Children International Updates
Proof of Progress |
|
|
 |
|
In 2003, Leslie and Maury made their first visit to Rodel-
ita in Quezon City. They also ended up sponsoring
Rodelita’s best friend, Eden. |
|
By Leslie Scallet Lieberman, sponsor
More than 10 years ago, my husband and I started sponsoring a little girl in the squatter settlement in Quezon City, Philippines, through Children International. For five years, we just sent in our money. We loved the communications from Children International – from the central office telling us what our money was buying for little Rodelita and the pictures and updates about her progress, and of course the little drawings of her new shoes or toothbrush. But we had heard all the stories about nonprofit scams…so we decided to see for ourselves. It has changed our lives.
| |
 |
| |
On their 2006 visit, Leslie and Maury succeeded in
getting Rodelita back into high school. |
| |
 |
| |
This picture, taken just months ago, shows how
Rodelita and Eden have grown into healthy young
women, thanks to Leslie and Maury’s sponsorship. |
Despite the distance in miles and culture, Rodelita became a member of our family. We are now “Mommy Leslie and Daddy Maury,” and visits begin and end in tears and hugs. We met and fell in love with (and now sponsor) her best friend Eden, too, and have no doubt that this program has utterly transformed the possibilities in their lives.
Recently, we returned from our latest visit with them. As they “age out” of the sponsorship program, we are figuring out ways to continue our support for them to get a good education (the costs are miniscule compared to costs in the U.S. – but far beyond the families’ means).
Rodelita is now 18, and about to graduate from high school and enter college – which would never have happened without sponsorship. Eden is in nursing school, the first of her family (who live 14 in a one-room shack on about $40 a month) to go to college. We are amazed at the impact of Children International, which works community by community, through agencies staffed locally, to identify children at special risk and provide basic health and dental care, school and hygiene supplies, supplemental nutrition, libraries, social activities, leadership training, and most importantly, a sense of possibility and self-esteem.
We particularly like their emphasis on youth, with programs like the Youth Health Corps, which educated our girls about HIV-AIDS, birth control, substance abuse and more…and sent them out to their community to spread the word among their peers and the younger kids. We also love the involvement of the mothers as volunteers, helping make the program dollars go further while learning valuable skills themselves and “giving back” to show their appreciation for what their family is receiving. We thought we would do a little good…and found the most rewarding experience of our lives. |
|
| |
|
