A Letter From My Precious Diego

I don't know how this happens, but I always get the sweetest kids on the earth!!! It is almost the one year anniversary of when I first became Diego's sponsor. You may remember him from the slideshow on 10/15/08 Blog Action Day "Don't Look Away". The slideshow can be found here: http://www2.children.org/en/us/News/MediaArchive/2008/Pages/slideshow-BlogActionDay10-15-08.aspx?sid=4C093D6-F23F-41FC-A151-5DD9C05596491

According to his photo albim, he has been in the Children International program since he was 4 1/2 years old. I am not sure the history of how or why he lost his sponsor or sponsors. Considering his hard life circumstances, I hate to think of him not having support. His aunt is the one that keep him moving forward in life, and now, thankfully, I can do the same for him. It has been exciting to see the transformation. You can click on the tag "Diego" to read some of the other posts about him. In his earlier letters, his depression and doom shown through. Now, I can't wait to share his latest letter with you!:

Dear Mrs. Heather,

How are you? I hope you are well. Thanks for the letters that you send me. You don't know how happy I get reading them! I thank God that you have a job, and I hope that you get the other one where you can rest more. That will be very good for you. Thanks for being so good and special with me and that you care for me a lot despite having what I have. These past few days, I have been studying and playing soccer. I say good bye with affection.

Diego

Isn't he a sweet heart!? His fundraiser is still on Aura's House, and you can still enter the drawing for a Zune or cash prize. For every $10 you donate, you will receive one entry into the drawing. Once his fundraiser is completed, I will do the raffle and contact the winner! Thank you, everyone who has donated!!! He is receiving his bed now, so I should have pictures soon. If you would like to enter the raffle and donate to the wonderful child's cause, here is the link:

http://aurashouse.com/2009/06/emergency-project-for-diego-of-columbia/

The smile of hope

I asked CI to look into something for Diego. I told you guys his story before, but he is sad and depressed in his letters and pictures. I want to do something to give him hope. The field office went out to his house and discussed different options with his aunt (his caretaker). Then, they took some pictures. This is the best I have seen Diego look all year!!! He must know what is going on (that someone is going to help his family) because he has a smile of hope on his face!!

I did not know what all he was going through, and the report that came back will be so helpful. Now that I know what he faces, I know what to do. One of the disturbing pieces in the report is that he can't go to the public school near his house because of his illness. He has to go to a private school far from home, which his aunt can barely afford. He has to wear a uniform, but they can only afford one. His aunt washes his uniform after school each day, so that he will have a clean one for the next day.

Here is the report that I received from CI (by the way, I will let you know when I know how his fundraiser will be completed. It is times like these that I wish I could win the lottery & take are of everyone!!):

Currently, Diego Armando doesn’t own the house where he lives, for that reason it is not recommendable to make any repair to it. This house was given by heritage by Diego’s grandmother to her 4 children (uncles of Diego).

Diego has other urgent needs, which we will describe at the end of this report. Following, we are providing a background of part Diego’s story, which allows us to support their current needs.

Family

Diego suffers from an illness which was transmitted from his parents who already died. This child is living with an aunt from the father’s side who is in charge of him. Diego is everything for his aunt. His grandfather visits him frequently (he is in some of the pictures attached to this report).

Diego’s Feeding and treatment:

Diego is receiving a complete treatment supported by the Government Health System and the sponsorship program. A good feeding is important to keep the child’s defenses up, which will allow to extend his life’s expectations.

In spite of the aunt prepares healthy food for Diego, Doctor recommended that he needs to take a multi-vitamin complement daily, Its commercial name is “Pediasure” which Diego is not taking currently because of lack of economic resources. The supplement, that costs $150, would cover the purchase of 12 cans of 400 gr. each. Diego should take a cup of this treatment once a day (1 can is enough for 2 weeks). Therefore, this treatment of 12 cans of “Pediasure” would cover 6 months of treatment.

In this case, we would coordinate the services of the pharmacy that provides our sponsored children with medicaments. Then, Diego will be able to get a medical order to periodically collect the vitamin supplement.

