http://community.liftone.org/service/getFeed.kickAction?quantity=25 New blogs from CI_Staff on LiftOne Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:50:52 GMT Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:50:52 GMT admin@liftone.org (Children_Intl_Admin) admin@liftone.org (Children_Intl_Admin) KickApps Feed Builder 2010-04-23T02:50:52Z 11 http://community.liftone.org/service/searchEverything.kickAction?as=121091&sortType=recent 0 http://community.liftone.org/_Post-Two-from-Honduras/BLOG/2310610/121091.html By Garrett Kenyon “This is what it’s all about,” I thought as I stood on the mountaintop looking down into a beautiful, lush valley. In front of me, several men and women were digging and breaking rocks. These were the people of Colonia Paquita Bustillo, a village about halfway down the mountain. Up here, there was a breeze, but it was still scorching hot. Yet the people worked with vigor, laughing and smiling as they lay the foundations for something that would radically improve their lives. Before ascending the mountain, we met Osman, Claudia and Erick – Youth Council officers. We were there to see the project they had decided to spend their annual Youth Fund on – a large water tank, from which purified water will flow down the mountain and into the homes of 56 families in the village below – many with sponsored children of their own. None of the Council members live in this village. They won’t benefit from this project. And yet, a group of youth, given the chance to spend money on whatever they want, decided to use it to help others. As the villagers work, the youth talk about how sponsorship has instilled in them the desire to make the world a better place. All three grew up in neighborhoods where water was scarce. So they decided to spend the Youth Fund not on themselves, but to save other children from the same hardship. “It feels so wonderful to do something like this,” Claudia told me, her voice swollen with pride. I knew just how she felt. Watch the video below for a short look at the work site and some genuinely awful narration from yours truly. Check back soon for more updates, pictures and videos from our trip to Honduras. By Garrett Kenyon “This is what it’s all about,” I thought as I stood on the mountaintop looking down into a beautiful, lush valley. In front of me, several men and women were digging and breaking rocks. These were the people of Colonia Paquita Bustillo, a village about halfway down the mountain. Up here, there was a breeze, but it was still scorching hot. Yet the people worked with vigor, laughing and smiling as they lay the foundations for something that would radically improve their lives. Before ascending the mountain, we met Osman, Claudia and Erick – Youth Council officers. We were there to see the project they had decided to spend their annual Youth Fund on – a large water tank, from which purified water will flow down the mountain and into the homes of 56 families in the village below – many with sponsored children of their own. None of the Council members live in this village. They won’t benefit from this project. And yet, a group of youth, given the chance to spend money on whatever they want, decided to use it to help others. As the villagers work, the youth talk about how sponsorship has instilled in them the desire to make the world a better place. All three grew up in neighborhoods where water was scarce. So they decided to spend the Youth Fund not on themselves, but to save other children from the same hardship. “It feels so wonderful to do something like this,” Claudia told me, her voice swollen with pride. I knew just how she felt. Watch the video below for a short look at the work site and some genuinely awful narration from yours truly. Check back soon for more updates, pictures and videos from our trip to Honduras. Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:50:52 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_Post-Two-from-Honduras/BLOG/2310610/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-04-23T02:50:52Z Honduras LiftOne By Garrett Kenyon “This is what it’s all about,” I thought as I stood on the mountaintop looking down into a beautiful, lush valley. In front of me, several men and women were digging and breaking rocks. These were the people of Colonia Paquita Bustillo, a village about halfway down the mountain. Up here, there was a breeze, but it was still scorching hot. Yet the people worked with vigor, laughing and smiling as they lay the foundations for something that would radically improve their lives. Before ascending the mountain, we met Osman, Claudia and Erick – Youth Council officers. We were there to see the project they had decided to spend their annual Youth Fund on – a large water tank, from which purified water will flow down the mountain and into the homes of 56 families in the village below – many with sponsored children of their own. None of the Council members live in this village. They won’t benefit from this project. And yet, a