Want a biligual laptop for your child?

In order to help free these toys from customs, I am going to up the ante... To participate in this part of Day 8, you will need to purchase a raffle ticket. 1 raffle ticket per $1 donated, like always. I will raffle off this bilingual Spanish English laptop that you can sent to your sponsor child. To enter the raffle, make the paypal donation to hhamilton2002@hotmail.com Anyone who donates $40 or more will automatically get a laptop, and if the money goes over the price needed to get the toys out of customs, the excess will be distributed to the fundraisers.

So, I will raffle off 1 laptop tonight at 9PM CST for all donations sent to the above paypal account... And, if you donate $40 or more, you will get a laptop automatically!!! (limit of 3 can be given out, so act quickly!)

Now, here are the details about the laptop:

Teaches English and Spanish

Gives kids the option to play in both English and Spanish speaking modes at a touch of a button

Press the translate button to instantly translate words and numbers between English and Spanish

13 activities covering topics from mathematics and spelling to musical composition and games

Contains 90 songs in three categories for kids to listen and sing along to

Keeps track of right and wrong answers and displays the final score

Makes learning a new language fun and easy

The fold-down screen features a built-in handle and locks for secure transport

The 3 1/4”(W) X 1 3/4”(H) LCD screen features a variety of moving animated graphics designed to keep learning fun for kids

Kids can choose from a wide assortment of spelling games, math puzzles, music and other educational activities

With its twin power source, you can operate the computer using either 3 “AA” batteries (not included) or optional 4.5V AC power adapter (Not included)

Folding design
Animated LCD screen
Easy-To-Use keyboard
5 button selector mouse
Shortcut keys

English/Spanish mode button
Translate button

Built in audio speaker
Directional buttons
Closed Dimensions: 10 1/2”(W) X 11 1/2”(D) X 2 1/2”(H)
Weight: 2.4 lbs.

English Mode:
Press any alphabet key and the computer will show and speak the letter, then display words that start with that letter

Pronounces words that appear on the screen

Translate button translate the word on the screen into Spanish and pronounces the word

Displays a word with a missing letter, and asks you to fill in the missing letter

Shows a picture along with three different answers, and asks you which is the correct answer

Mathematics Mode:

Choose between addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

Displays a random math question from the chosen subject, and the user must enter the answer

Game Mode:

Shooting game (I wish they would omit this one, but since they are only shooting letters and not people...), Different letters of the alphabet will appear on the screen starting from the right hand side, the player must quickly find the letter on the keyboard to shoot down the letter

Wallop, Hit the monster on the screen by moving the left and right

Music Mode:

Playing piano, learn and create melodies by using the letter keys on the keyboard
30 Christmas songs
30 Children songs
30 Love songs

In the box:
Compukidz 5706 Bilingual Kid’s Laptop
Users Guide

Letters from 3 of my sponsored kids

Katherine
Aldair
Henry
Aldair drew this picture. Above the drawn picture, I have put each of the 3 kid's pictures as a point of reference.

These are the letters that I have received in the last week:
Katherine:
I hope this letter finds you well. We are fine. Thank you for your letters and pictures. You look very nice. We celebrate Independence Day on February 27th. We dress up in costumes and have parades. We had a great Christmas because we were together. The child is very happy to receive your letter and books. We have no parks close to the house. Saying goodbye, Katy and Katherine. Thank you for everything

Aldair:
Receive many greetings along with your family. I thank you for the pretty letter. I write to tell you that my family and I are fine. I spent Christmas with my loved ones, and I took advantage by playing & going to the manger. I am so happy to have you as my sponsor. I send you many kisses and hugs. I say goodbye, your sponsored child, Aldair

Henry:
How are you? I hope you are well. My family and I are well. The weather here is hot during the day and cold at night during this season. I don't have clothing for cool weather, but I use the blanket you gave me. The nearest movie theater is 45 minutes away from my house, but we don't go because we watch movies in video at my aunt's who lives next door. I feel very well; I eat all my food. Thank you for worrying about me. I wish you lots of blessings and success in your life. I say goodbye with lots of love, Henry

