea pig. I like to play with them too. The cats are named Boogles and PK and the guinea pig is called Quinn. What is your pet's name? Besides my pets, my favorite animal is a horse. They are so beautiful and fun to ride.
My favorite food is pasta with tomato and meat sauce. I also like chicken and mashed potatoes.
What is the weather like in Guayaquil now? Here in Maryland it is summer, our hottest season. I like the summer. I like the warm weather and I like to go swimming.
Here is a photo of me. I have a photo of you in my home. I look at it and think of you often. I always hope you are doing well and are healthy and happy. You are very special to me. Please greet your family for me.
Your sponsor and friend,
Nicole B. A.

An Update On Samuel

Today I just had a feeling that I was going to be receiving news about one of my sponsored children. Nothing arrived in the mail, but when I checked all my online accounts there it was- an updated report on Samuel!
Happily, Samuel is still in school. His favorite subject is now Language. His interests are playing with friends and playing with his siblings. They didn't update his height or weight- he's still listed as 4'9" and 90 lbs, same as July 2009. No doubt he's grown, but I don't think the older children necessarily get yearly checkups like the younger children do (unless there's a reason for it), so maybe his height and weight haven't been officially recorded since last year.
The info about his home has been updated, too- instead of a concrete floor the floor of the house is now listed as dirt. So either they've moved, or this is a correction of the last report.
No updated picture, though- the last one is dated 6/22/10, which is exactly 3 days before I began sponsoring Samuel, so I don't expect a new photo for about another year.

Edit: I checked the report again today and the floor is once again listed as being concrete. So I'm thinking they probably are in the same home as they were when the last report was completed.

Letter to Elizabeth

I'm going to keep a record of all the letters I send to my sponsored children, at least the ones that I sent through the mail. I want to be able to remember what I wrote to them so I don't repeat myself. This is my first letter to Elizabeth in Zambia.
Dear Elizabeth,
Hello! My name is Nicole [lastname] and I am your new sponsor. How are you? I hope you are well. I am very happy to be your sponsor. Let me tell you some more about myself.
I am a 26-year-old lady. I am married to a very nice man named Adam. I do not have any children. My husband and I live in a house in Maryland, near Washington, DC, the capitol of the USA. But we do not live in the city. We live in a village called Potomac. Do you live in a city, town, or village? I like my home because it is near the forest, which is very pretty. I see animals like deer, foxes, birds, squirrels, frogs, chipmunks, and raccoons near my house.
My favorite colors are blue and orange. My favorite animal is the horse. For fun I like to walk outdoors and I also like to do word puzzles and I love to read.
I am very happy to be your sponsor and I hope you are happy too. I look forward to learning more about you. You are very important to me. You are a very special little girl.
Your sponsor and friend,
Nicole [lastname]

On the CI website, they say that encouragement is one of the most important things you can give your sponsored child. Elizabeth looks so sad in her photo, and I want her to know that I am someone who cares about her, even if I'm half the world away.

Elizabeth from Zambia.

Meet Elizabeth. She's five years old and lives in or near Lusaka, Zambia. I decided to sponsor Elizabeth after I couldn't stop thinking about her. I'd check the CI website to see if she'd been sponsored yet, but she was always still there. Then, finally, last Friday I decided that Elizabeth had waited long enough. I sponsored her! One of the reasons I decided to sponsor Elizabeth is that her ID number indicates that she's only recently been enrolled in the program. The fact that she only has one photo, dated 4/10/10, backs this up. She probably hasn't been sponsored before. I wanted to sponsor her even more when I realized that, until someone sponsored her, she wouldn't be benefitting from the CI program. (Children don't lose benefits if they lose a sponsor, but they don't receive benefits when they are enrolled until someone signs up to sponsor them.)

Another major reason I wanted to sponsor Elizabeth was that she lives with a "Guardian". I've seen plenty of kids on the CI site listed as living with relatives, but Elizabeth was the only one I'd seen listed as having a Guardian. This brings up a personal point for me: I often choose to sponsor children who are orphans or who don't live with their parents for whatever reason, because my own mother grew up in an orphanage. In the late 1940s, when my mother was young, her father abandoned the family, and my grandmother couldn't afford to support herself and her two young children, even after she found a job as a housekeeper in a nursing home. She had to place my mother and my uncle in an orphanage so they could be taken care of. (Later, they went to live with other relatives and still later they were reunited with their mother, who visited and wrote to them while they were in the orphanage.) So the fact that Elizabeth was under the care of a guardian made me more inclined to sponsor her.