group of youth, given the chance to spend money on whatever they want, decided to use it to help others. As the villagers work, the youth talk about how sponsorship has instilled in them the desire to make the world a better place. All three grew up in neighborhoods where water was scarce. So they decided to spend the Youth Fund not on themselves, but to save other children from the same hardship. “It feels so wonderful to do something like this,” Claudia told me, her voice swollen with pride. I knew just how she felt. Watch the video below for a short look at the work site and some genuinely awful narration from yours truly. Check back soon for more updates, pictures and videos from our trip to Honduras. adminblog, children international, honduras, project, water, youth nonadult false Post Two from Honduras text blog adminblog,children international,honduras,project,water,youth 956 6 4.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 4 Honduras 0 2310610 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_Am-I-Poor/BLOG/2308578/121091.html With our latest issue of Journeys magazine due to arrive in mailboxes any day now, let’s get a behind-the-scenes look at a story we featured from Mexico. In “Something to Hold On To” we introduced you to Rosa, a single mom with two boys, struggling to make ends meet. Elsa Oviedo, our communications coordinator in Mexico, visited Rosa and her boys several times to report this story. She interviewed them, took photos and recorded video. Here’s her insider’s look at what happened one visit after she turned off her voice recorder. And be sure to check out her video clips too. [image] I thought that my interview had ended so I turned off the voice recorder and closed my notebook, when suddenly Rosa started saying, “You know, after you left my home, I was up in the middle of my one-bedroom house and I started to think about poverty. I hadn’t thought about that before, you know,” she said, starting at me. “I see other people’s houses and then I see mine….” After a small pause, Rosa said these words, that still now after a couple of months, are in my head, “Am I poor? Do you think I’m poor?” That was the third time that I had the chance to meet Rosa, mother of two children receiving sponsorship benefits (the youngest is pictured). At that time I felt really ashamed. I mean, a simple “no” or “yes” wouldn’t have been the best answer, right? But more than my answer, what really caught my attention was the fact that she would ask herself that question. Unfortunately we’re used to putting people into a lot of categories and, at the same time, we also “fit” into one, but almost nobody stops to think carefully about whether he “belongs” to that one. But what is poverty? Why didn’t Rosa feel poor? I think that the biggest problem about “being poor” is the fact that people don’t realize that things could be so much better. It’s like they’re locked up into an often uncomfortable and small shell full of disadvantages, until something or somebody makes them aware of the outside world, and then this shell is open to a much brighter and bigger ocean. That’s why I love being in contact with our sponsored families, because I see how we help them, step by step, to see beyond their own reality. In this case, thanks to a special donation, Rosa and her two boys will have one of their biggest needs met – a bathroom. And I think, more than this, they’ll realize that their life conditions can be improved. [image][image] My biggest wish is that not just Rosa and her kids, but all the sponsored families (and non-sponsored also) would have on their minds all the time that we’re able to make our lives better if we give it our biggest effort. Listen to Rosa discuss how she manages to feed her family. Hear Rosa talk about how poverty affects her family. With our latest issue of Journeys magazine due to arrive in mailboxes any day now, let’s get a behind-the-scenes look at a story we featured from Mexico. In “Something to Hold On To” we introduced you to Rosa, a single mom with two boys, struggling to make ends meet. Elsa Oviedo, our communications coordinator in Mexico, visited Rosa and her boys several times to report this story. She interviewed them, took photos and recorded video. Here’s her insider’s look at what happened one visit after she turned off her voice recorder. And be sure to check out her video clips too. [image] I thought that my interview had ended so I turned off the voice recorder and closed my notebook, when suddenly Rosa started saying, “You know, after you left my home, I was up in the middle of my one-bedroom house and I started to think about poverty. I hadn’t thought about that before, you know,” she said, starting at me. “I see other people’s houses and then I see mine….” After a small pause, Rosa said these words, that still now after a couple of months, are in my head, “Am I poor? Do you think I’m poor?” That was the third time that I had the chance to meet Rosa, mother of two children receiving sponsorship