April 30, 2010
Greetings from Barranquilla. This was my last full day and final visit here in Colombia. Before relating my
experiences with my child, first a brief mention of the other five kids I met.
Working backwards from last to first, there's Daniela, Chenelle's child. Daniela is quite young. Too young to be
stringing sentences together yet. Her mother did most of the talking, though we discovered that she likes pink and
blew a kiss for the camera. It was also interesting to see their reaction to seeing Chenelle's photographs. It was the
first time they'd seen her sponsor's picture. I think they liked them. A message to sponsors in general: the families
by and large cherish the photos and letters. Even if you can't shower your child with gifts, the mere gesture of
sending a note or picture in the mail means a lot to them. Believe it when I say they save them all.
Yuselfi is Inga's girl. I had seen previous photos of her on Inga's Facebook page, so I knew what she looked like. I
had expected an outgoing girl for reasons beyond my comprehension. Instead she was very shy and fidgety. Must
have been the photographer.... Despite her nervousness, I did manage to get her smiling for a few shots and
videos.
Keyner, Eliana's kid, is also very young. Three-years-old, if memory serves. He started to sing a song he wanted her
to hear. I rushed to hit record on the camcorder to catch this priceless momemt. I'm not sure what he was saying,
but it probably isn't important. I got him an Etch-a-sketch on Eliana's behalf. Sure hope he likes it.
Next up: Jhojaris, one of Lisa's kids. This girl scored some nice stuff, including a necklace, bracelet, top, stickers, and
jewelry making kit. Also Lisa's is Brayan. Another very young boy with a lot of energy, none of which was directed
to the camera. Brayan had much to do, and sitting still for my interview proved a little challenging. YouTube videos
are forthcoming!
The rest of the day was devoted to Daniela (the second Daniela of the day). After picking up a couple of field
personnel, we headed for her house on the outskirts of Barranquilla. As we stopped in front of her house, I began
giving one of the CI workers a one minute tutorial on how to operate my camcorder so that I could have video of my
first moment together with Daniela. As is often the case, my best laid plans went awry, as Daniela had spotted me
standing next to the van. I heard a voice and a second later this adorable girl was clinging to my legs like a barnacle
on a hull.
Here I was fretting about those new guidelines being established to prevent unwanted affection from sponsor to
child. With this being my first meeting, I was fully expecting to settle for a handshake. Not! What a pleasant
surprise.
Daniela is absolutely precious. Her very cute photo does not do her justice. In person, she is muy bonita! In fact,
when we sat down for lunch an hour later, I presented her with the lone CI photo I had of her. She looked at it and,
I kid you not, said, "I am pretty!" The whole table broke out into howls of laughter. I don't think she knew
what to make of the reaction. It took me a full minute to regain my composure.
Daniela's situation is stark, but not hopeless. Their house has a foundation and solid floors. Everyone has beds,
but they share. They have a single fan, though the heat coupled with the metal roof (which leaks when it rains)
makes the temperature inside oppressively hot. Daniela's and her sister's father passed away, and the second
husband of their younger brother abandoned the family. Mom helps with the extended family's business, but I
don't think they get very steady income.
The promise of hope comes in the fact that her mother seems to have some ambition and positively dotes on
Daniela. Further, Daniela speaks of becoming a nurse and likes school. A child that has lost hope doesn't talk this
way. All good news. It gives me hope that she can be helped before falling through the cracks. Maybe another fan
and a separate bed for starters. Will look into an income generating project, too.
Daniela's trip to the mall was filled with looks of awe, wonder, thrills and smiles. She thoroughly enjoyed her short
time away from the drudgery of her everyday existence. Cool air, bright lights, new clothes, a first trip on an
escalator, plenty of arcade games, prizes, and a trampoline, among others.
What will stick with me is our ride together on the indoor rollercoaster. While she didn't look terrified, she realized
early on that this was not to her liking. As the coaster slowed to the station half way through the ride, she
managed to slither out from under the lap bar fully intending to bolt. Only my catlike reflexes (sarcasm alert) kept
her from having a nasty spill. When the ride came to a full stop, she was like a blur. She wasn't crying about the
experience, but you couldn't get her on that thing again with a team a Clydesdales pulling her. No, sir.
Like yesterday, there was no time for grocery shopping. One item remained prior to heading back: finding a stuffed
animal. She had her eye on a Winnie the Pooh that cost more than her Mom makes in several months. She settled
for a more reasonably sized white bear, which she named Steve (of course). Let it be known that Emilse, my
translator, is fully responsible for putting this bug in her ear. So now I have three, count 'em, three bears named
after me. I suppose there are worse things in life.
The long bumpy road back to her house was relatively quiet. They almost always are. I snuck a few glances her way
and saw her gently rubbing the soft hair of the bear against her face. It is an indescribable feeling knowing that the
simple purchase of a silly stuffed bear could have such a positive influence on a child. When she goes to bed
tonight and every night with her bear, she'll think of her padrino. Mission accomplished.
Well, another trip is in the books. As with all of them, they are richly rewarding and bittersweet. I treasure the
memories and hope that these blogs give you a sense of what you could be experiencing for yourselves. They really
are unforgettable. If you have the means, and are holding back due to apprehensions, put them aside, book
tickets, and see your child. You won't regret it.
My next trip blog? Probably the Dominican Republic in July.
Ciao from Colombia!
