"I want the sponsors to know that by sponsoring some of these children they have brought meaning and hope to many families especially in the life of these unprivileged children in our region," said CARITAS' Location Coordinator in the Nsukka region of Nigeria, fondly known to us as Miss Nelly.
The Lord has done great things for us! A young woman named Farron Horton will be going to Haiti at the end of this month for a preliminary introduction to CARITAS For Children’s ministry partners there, the Little Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. What will hopefully follow is Farron’s eventual placement as a long-term missionary with CARITAS For Children’s Haiti child sponsorship programs this summer. It almost seems as if it was meant to be.
“The whole country of Uganda is on tension for we don't know what will come out after elections...pray for us.” That is the request from Sr. Carolyne, the coordinator for CARITAS’ child sponsorship programs in Nkokonjeru in light of presidential elections in Uganda today, Thursday, February 18th.
Troubled by the number of children coming to school each morning with empty stomachs, Sr. Lucy, Headmistress of St. Anthony Nursery School in Nkokonjeru, Uganda, came up with a plan. St. Anthony is one of the schools where children sponsored through CARITAS' child sponsorship programs attend. These sponsored children come from some of the families that are most in need in Nkokonjeru. CARITAS wanted to help.
We had a memorable year, here are some images our staff chose that represent some significant events for CARITAS' child sponsorship programs that took place in 2015.
Location Coordinator for CARITAS' Haitian Child Sponsorship Programs, Félix Joseph, shares some of the traditions of the New Year in his country. Bonus: Recipe Included.
We have to thank our God for his blessing to us that we have seen this past year in his great love. Thank you Lord, may we not forget to pray for the next year of 2016. We do need more grace, blessing, and love to build our world activities.
One of the treasures of CARITAS' child sponsorship programs is the rich cultural diversity of everyone involved. We are truly offered a global perspective from our encounters with our friends in Africa, Poland, and the Caribbean. The varying traditions of Christmas celebrations throughout our CARITAS program locations are also fascinating to consider.
Silvia Margarita lives at the Hogar Teresa Toda in the Dominican Republic. The Hogar is a residence for girls and a refuge from extreme poverty or an unsafe home environment. For some families, the Hogar is key to securing a better life and an education for their daughters. By the invitation of Sr. Josefina, the Director of the Hogar, CARITAS’ Program Administrator, Juan Urrea, had the opportunity to meet Silvia and travel along to her home in the province of San Juan.
When Alondra and Casandra return home this Christmas they’ll see their mother, brothers and sister again for the two week break from school and the residence for girls where they live most of the time. Their home is a 15-foot square, two-room concrete structure in the poorest neighborhood of Azua province in the Dominican Republic. When Alondra and Casandra return to the Hogar Teresa Toda after the holidays, more than likely they will be malnourished and a few pounds lighter.
Looking out over a heavy cloud layer at about 36,000 feet – nothing but clear blue sky, the sounds of fellow travelers and the roar of the jet engines. Our 7:30 a.m. flight finally departed after a nice coat of pink de-icing fluid set us free to lift off…it was 11:45 a.m.…heading to New England where I grew from childhood. The memories of several Thanksgiving holidays over 60 years started there and since have found me in many places to continue to enjoy and bless me around the globe. T.S. Eliot had a great quote that comes to mind right now. He said, “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