Both of Elizabeth's parents are deceased, and she either has no siblings, or they don't live with her and her guardian. The household has a monthly income of $70, which is a little more than the incomes of some of the other Zambian children's families, but is still crushingly poor. The home she lives in is made of brick, with a concrete floor and a cardboard roof. Cooking is done on a coal stove, electricity is available, and a community faucet and latrine are used.

Now, if that wasn't a sad enough situation, listen to this. Elizabeth's family cannot afford to send her to school, so she doesn't attend. Upon learning this, I immediately sent an email to CI stating that I was VERY interested in finding out how much it would cost to get Elizabeth enrolled in school, and that I would pay that amount to ensure that she gets an education. The good thing is, she's only five, so she won't be very far behind even if she can't begin school until the start of the Zambian school year in January. As far as I am concerned, that is my first priority as far as Special Needs Gifts go. All of my other sponsored children do attend school, so getting Elizabeth an education is going to be the first thing I put my money towards.

A Little Bit Personal (Cross-Posted at LiftOne)

Things have really changed for me over the last few years. I'm not proud to admit this, but I haven't always been a very nice person. I came out of college fairly troubled and with very confused priorities. I attended graduate school, but didn't complete my degree. I never really appreciated either my opportunities or my material possessions. I didn't always treat people very well. I wasn't always a good friend. I drank and partied too much. I smoked cigarettes. I made a lot of really questionable decisions.

July through November 2009 were milestone months for me. I went through an extremely hard time. My health was suffering (emotional and physical health), and I needed to make a major change in my lifestyle. With the help of some well-qualified health professionals, I started getting my life back on track. I made a lot of major changes. I started taking care of myself. I stopped drinking alcohol completely, and stopped staying out half the night. I started making better choices.

Why is this on here? Because being a part of Children International, and a part of this LiftOne website, has been a part of my becoming a better person and a more responsible adult. Since taking on my first sponsorship in early May, I've been feeling really, well, good- about myself, about the choices I'm making, about the direction my life is taking, about helping others.
I've been doing a LOT of thinking recently about myself. Which is nothing new for me, exactly...I'm very introspective. But I've been noticing a difference in myself ever since becoming involved with CI and other charities for children and needy people throughout the world. And, astonishingly, others have noticed it too. Just the other day my husband asked me if I was saving up for a big purchase- he's noticed that I no longer spend a lot of money on silly little things. Of course, I'm not saving up for a stereo, an iPhone, or a car...I'm saving up on behalf of Padmashree, Egda, Hachita, Crestetor, Lavendah, Samuel, Jazmin, and Francisco!

I definitely have developed different money habits. I no longer go clothes shopping "just because". If I need something, I do buy it, but my definition of "Need" has changed. I think before I spend money now, because I know there are other people who are depending on me to not muck up my budget by spending too much on unnecessary things. If all else fails, I think of my sponsored kids, who don't even have the luxury of considering, say, going on a shopping spree at the bookstore or the clothing store. Their parents struggle to put food on the table, and I'm spending $130 a month on smoking cigarettes? It makes me change my thinking real quick.

I know this was kinda long and babbly, but I had to get it out. I always feel better when I write something down so others can read it, and I figured you fellow sponsors on this site might kind of understand what I was saying. So, thanks for reading my nonsense! And thanks for being a part of something with me!