benefits (the youngest is pictured). At that time I felt really ashamed. I mean, a simple “no” or “yes” wouldn’t have been the best answer, right? But more than my answer, what really caught my attention was the fact that she would ask herself that question. Unfortunately we’re used to putting people into a lot of categories and, at the same time, we also “fit” into one, but almost nobody stops to think carefully about whether he “belongs” to that one. But what is poverty? Why didn’t Rosa feel poor? I think that the biggest problem about “being poor” is the fact that people don’t realize that things could be so much better. It’s like they’re locked up into an often uncomfortable and small shell full of disadvantages, until something or somebody makes them aware of the outside world, and then this shell is open to a much brighter and bigger ocean. That’s why I love being in contact with our sponsored families, because I see how we help them, step by step, to see beyond their own reality. In this case, thanks to a special donation, Rosa and her two boys will have one of their biggest needs met – a bathroom. And I think, more than this, they’ll realize that their life conditions can be improved. [image][image] My biggest wish is that not just Rosa and her kids, but all the sponsored families (and non-sponsored also) would have on their minds all the time that we’re able to make our lives better if we give it our biggest effort. Listen to Rosa discuss how she manages to feed her family. Hear Rosa talk about how poverty affects her family. Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:31:00 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_Am-I-Poor/BLOG/2308578/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-04-21T18:31:00Z Mexico LiftOne With our latest issue of Journeys magazine due to arrive in mailboxes any day now, let’s get a behind-the-scenes look at a story we featured from Mexico. In “Something to Hold On To” we introduced you to Rosa, a single mom with two boys, struggling to make ends meet. Elsa Oviedo, our communications coordinator in Mexico, visited Rosa and her boys several times to report this story. She interviewed them, took photos and recorded video. Here’s her insider’s look at what happened one visit after she turned off her voice recorder. And be sure to check out her video clips too. [image] I thought that my interview had ended so I turned off the voice recorder and closed my notebook, when suddenly Rosa started saying, “You know, after you left my home, I was up in the middle of my one-bedroom house and I started to think about poverty. I hadn’t thought about that before, you know,” she said, starting at me. “I see other people’s houses and then I see mine….” After a small pause, Rosa said these words, that still now after a couple of months, are in my head, “Am I poor? Do you think I’m poor?” That was the third time that I had the chance to meet Rosa, mother of two children receiving sponsorship benefits (the youngest is pictured). At that time I felt really ashamed. I mean, a simple “no” or “yes” wouldn’t have been the best answer, right? But more than my answer, what really caught my attention was the fact that she would ask herself that question. Unfortunately we’re used to putting people into a lot of categories and, at the same time, we also “fit” into one, but almost nobody stops to think carefully about whether he “belongs” to that one. But what is poverty? Why didn’t Rosa feel poor? I think that the biggest problem about “being poor” is the fact that people don’t realize that things could be so much better. It’s like they’re locked up into an often uncomfortable and small shell full of disadvantages, until something or somebody makes them aware of the outside world, and then this shell is open to a much brighter and bigger ocean. That’s why I love being in contact with our sponsored families, because I see how we help them, step by step, to see beyond their own reality. In this case, thanks to a special donation, Rosa and her two boys will have one of their biggest needs met – a bathroom. And I think, more than this, they’ll realize that their life conditions can be improved. [image][image] My biggest wish is that not just Rosa and her kids, but all the sponsored families (and non-sponsored also) would have on their minds all the time that we’re able to make our lives better if we give it our biggest effort. Listen to Rosa discuss how she manages to feed her family. Hear Rosa talk about how poverty affects her family. children, family, mexico, mother, poverty nonadult false "Am I Poor" text blog children,family,mexico,mother,poverty 953 11 2.81818 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 1 Mexico 0 2308578 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_Sitting-Down-on-the-Job/BLOG/2306223/121091.html By Scott Cotter Today we paid a visit to the Dr. Miguel Paz Barahona school and got to see some of the desks that Children International has been providing for the students. Under