Vanesa

 Vanesa is the child most directly in front of the camera

Vanesa is the girl in bright pink-above is the picture of my original 12 children in CUS in 2009

For those of you who have not been following what has been happening with CUS, they have a new sponsorship program.  I know many are unhappy with how things were done before, so this is a sweet relief for those who still want to support the children. 

These are the same children whose mothers are a part of the bead making and doll making cooperative Miracles in Caring.  That cooperative is growing as far as profits.  Profits have doubled this year compared to last year.  We are hopeful that having the dolls available for sale for our CHZ program will bring the women regular pay they can count on every month. 

Originally, 2 years ago, I was sponsoring 12 children in the CUS program. However, due to the strange happenings with the coordination, I couldn't keep throwing my money into what seemed to be a hole to nowhere.  Now Maureen is running the show, so I went with the first two I had started sponsoring first back in 2009.  Vanesa is the girl that  had chosen because Jaden wanted her for a penpal.  Vanesa is back in our "family" now that I know the money will get to where it needs to go.  (I will let you know who the second child is tomorrow)

Who has the most patience?

I went to the mail box today with high hopes of letters or pictures from my kids. There was nothing :o(

I know that we will have lots of pictures and letters soon, but I am not very patient. That is why I write to my children so often, as well as send packages. You would not believe it, but I write at least once a month (I try for twice a month). That is a lot of writing! I know we will be getting the pictures from our Summer packages soon.

So, I have no news to report because I haven't gotten any letters or pictures lately. Instead, I am going to tell you about what Jaden and I have going on for her sponsor children. I have taken the single strand necklaces that the MIC group made and added a charms that says "friends" to them. Jaden is sending one to each of her girls. She is, also, going to send them each a picture of herself with the same necklace on. The letter will go something like this:

"I am giving you this necklace to let you know that you are always in my thoughts. It says "friends" because I consider you a good friend of mine. I have the same necklace. When you are wearing your necklace, you will be reminded that I am wearing a necklace, too. We will always be reminded of each other. Even though we are far away, we can still be close at heart. I love you and send you a BIG hug!"

Questionnaire from Nakaiza Vanesah for Jaden

Vanesah is Jaden's sponsor child in Uganda. As of yesterday, her mother will now be a part of the MIC group and start making beads!! We haven't received any letters from her, but Jaden has written several times. Luckily, Hellen sent a stack of letters along with the MIC items, so we were able to get something from her. This is what her questionnaire said:

Ways I show others I care: by loving them, sharing and playing together

Things I can do really well: washing plates and mopping house

What people like about me: (the person who was writing everything for Vanesah wrote her opinion) She is a bright girl and hard working.

Things I like to do with my friends: playing together with them.

My best friend is: Kayemba Isaac

Other friends I like to play with: Tracy Kuza, Jackline, Junior, Stella, Robin

Jaden's Sponsor Girls

Mikerange lives in Juchereau, Haiti and is 7 years old

Leydi lives in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and is 8 years old.

Vanesah lives in Kampala, Uganda, and she is 7 years old.

Jaden now has a 3rd sponsor child. I wish I had recorded her last night. It was wild to watch her try to pick the 3rd child. She wanted all of them, of course.

Here is how the third one happened:

When I was searching the His Hands for Haiti site for a sponsor child, Jaden saw one that she wanted. Her name is Woobiana. Well, I wasn't 100% sure that she really wanted to sponsor another child, and I knew that I did want one. Of course, I was looking at the boys because I have always had a close bond to the boys. I took on a boy instead of giving her another girl.

Then, I noticed that Woobiana's sponsorship was pending, and then, still pending for awhile. I asked Jamie how long the children remain "pending" before they are released to a different sponsor. When she heard that the original sponsor couldn't take her after all, she contacted me.

When we finally got home from the doctor & pharmacy last night, I showed Jaden Woobiana's picture again. When she heard that she was 8 years old, she said that she would rather have one who is 5. Thus began the process of her trying to figure out who she would sponsor. She narrowed it down to a 4 year old, a 5 year old, a 7 year old, and Woobiana the 8 year old. She said she couldn't decide and just wanted them all (yeah, right!!!) It took her about 20 minutes to finally say that she was making Mikerange her final choice. Whew!

It was strange to see Jaden so confused about who to pick. She is only 5, but she reminded me of the struggle most of us are in. How many times have you seen a child you really wished you could make room for on the budget? Or how many times have you taken on yet another child when you said you could not take another one?

So, that is how that happened, and now Jaden has one more child to write to!

A Letter from Nakaiza Vanesah

This is one of my CUS children Vanesah. She is, also, supposed to be Jaden's penpal... However, it hasn't been working out very well. It is extremely difficult to get letters from the CUS children. Jaden has sent 3 letters to Vanesah since August. I have sent her 6 since September. This is the only letter we have received. Does this count as a letter? I'm not sure... I even sent all 12 children questionnaires to fill out, which I have yet to receive. As you can see, Vanesah wrote this letter on the 30th of Ocotober last year. It left Uganda around the middle of December. Then, it got lost for a couple of months while I tried to find out what was going on. When it was located, it was finally shipped out to me from Canada on February 3rd!!!

I am so frustrated, especially for my girls. Jaden has never received a response back from her pen pal Vanesah (so I told her this letter was hers). Morgan's pen pal Simbwa Henry received her letter, and hopefully all of mine that I sent (along with gifts for all 12 children- sticker books, bracelets, necklaces, lollipops). We have not received any letters or pictures from him.

The problem is not the children but the way the letters are handled. I have exhausted my efforts and will just throw my hands up. I don't know what else to do. Of course, I haven't stopped writing to them, and I still hope for future letters. So for those of you with CUS children in the same boat, I feel your pain.

Meet Simbwa Henry and Nakaiza Vanesa!

Nakaiza Vanesa is wearing the hot pink dress and leaning over.

Nakaiza Vanesa

Simbwa Henry is being interviewed by the school director Helen. This process gets his information to give to potential sponsors.

It looks like he is trying to look inside the camera and see who is inside!!

These two cuties started out as my daughters' pen pals, but we are now sponsoring them!!! We took 12 of them in fact (for only $35 a month!!), but I will just introduce them a little at a time so that it is not so overwhelming.

Jaden picked Nakaiza Vanesa. "She is P.1 and is 7 years old. She lives with her mother, who is often sick and is the breadwinner of the family. The father abandoned the family and they are really strugling. Vanesa loves to read, and her ambition is to become a nurse."

Morgan picked Simbwa Henry. "He is in baby class and is 4 years old. His favorite thing to do is play soccer.He lives with his parents, who are too poor to pay for his school supplies. They work in the stone quarry, breaking rocks all day long for under $1/day. His ambition is to become a lawyer."

The girls and I are anxious to get the first letters from their friends. We are, also, putting together a package to send all 12 an age-appropriate book of their own. Stay tuned for happy updates on our latest editions!!!