First Letter From Egda, Guayaquil

I can't believe it's been only 7 weeks since I began sponsoring Egda! It seems like so much longer, probably because I've been anxiously checking the mail every day for the past, oh, month- checking for a letter from her! Well, yesterday was the day I'd been waiting for- a letter arrived!
The letter was written by a CI employee or a volunteer, since Egda's just barely seven years old and a little young for correspondence. Here's the letter, translated from Spanish:
Dear Sponsor:
It is a big joy to be part of the sponsorship program provided by Children International! Your sponsored child's name is Egda P. V. [last name redacted]. I will tell you some things about her so that you can know each other much better. Let me tell you that she is attending school. Her favorite subject is Language. She likes to play with her friends. She plays during her free time. She also likes to ride bicycle, sing, dance, watch TV and draw. She enjoys going for walks to the park at the weekend along with her siblings. She likes to do her homework. Her favorite food is rice with mashed potatoes and fried meat. She likes to participate in class and go to the cinema. She also likes to play with her pet and she likes to participate in the events from the foundation.
Says good-bye with affection,
Joselyn A. A.
Also, on the back Egda colored a picture of a person holding a bunch of balloons. She's a very neat colorer for her age!

I'm so excited to get such an informative letter with little details about what Egda likes to do, eat, play at, etc. Now I'm dying to know what kind of pet she has. I checked the Spanish and the translation is direct- it does just say "pet" in Spanish too. I'm happy to hear that she seems to have a lot of fun in her life- playing with her siblings, riding a bike, going to the movies, etc.

Hachita's Birthday Is Coming Up!

That's right, Hachita, one of my sponsored children through Child Hope Zambia (http://www.childhopezambia.blogspot.com/) will be turning 14 on August 29! I am going to send a package directly to the project for her. I went to the store and picked out some small items that I thought she'd enjoy and that, very importantly, would travel well.
Here's what I picked: about ten of those little paper horns that you blow into and they either unroll or have streamers; a crepe banner that says HAPPY BIRTHDAY!; a jump rope; a package of balloons; three little post-it notepads with decorations on them (flowers, mostly); a package of 12 colored pencils; and a small teddy bear. I'm also sending a nice card and a little letter from me. All of the items fit in a large padded envelope. I'm prepared to spend a small chunk of change to ship it- I'll probably ship birthday packages to all 3 of my girls, so that's only 3 packages a year. I can see, however, why some other organizations prefer that you just send a donation rather than a direct package.

I'm still investigating the cheapest option for mailing. I figure I have a little time- her birthday's not until August 29.

Jazmin Through The Years

This is the first picture of Jazmin; it must have been taken upon her enrollment into the Children International program. She's 6 years old in this picture. It was taken on 6/5/2003.

Jazmin is 7 in this picture, taken on 1/30/2004. That's just two weeks after her 7th birthday.

Jazmin is nearly 8 in this picture- it was taken the day before her birthday, on 1/14/2005.

Jazmin is almost 9 in this picture. It was taken ten days before her birthday, on 1/05/2006

Jazmin's really starting to look grown up! She's ten in this picture, taken on 4/19/2007.

Jazmin is 11 in this picture, taken on 2/21/2008.

This photo was taken on Jazmin's 12th birthday, on 1/15/2009! Happy birthday!

This is the most recent photo I have of Jazmin. She's 12 in this picture, and it was taken on 11/19/2009. She's since turned 13 years old and is now halfway to being fourteen!

First letter to Jazmin

I wrote a letter to Jazmin using CI's website. They have a cool feature where you can log into your account and write an online letter to your sponsored child. The letter is printed, translated and sent to the child's field office. It's a very useful tool, although I think I will still send "regular" letters, because it's so fun to open a piece of real mail from a friend.
Anyway, here's what I wrote to Jazmin:
Dear Jazmin-
Hello! My name is Nicole [lastname] and I am your new sponsor! I am very happy to be your sponsor. I think we have a lot in common. Like you, I also love soccer. I am very excited that it's World Cup time!
I hope that you and your family are well. I am very well and so is my family.
Here is some more about me: I live with my husband, Adam, in Maryland, not far from Washington, DC, the capitol of the USA. We live together with no children. It's just us, our two cats, and guinea pig, our pets. I have parents and a brother, and Adam has a mother and sister, but they don't live with us.
My favorite colors are blue and orange, my favorite sport is soccer and my favorite season is summer. My favorite subject in school was English. I love to read and write.
What grade are you in at school? I hope you enjoy school. It's very important for your future. With an education, you can do anything you can dream of!
Lovingly, your sponsor, Nicole [lastname]
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I got a little cheesy with the stuff about education, I think, but Jazmin is right at the age where a lot of Ecuadorian children drop out of school, so I wanted to give her a little encouragement to keep at her studies. I don't know what kind of messages she gets at home- sadly, a lot of children drop out to help make money to support their families. I hope her family is not in that situation.