An undercover project that began in January

Ok, I have to start somewhere in order to explain the project that was begun in January. This was my e-mail that I sent to a couple of people to start a group of 4 sponsors that are dedicated to making big changes in their sponsored children's lives:

I have a fundaising idea, so I want to run it by you. Tell me what you think... What if we have a group of 4 people. Every month we give $40 for fundraising. Each person gives $40, and the person with the sponsored child for the month gives $40 (or more depending on what that person wants to accomplish). That will make a $160 donation, so we will get pics. Each year, that would mean each of us would be giving 3 special needs donations, but every month we are just putting up $40. If it is my month, I would choose one of my sponsored children, and that is where the donations would go (to that child). Like this:
January~ fundraiser for Mack's child
February~ fundraiser for Alice's child
March~ fundraiser for Heather's child
April~ fundraiser for a child that is in a different sponsorship program, whose pics we won't see

Then, back to Mack, etc. Everyone would have to be faithful about the donations and be committed to doing it for at least one full rotation, otherwise, it wouldn't be fair. We could start in January, and you could draw names to see who goes first, second, etc. I have a few projects. For example, in the DR, one of my sponsored children only requires $116 for a bed! With my income now, it seems unreachable, but I could do $40 a month. The other good thing is we could play a part in helping more children (example, I would get to know your child's needs and the gift I helped you purchase for him/her).

So, that is the background on the undercover project that is going on between 4 sponsors. It is now out in the open, so if anyone would like to mimic the idea and start a group, feel free.

Now, I said all of that because I will be adding Alice's sponsored children to my blog (and hopefully, adding Mack's sponsored children, too). I will first introduce them one by one in the order that they were sponsored, so that we can all get to know them. Then, the pictures and letters received from all 20+ children (from the combined 3 CI sponsors) will be posted here. I hope to have at least one post a day to keep everyone motivated & to see the difference being made in these kids' lives...
So, stay tuned. Tomorrow, I will begin introducing Alice's 8 kids!

A Family Affair

The article about Jaden and Morgan is now live & will be up on the Children International web-site for the next 2 weeks. Enjoy:
http://www2.children.org/en/us/News/FeatureStories/2009/Pages/SponsorshipExperience-AFamilyAffair-2-17-09.aspx?sid=F22461C-840F-4BFE-9097-ADAF89036C931

Easter Gifts

This is what the Children International sponsored children will receive for Easter this year:

Colombia
Cartagena and Barranquilla (Henry, Diego, and Aldair) – All children will receive a pair of
black leather shoes.

Chile
Valparaiso – All children will receive a pair of black leather shoes
and a pair of socks.


Honduras
San Pedro Sula – Boys will receive a pair of pants. Girls will
receive a new skirt and a pair of socks.

India
Sahay and Disha – All children will receive two pairs of new shoes –
canvas lace-up shoes and rubber slip-ons.

Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo (Katherine, Dulce, and Leydi)– All children will receive a blue button-up shirt and a pair of socks.

The Philippines
Manila, Tabaco and Legazpi – All children will receive a new pair of
shoes.
Quezon City – All children will receive new shoes and a pair of
socks.

Zambia
Lusaka (Mwanza)– All children will receive a pair of brown leather athletic-
style shoes.

Guatemala
Guatemala City and Rural Guatemala (Yessica) – Boys will receive a brand new
pair of denim jeans. Girls will receive a choice of a pair of jeans or
a cardigan sweater.

Ecuador
Quito – All children will receive a new polo-style shirt.
Guayaquil (Jonathan) - Children 10 and under will receive black leather shoes
and three pairs of socks. Children over 10 will receive a pair of
black leather shoes.

Mexico
Jalisco – All children will receive two t-shirts, two underpants and
a pair of socks.

United States
Little Rock – All children will receive a variety of age-appropriate
reading books and educational puzzles and games.