Income Generating Business:

Diego’s aunt is a 60 year old-lady who works very hard selling food for masons at construction areas far away from her neighborhood everyday. She lends the food ingredients very early in the mornings, cooks and sells the food, and recovers the profits returning the loan to the provider in the afternoon. She needs 60 a day to buy the ingredients of the food that she sells, working 14 days a month.

This lady owes the food provider $600 since one year and a half ago, which has been difficult for her to collect and this is generating lot of stress on her that has affected her health.

She pays partial fees between $46 and $137 each 15 days. She doesn’t pay interests because this debt is represented in food she got from the public market. There is not a document that supports this debt. This commercial relationship is based on the confidence, because of the length of it and because the lady has made all the partial payments in time. This kind of informal commercial relationship is very common among our community’s vendors.

We are searching for this provider to determine its legal constitution and way to document the payments in case this donation is approved

With a capital of $250, Diego’s aunt would cover 5 working days and the preparation of 226 lunches. Each lunch has a cost of $1.83. This means that she would make $413. Taking into account the capital support ($250), she would have a profit of $163. Diego’s aunt can reinvest such capital in order to use the profits in the house’s maintenance and Diego’s school and basic needs. Also, she will be save part of the profits to face any calamity that Diego’s illness may brought.

If the debt of $600 is paid, we expect that with this capital support and monitoring from the Agency staff, she receives profits during an indefinite time, as long as she keeps the good health to work cooking and selling food, or until any out of control factor affects the business.

School and transportation:

Diego is attending a private school located far away from his neighborhood, because he has been rejected by other children living around and he is not accepted in public school due to his condition too.

Currently, Diego has 1 uniform and the aunt needs to wash it every afternoon to keep it ready to wear early the day after. The school has a monthly cost of $23.

Diego’s aunt takes him to school every morning by bus. After class, Diego takes a bus with his teacher’s help, and he get off the bus in the place the aunt sells the food. Then, they both go back home together in the afternoon. The transportation cost also depends on the support and income generated from the food business.

Current Diego Armando’s need list:

*Food supplement: $150
*School Fee ($23 from May to November): $161
*Textbooks: $70
*Single bed with mattress: $210
*Clothing for the child: $200
*Bed sheets and pillow: $18
*Electric fan: $42
*School Uniforms (T-shirt, pants, sport uniform and shoes: $73
*Debt of the aunt: $600
*Refrigerator (The one they have is not in good conditions
and it is not working well to keep the business’ ingredients
well conserved): $400
*Capital to buy food ingredients for the business: $250

Total: $2,174

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

Moments that take our breath away

I got this is an e-mail and had to share it:
A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that :

We have taller buildings but shorter tempers,

wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less,

we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families,

more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense,

more knowledge, but less judgment,

more experts, yet more problems,

more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly,

laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry,

stay up too late, get up too tired,

read too little, watch TV too much,

and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back,

but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.

We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.

We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less.

We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait.

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever,

but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion,

big men and small character,

steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce,

fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers,

throwaway morality, one-night stands,

overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

A time when technology can bring this letter to you,

and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin

What do you need to be happy?

Tonight, during my sleep-deprived venture on the internet (It is 12:50 AM, and I still can not fall asleep), I came across an article by The Everyday Cheapskate. I wanted to share what it says:

When people say they want happiness, what they’re really looking for is contentment, that feeling of satisfaction that does not go away once the carpet is a few months old, the car has lost its “newness” or the holidays are over. He went on to suggest that happiness is the result of a “happening” and when the event is over, the happiness goes away. The contentment we seek comes with satisfaction and fulfillment that are not tied to specific events but rather based upon things that do not change, like warm family relationships, connecting to God and expressions of sincere gratitude.
(http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com/ed_cheapskate.asp?ID=39220)

So, now you know why sponsoring brings a sense of contentment!! I thought that was very interesting, and now I have a way to explain why sponsoring a child feels so good. It is based on things that do not change. It is making a difference EVERYDAY in the life of a child and their family. It is something that will stay with me and with the children I sponsor for the rest of our lives~ A bridge between people half way across the world... People I have never met, but yet they are like family members that were always in my life since the beginning.