Greetings from Barranquilla. This was my last full day and final visit here in Colombia. Before relating my
experiences with my child, first a brief mention of the other five kids I met.
Working backwards from last to first, there's Daniela, Chenelle's child. Daniela is quite young. Too young to be
stringing sentences together yet. Her mother did most of the talking, though we discovered that she likes pink and
blew a kiss for the camera. It was also interesting to see their reaction to seeing Chenelle's photographs. It was the
first time they'd seen her sponsor's picture. I think they liked them. A message to sponsors in general: the families
by and large cherish the photos and letters. Even if you can't shower your child with gifts, the mere gesture of
sending a note or picture in the mail means a lot to them. Believe it when I say they save them all.
Yuselfi is Inga's girl. I had seen previous photos of her on Inga's Facebook page, so I knew what she looked like. I
had expected an outgoing girl for reasons beyond my comprehension. Instead she was very shy and fidgety. Must
have been the photographer.... Despite her nervousness, I did manage to get her smiling for a few shots and
videos.
Keyner, Eliana's kid, is also very young. Three-years-old, if memory serves. He started to sing a song he wanted her
to hear. I rushed to hit record on the camcorder to catch this priceless momemt. I'm not sure what he was saying,
but it probably isn't important. I got him an Etch-a-sketch on Eliana's behalf. Sure hope he likes it.
Next up: Jhojaris, one of Lisa's kids. This girl scored some nice stuff, including a necklace, bracelet, top, stickers, and
jewelry making kit. Also Lisa's is Brayan. Another very young boy with a lot of energy, none of which was directed
to the camera. Brayan had much to do, and sitting still for my interview proved a little challenging. YouTube videos
are forthcoming!
The rest of the day was devoted to Daniela (the second Daniela of the day). After picking up a couple of field
personnel, we headed for her house on the outskirts of Barranquilla. As we stopped in front of her house, I began
giving one of the CI workers a one minute tutorial on how to operate my camcorder so that I could have video of my
first moment together with Daniela. As is often the case, my best laid plans went awry, as Daniela had spotted me
standing next to the van. I heard a voice and a second later this adorable girl was clinging to my legs like a barnacle
on a hull.
Here I was fretting about those new guidelines being established to prevent unwanted affection from sponsor to
child. With this being my first meeting, I was fully expecting to settle for a handshake. Not! What a pleasant
surprise.
Daniela is absolutely precious. Her very cute photo does not do her justice. In person, she is muy bonita! In fact,
when we sat down for lunch an hour later, I presented her with the lone CI photo I had of her. She looked at it and,
I kid you not, said, "I am pretty!" The whole table broke out into howls of laughter. I don't think she knew
what to make of the reaction. It took me a full minute to regain my composure.
Daniela's situation is stark, but not hopeless. Their house has a foundation and solid floors. Everyone has beds,
but they share. They have a single fan, though the heat coupled with the metal roof (which leaks when it rains)
makes the temperature inside oppressively hot. Daniela's and her sister's father passed away, and the second
husband of their younger brother abandoned the family. Mom helps with the extended family's business, but I
don't think they get very steady income.
The promise of hope comes in the fact that her mother seems to have some ambition and positively dotes on
Daniela. Further, Daniela speaks of becoming a nurse and likes school. A child that has lost hope doesn't talk this
way. All good news. It gives me hope that she can be helped before falling through the cracks. Maybe another fan
and a separate bed for starters. Will look into an income generating project, too.
Daniela's trip to the mall was filled with looks of awe, wonder, thrills and smiles. She thoroughly enjoyed her short
time away from the drudgery of her everyday existence. Cool air, bright lights, new clothes, a first trip on an
escalator, plenty of arcade games, prizes, and a trampoline, among others.
What will stick with me is our ride together on the indoor rollercoaster. While she didn't look terrified, she realized
early on that this was not to her liking. As the coaster slowed to the station half way through the ride, she
managed to slither out from under the lap bar fully intending to bolt. Only my catlike reflexes (sarcasm alert) kept
her from having a nasty spill. When the ride came to a full stop, she was like a blur. She wasn't crying about the
experience, but you couldn't get her on that thing again with a team a Clydesdales pulling her. No, sir.
Like yesterday, there was no time for grocery shopping. One item remained prior to heading back: finding a stuffed
animal. She had her eye on a Winnie the Pooh that cost more than her Mom makes in several months. She settled
for a more reasonably sized white bear, which she named Steve (of course). Let it be known that Emilse, my
translator, is fully responsible for putting this bug in her ear. So now I have three, count 'em, three bears named
after me. I suppose there are worse things in life.
The long bumpy road back to her house was relatively quiet. They almost always are. I snuck a few glances her way
and saw her gently rubbing the soft hair of the bear against her face. It is an indescribable feeling knowing that the
simple purchase of a silly stuffed bear could have such a positive influence on a child. When she goes to bed
tonight and every night with her bear, she'll think of her padrino. Mission accomplished.
Well, another trip is in the books. As with all of them, they are richly rewarding and bittersweet. I treasure the
memories and hope that these blogs give you a sense of what you could be experiencing for yourselves. They really
are unforgettable. If you have the means, and are holding back due to apprehensions, put them aside, book
tickets, and see your child. You won't regret it.
My next trip blog? Probably the Dominican Republic in July.
Ciao from Colombia!