A Family Affair – Sharing the joy of sponsorship together

Here is the article that will be posted on the CI web-site in a couple of weeks:

I have been a sponsor with Children International for a year-and-a-half-now. I started with only two children, but, little by little, as I grew closer to each child, I added to my sponsor family. I never knew how much my enthusiasm for sponsorship would rub off on my own young daughters.

At one-and-a-half, Morgan, the younger of my two daughters, does not yet fully understand what sponsorship means. Fortunately, she likes to imitate her big sister, who sets an excellent example of the personal joy that comes from showing compassion for others. Morgan knows all of our sponsored kids by name when she sees the photos, which is quite an accomplishment considering there are nine names to remember!

Jaden, my 4-year-old daughter, first showed interest in sponsorship when she saw the pictures of the kids. She naturally asked me who they were, but her curiosity did not end there. Jaden continues to be fascinated by my "other" children, and badgers me with questions about their parents, if they have siblings, and where they live.

When our sponsored family reached nine kids, I had to come up with another way to answer Jaden’s persistent questions. I put together a small photo album featuring all of the children. When my daughter opens the album, there is a child’s picture on one side and information about them on the opposing page. That way, I can easily answer any of the questions she has by looking at the information page.

I only intended the album to be used for that purpose, but Jaden had a better idea. She carries the photo album with her everywhere! She stops friends and family to show them her album. When she flips through the album, though she can’t read, she can tell people each child’s name, plus a little about him or her, from memory. She calls them “her sponsor kids.”

One day, Jaden and I were sitting at the computer watching all of the Children International YouTube videos. Jaden never ceases to amaze me. She watched the videos with intensity and caught everything that was happening in the different programs. She noticed details in the videos that even I didn’t see. When she saw things that she thought weren’t right, she would ask me why. For example, Jaden once asked, "Why doesn't that girl have shoes on?"

When I explained that their mommies and daddies don’t have enough money to buy them shoes, she questioned, "Does Henry and Katherine (two of our sponsored children) and the other kids have shoes?"

I told her that I wasn't sure, but it was possible that they did not. Jaden's simple reply was, "Then let's send them shoes!" Similar conversations occurred for sinks, water, toilets, houses, clothes, dishes, beds, etc. My daughter's response was always, "Well, then let's send them some!"

After we were finished watching the videos, Jaden asked why the children were so sad. I explained, "Because they are hungry and dying."

She said, "Well, let's go there and help them. Come on, Mom!!!"

I told her that we couldn't go immediately. When Jaden asked me, "why not," I replied, "because it costs a lot of money to go there."

That wasn't a good answer for her, of course. Her response was, "Mom, do you have ANY money? Because I have $1. So, let's go!!"

Jaden may only be 4 years old, but she is more empathetic than most grown people. She saw the children in the videos lying on the dirt floor. She asked me why because “they would get dirty.” I went on to explain that a bed is a luxury that not everyone can afford. Some children sleep on the dirt floor because they have nothing else to sleep on. This revelation was heartbreaking to her.

We have four sponsored children that are suffering with a virus that is deeply affected by the quality of their living conditions. If they do not keep up a healthy environment (including a good night’s sleep), they risk their life by compromising their immune systems. Jaden has decided that she is going to find a way to help at least three of the sick children get the beds that they so desperately need. She has started collecting money in a jar with the change that friends and relatives have given her. Her goal is to raise $504 to buy the three beds. She has raised $25.71 so far!

After she hits the goal of $504, she has more plans for the change (including more beds). She will continue to collect and give, and I am so excited for her to be able to see the fruits of her labor. When we eventually get pictures of three smiling children with their new beds, my daughter will know that even a 4-year-old child can change the lives of others!

Sponsorship experience

Ok, as I hinted at earlier, my 4 year old daughter will be featured on the Children International web-site this month. I will let you know when it is actually up on the site to see. Anyway, it is supposed to be up on week #3, so February 15th is the date to look out for. I want to warn you in advance that if you want to be surprised by the story, I am going to ruin it for you... Tomorrow, I will post the article... 2 1/2 weeks in advance. I know I don't have that many "followers" to my blog, so I am sure I am not ruining the surprise for anyone! LOL!!!