law, each student must have a desk and because the school is packed with students, there were a lot of makeshift desks being used. The principal told me that sometimes it would be blocks piled up, or a board balanced between rocks. There just weren’t the resources available to buy desks for every student. Can you imagine trying to concentrate on your studies in 90 degree heat while sitting on a pile of uncomfortable blocks? Each desk costs about $21. What’s really sad is that some of the families will buy one for a child and then work on paying off that desk for an entire year. The children in this video are sitting in their new and comfy desks. And this is just one example of the educational benefits provided here in Honduras. The agency provides support to sponsored children on a school by school basis, meaning the schools and students are provided support based on what’s needed the most. By Scott Cotter Today we paid a visit to the Dr. Miguel Paz Barahona school and got to see some of the desks that Children International has been providing for the students. Under law, each student must have a desk and because the school is packed with students, there were a lot of makeshift desks being used. The principal told me that sometimes it would be blocks piled up, or a board balanced between rocks. There just weren’t the resources available to buy desks for every student. Can you imagine trying to concentrate on your studies in 90 degree heat while sitting on a pile of uncomfortable blocks? Each desk costs about $21. What’s really sad is that some of the families will buy one for a child and then work on paying off that desk for an entire year. The children in this video are sitting in their new and comfy desks. And this is just one example of the educational benefits provided here in Honduras. The agency provides support to sponsored children on a school by school basis, meaning the schools and students are provided support based on what’s needed the most. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:02:45 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_Sitting-Down-on-the-Job/BLOG/2306223/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-04-20T04:02:45Z Honduras LiftOne By Scott Cotter Today we paid a visit to the Dr. Miguel Paz Barahona school and got to see some of the desks that Children International has been providing for the students. Under law, each student must have a desk and because the school is packed with students, there were a lot of makeshift desks being used. The principal told me that sometimes it would be blocks piled up, or a board balanced between rocks. There just weren’t the resources available to buy desks for every student. Can you imagine trying to concentrate on your studies in 90 degree heat while sitting on a pile of uncomfortable blocks? Each desk costs about $21. What’s really sad is that some of the families will buy one for a child and then work on paying off that desk for an entire year. The children in this video are sitting in their new and comfy desks. And this is just one example of the educational benefits provided here in Honduras. The agency provides support to sponsored children on a school by school basis, meaning the schools and students are provided support based on what’s needed the most. adminblog, children, children international, desk, honduras, school nonadult false Sitting Down on the Job text blog adminblog,children,children international,desk,honduras,school 791 12 3.75 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 2 Honduras 0 2306223 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_This-is-How-We-Like-Our-Chile/BLOG/2193718/121091.html Children International Communications Coordinator, Leo Montecinos shares some uplifting views on post-earthquake Valparaíso. The earthquake of February 27th left evidence of many of our shortcomings. Many are still without lines of communication, electricity or water, even three weeks after the terrible event. Nevertheless, in these days we have also discovered some positive signs, which I would like to emphasize:  - A few days after the earthquake happened, in the streets of our cities, we Chileans witnessed a notable occurrence: many families raised the Chilean flag in front of their homes. I must point out, that under normal circumstances, Chilean law states that the flag can only be flown on our Independence Day. This spontaneous act got the media’s attention. “The flag gives us optimism and happiness. It raises our spirits. We must fly it to the hilts, so that Chile can fly again too,” said one citizen upon being interviewed by a local television station. And it’s true – walking through the streets and seeing the homes with their flags makes us happy. [image] - Another outstanding occurrence is that the local television channels quickly organized and came together to start a campaign to raise money. After 24 hours of uninterrupted transmission, they doubled the amount of money they were hoping to collect! The media, the local