Mosquito Nets!

These three pictures are of some Child Hope Zambia kids. These children are ones who were sponsored in June. At the June gift distribution they received treated mosquito nets to hang over their beds to protect them from the bugs, which can carry illnesses like malaria. In the top two photos Hachita is in the back row, second from the left, next to the tall young man. In the bottom photo the young man on the far left is out of the frame and Hachita is in the top row, farthest left.

Next month this group of children will get their school uniforms! I'm also very excited because the children have written their first letters to us, their sponsors. I know it's too soon to start checking the mail but I'm very very excited to hear what Hachita has to say to me!

Crestetor

This is my third Child Hope Zambia girl, Crestetor Ng'Andu. She is eight years old, turning 9 on October 4th. She's in the first grade.

I chose Crestetor because she doesn't have any parents- at least not that she lives with. She lives with her older sister and 4 other brothers and 5 other sisters, in Manyana. She also wants to be a teacher when she grows up. Her favorite school subject is English, and her favorite color is red. I'm a little puzzled by her favorite pastime, which is listed as sweeping...as in sweeping the floor. At first I thought maybe it was transposed with her chores at home, but for chores, "fetching water" is listed. So yeah, I don't really understand, and I'm not sure whether to be amused that she likes to sweep that much, or saddened by the fact that, well, all she does for fun is sweep.

Lavendah

Math will be my downfall. I swear. I just did the math on my (now former) smoking habit and it came out to an average of $122.50 per month that I was spending on cigarettes. My reward for quitting smoking is sponsoring more children. Therefore, because I have OCD (really. I do.), I wanted the amount I was donating to the children to match the amount I was spending on the cigarettes. I know, bizarre logic, but in Nicole-brain, it makes sense. Anyway, I was coming up with a little extra money left over in the no-smoking fund each month, so I decided to add two more Child Hope Zambia kids. (Plus, I redid my budget after trimming down my phone bill a little and adjusting for some other thrifty habits, and came out even MORE ahead.)

With no further ado, meet Lavendah Mooya! She's eight years old and lives in Manyana with her parents, brother, and sister. She's in second grade and wants to be a teacher when she grows up. Her favorite school subject is math, and her favorite color is black. Her favorite pastime is netball, and for chores she washes dishes.

Jazmin E.

This is Jazmin. She's my sixth sponsored child. I sponsor Jazmin through Children International.

I feel like I was meant to sponsor Jazmin. Ever since I first saw her photo while idly browsing CI's website, I felt a connection with her. I first noticed her athletic appearance, and noted that her favorite pastime is playing soccer. I was/am an athlete, and I played soccer growing up (through my late teens) and still love the sport. It's pretty common for boys on the CI website to list their favorite pastime as soccer, but it seems to be rare for girls. So that made Jazmin stick in my mind even more. I'd check the website daily to see if she was still available, but at the time I couldn't afford to sponsor any more children. Right about the time that I was hired for a full-time position at my job, Jazmin disappeared from the site. I thought she'd been sponsored, and I was so happy for her. Turns out she had just been rotated off the site, which happens regularly. I explained in the last entry how I went about becoming Jazmin's sponsor, so I won't repeat myself. Instead, I want to tell you a little more about Jazmin!

Jazmin is 13 years old- she'll be 14 on January 15 of next year. I don't yet know what grade she's in, but I'll find out soon, as I've requested an education report. Jazmin lives in Guayaquil, Ecuador, with her mother, Nancy, a street vendor, and brother, Jesus Alberto, 19. Her father, Juan Pedro, does not live with the family. The monthly income for the family is $300, which is more than the incomes of my other sponsored children's families, although it's not really meaningful to compare incomes between Ecuador and, say, India.

Jazmin lives in a two-room home: one bedroom and one multipurpose room. She sleeps on a metal-frame bed. The walls of the house are brick, the roof is corrugated metal, and the floor is concrete. Cooking is done on a gas stove, there is running water in the home, and electricity is regulated. There is also a latrine. For chores Jazmin washes dishes and does general housework.

Jazmin's favorite school subject is grammar. She likes to draw as well as play soccer.