Jaden enjoys talking about HER "sponsor" kids

My 4 year old daughter Jaden is proud to be a sponsor. Like I had said in an earlier post, she is raising money to buy 4 of the children beds. Children International will be posting an article about her on their web-site this month!!! Keep your eyes out for it. In the meantime, I will share the article with you on a "sneak-preview" basis in a later post.

"Baby" Pictures

These are 8 of our 9 sponsored children. Do you recognize them? Each of these pictures are pictures that I call their "baby" picture because it is their first photo taken when they joined the sponsorship program. Mwanza is the only one not shown because he looks the same~ he only became sponsored less than 1 year ago (for the first time, at the age of 12!).

Can you match the baby picture up with the child they are today? It is wild to see that only 1 child in this group smiled for their first picture.

Katherine from Santiago, Dominican Republic

The picture I saw of her on the CI web-site on 8/22/07,

Katherine, grandma, and Adam

So, Henry is the sponsored child that I have had the longest~ Katherine comes in 2nd place. I began sponsoring her on 8/22/07. When I began sponsoring her, she was 3 years old. Her and Jaden are two months apart, and that is why I chose her. When they learn how to write, they can begin writing letters to each other. Katherine is already in school, even though she is only 4. Her mother usually writes the letters for her. At the beginning of her sponsorship, she was living with her mother and father. Later, her parents began to have marital problems. Katherine and her brother Adam who is 5 (and doesn't have a sponsor by the way~ hint, hint) were sent to live with their grandmother. Their grandmother continues to take care of them while their parents live in seperate cities and work to send money home. Their grandmother can not read or write, so Katherine has to wait until her mom visits in order to write me back or read my letters. Here is her bio:

Age: 4	Gender: F	Date of Birth: 6/8/2004
Height: 3 Feet 2 Inches		Weight: 36 Pounds		Hair Color: Brown		Eye Color: Brown
2. Health problems, if any: None
3. Attends School: Yes
4. Favorite School Subjects: Art
Favorite Pastimes or Sports: Playing with dolls, Running
Chores at Home: Running errands
Talents or Hobbies: Dancing
Languages Spoken: Spanish
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S FAMILY:
5. Approximate monthly income for the family (in U.S. Dollars): $150.00
6. Name of Father: Porfirio			Age: 31	Occupation: Factory Worker
(If not present, why?) Separated
7. Name of Mother: Katy Ant			Age: 27	Occupation: Unemployed
(If not present, why?)
8. Brothers and Sisters:
Name Adam		Age 5	Gender M
9. Child now living with: Relatives
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S HOME:
10. Description of Home: Living Room, Kitchen, One Bedroom
Cooking Facilities: Portable gas stove
Sleeping Accommodations: Beds
Home Construction: Walls Wood			Roof Corrugated metal		Floor Concrete
11. Facilities and Services:
Water Source/Storage: Running water in home
Electricity: Available
Sanitary Facility: Toilet

Katherine's 2008 Christmas Package

Welcome to my new blog for my sponsored children!!! To see past posts of the sponsored kids, please visit: http://www.ilovemykids08.blogspot.com/
From now on, all of my post about these special children will be on this blog. So, keep coming back, as I will post pictures, letters, and updates as I get them. We currently have 9 children, so the posts should be pretty regular...
Now about this post: Katherine's Christmas package was delivered to her on 11/7/08. The reason that I sent it early is because in 2007, her package didn't get to her until February, even though I sent it in November. At least this way she got it before Christmas and not after. CI gets busy around the holidays, so that is probably the reason it takes so long.
In this package to Katherine, I sent her clothes, the tie blanket I made for her, a Baby Alive Sin N Slurp doll, Princess paint set, sticker books, paper doll books, and a chalk board.