artists who participated in the show, private companies and individual citizens made this dream possible. - Finally, I’d like to point out the countless people who decorated the windows of their cars with messages like “Be Strong Chile!”, “Let’s Go Chile!”, and “Go Chile!” These are messages that we have been able to read everywhere, and without a doubt, we are slowly achieving our goals. Still today we see these cars pass by, and we feel elated. [image] This is the Chile that we are experiencing now: A patriotic Chile, full of solidarity. A Chile that we hope lasts forever, because, this is how we like our Chile. You too can still help raise Chile’s spirit. If you’d like to make a donation to help rebuild and repair the homes of sponsored children in Valparaiso, please visit our Emergency Alert page. Children International Communications Coordinator, Leo Montecinos shares some uplifting views on post-earthquake Valparaíso. The earthquake of February 27th left evidence of many of our shortcomings. Many are still without lines of communication, electricity or water, even three weeks after the terrible event. Nevertheless, in these days we have also discovered some positive signs, which I would like to emphasize:  - A few days after the earthquake happened, in the streets of our cities, we Chileans witnessed a notable occurrence: many families raised the Chilean flag in front of their homes. I must point out, that under normal circumstances, Chilean law states that the flag can only be flown on our Independence Day. This spontaneous act got the media’s attention. “The flag gives us optimism and happiness. It raises our spirits. We must fly it to the hilts, so that Chile can fly again too,” said one citizen upon being interviewed by a local television station. And it’s true – walking through the streets and seeing the homes with their flags makes us happy. [image] - Another outstanding occurrence is that the local television channels quickly organized and came together to start a campaign to raise money. After 24 hours of uninterrupted transmission, they doubled the amount of money they were hoping to collect! The media, the local artists who participated in the show, private companies and individual citizens made this dream possible. - Finally, I’d like to point out the countless people who decorated the windows of their cars with messages like “Be Strong Chile!”, “Let’s Go Chile!”, and “Go Chile!” These are messages that we have been able to read everywhere, and without a doubt, we are slowly achieving our goals. Still today we see these cars pass by, and we feel elated. [image] This is the Chile that we are experiencing now: A patriotic Chile, full of solidarity. A Chile that we hope lasts forever, because, this is how we like our Chile. You too can still help raise Chile’s spirit. If you’d like to make a donation to help rebuild and repair the homes of sponsored children in Valparaiso, please visit our Emergency Alert page. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:24:26 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_This-is-How-We-Like-Our-Chile/BLOG/2193718/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-03-19T16:24:26Z Chile LiftOne Children International Communications Coordinator, Leo Montecinos shares some uplifting views on post-earthquake Valparaíso. The earthquake of February 27th left evidence of many of our shortcomings. Many are still without lines of communication, electricity or water, even three weeks after the terrible event. Nevertheless, in these days we have also discovered some positive signs, which I would like to emphasize:  - A few days after the earthquake happened, in the streets of our cities, we Chileans witnessed a notable occurrence: many families raised the Chilean flag in front of their homes. I must point out, that under normal circumstances, Chilean law states that the flag can only be flown on our Independence Day. This spontaneous act got the media’s attention. “The flag gives us optimism and happiness. It raises our spirits. We must fly it to the hilts, so that Chile can fly again too,” said one citizen upon being interviewed by a local television station. And it’s true – walking through the streets and seeing the homes with their flags makes us happy. [image] - Another outstanding occurrence is that the local television channels quickly organized and came together to start a campaign to raise money. After 24 hours of uninterrupted transmission, they doubled the amount of money they were hoping to collect! The media, the local artists who participated in the show, private companies and individual citizens made this dream possible. - Finally, I’d like to point out the countless people who decorated the windows of their cars with messages like “Be Strong Chile!”, “Let’s Go Chile!”, and “Go Chile!” These are messages that we have been able to read everywhere, and without a doubt, we are slowly achieving our goals. Still today we see these cars pass by, and we feel elated. [image] This is the Chile that we are experiencing now: A patriotic Chile, full of solidarity. A Chile that we hope lasts forever, because, this is how we like our Chile. You too can still help raise Chile’s spirit. If you’d like to make a donation to help rebuild and repair the homes of sponsored children in Valparaiso, please visit our Emergency Alert page. chile, earthquake, recovery, solidarity nonadult false This is How We Like Our Chile text blog chile,earthquake,recovery,solidarity 1011 6 5.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 1 Chile 0 2193718 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_A-Tour-of-Valparaiso/BLOG/1933449/121091.html By Leo Montecinos Walking the streets and alleyways of the city of Valparaiso has always a good sightseeing outing; however, ever since the morning of Saturday, February 27th, the outing has changed from touristic to horrifying. This time on our walk we saw cracked streets and destroyed homes, downed communication lines, water shortage, injured people, death and families who lost everything. This is the result of one of the most intense earthquakes ever registered in the history of Chile. In the city of Valparaiso, the damages are palpable; homes that have lost their facades, mounds of rubble, broken glass, and above all else, the worried faces of our people. That is what we saw on our tour of the city. “Don’t leave us. Please help us,” a passer-by implored with anguish upon recognizing we were from Children International. As we continued on, a phone call informed us that a volunteer had lost her home. We quickly made our way to her house... We found ourselves at a desolate scene. Nevertheless, comfort and hope aren’t totally absent. “The most important thing is that my family is okay,” María Jara told us with a mix of sadness and satisfaction. María is an outstanding volunteer for Children International. “The policemen came to visit my home, and they told me that I had to leave, that I couldn’t keep living here anymore.” María, along with her family, went to live temporarily with her mother, while they wait to regroup and overcome this tremendous hardship. Her daughter, Javiera Sandoval, doesn’t want to go home. “She’s very scared. She doesn’t want to go back to that place,” says María. At just four years old, Javiera will never forget what she went through in the early morning hours of Saturday, February 27th. Today, Chile is sad. Valparaiso is sad. Her people are sad and frightened. Aftershocks are common place, yet the the outpour of kindness from every corner of the world is comforting. It is comforting to know that so many people care about this little country, which despite it’s difficulties, will find a way to keep moving forward... and without a doubt, we will! Leopoldo is our Communications Coordinator in Valparaíso, Chile.   By Leo Montecinos Walking the streets and alleyways of the city of Valparaiso has always a good sightseeing outing; however, ever since the morning of Saturday, February 27th, the outing has changed from touristic to horrifying. This time on our walk we saw cracked streets and destroyed homes, downed communication lines, water shortage, injured people, death and families who lost everything. This is the result of one of the most intense earthquakes ever registered in the history of Chile. In the city of Valparaiso, the damages are palpable; homes that have lost their facades, mounds of rubble, broken glass, and above all else, the worried faces of our people. That is what we saw on our tour of the city. “Don’t leave us. Please help us,” a passer-by implored with anguish upon recognizing we were from Children International. As we continued on, a phone call informed us that a volunteer had lost her home. We quickly made our way to her house... We found ourselves at a desolate scene. Nevertheless, comfort and hope aren’t totally absent. “The most important thing is that my family is okay,” María Jara told us with a mix of sadness and satisfaction. María is an outstanding volunteer for Children International. “The policemen came to visit my home, and they told me that I had to leave, that I couldn’t keep living here anymore.” María, along with her family, went to live temporarily with her mother, while they wait to regroup and overcome this tremendous hardship. Her daughter, Javiera Sandoval, doesn’t want to go home. “She’s very scared. She doesn’t want to go back to that place,” says María. At just four years old, Javiera will never forget what she went through in the early morning hours of Saturday, February 27th. Today, Chile is sad. Valparaiso is sad. Her people are sad and frightened. Aftershocks are common place, yet the the outpour of kindness from every corner of the world is comforting. It is comforting to know that so many people care about this little country, which despite it’s difficulties, will find a way to keep moving forward... and without a doubt, we will! Leopoldo is our Communications Coordinator in Valparaíso, Chile.   Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:27:21 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_A-Tour-of-Valparaiso/BLOG/1933449/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-03-05T14:27:21Z Chile LiftOne By Leo Montecinos Walking the streets and alleyways of the city of Valparaiso has always a good sightseeing outing; however, ever since the morning of Saturday, February 27th, the outing has changed from touristic to horrifying. This time on our walk we saw cracked streets and destroyed homes, downed communication lines, water shortage, injured people, death and families who lost everything. This is the result of one of the most intense earthquakes ever registered in the history of Chile. In the city of Valparaiso, the damages are palpable; homes that have lost their facades, mounds of rubble, broken glass, and above all else, the worried faces of our people. That is what we saw on our tour of the city. “Don’t leave us. Please help us,” a passer-by implored with anguish upon recognizing we were from Children International. As we continued on, a phone call informed us that a volunteer had lost her home. We quickly made our way to her house... We found ourselves at a desolate scene. Nevertheless, comfort and hope aren’t totally absent. “The most important thing is that my family is okay,” María Jara told us with a mix of sadness and satisfaction. María is an outstanding volunteer for Children International. “The policemen came to visit my home, and they told me that I had to leave, that I couldn’t keep living here anymore.” María, along with her family, went to live temporarily with her mother, while they wait to regroup and overcome this tremendous hardship. Her daughter, Javiera Sandoval, doesn’t want to go home. “She’s very scared. She doesn’t want to go back to that place,” says María. At just four years old, Javiera will never forget what she went through in the early morning hours of Saturday, February 27th. Today, Chile is sad. Valparaiso is sad. Her people are sad and frightened. Aftershocks are common place, yet the the outpour of kindness from every corner of the world is comforting. It is comforting to know that so many people care about this little country, which despite it’s difficulties, will find a way to keep moving forward... and without a doubt, we will! Leopoldo is our Communications Coordinator in Valparaíso, Chile.   chile, earthquake, valparaíso nonadult false A "Tour" of Valparaiso text blog chile,earthquake,valparaíso 2076 4 5.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 3 Chile 2 1933449 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_Good-Night-Mommy-and-Daddy/BLOG/1930980/121091.html By Leopoldo Montecinos When on the night of February 26 my wife (who had just returned from the hospital after being released), my three little boys and I were saying good night, we never imagined we’d be so rudely awakened. Just a few hours later we had to get up. Quickly, struggling to keep our balance, we ran to our children’s room… Thank God, they didn’t even wake up! Yes, it’s true…they didn’t wake up! Only the youngest, two-year-old Vicente, sat up at the end of the longest three minutes we’d ever lived through, tenderly said “Daddy…” and went back to sleep… Despite the experience and the intensity of the earthquake, we never imagined the true magnitude of what had occurred – and what was about to happen…without water or electricity, an old battery-powered radio (the kind no one uses any more) was our companion for the rest of the night. All we could pick up was radio stations from Argentina, who were giving the first reports of what had happened in our country. Everything was confusion. With no phone lines and no cell phones, we were cut off from communications. The batteries on the old radio began to run down…we didn’t get power again until Sunday night (and there are places that still don’t have lights or water.) It’s only in the past couple of days that we’ve come to know the real magnitude of this earthquake and the tsunamis that followed it; it’s an enormous tragedy. Chile is prone to earthquakes, but we never get used to them and cease to be surprised. The aftershocks (last night we had a 6.1) keep reminding us, at every moment, of what happened. Chile is trying to get back up like so many other times. Chile is seeking calm; Chile is hoping to once again say “Good night.” Leopoldo Montecinos is the Communications Coordinator for Children International’s agency in Valparaíso, Chile. Watch the blog for firsthand accounts of what Leo has experienced as he and other staff members have visited families of sponsored children in the days following last Saturday’s tragic earthquake. By Leopoldo Montecinos When on the night of February 26 my wife (who had just returned from the hospital after being released), my three little boys and I were saying good night, we never imagined we’d be so rudely awakened. Just a few hours later we had to get up. Quickly, struggling to keep our balance, we ran to our children’s room… Thank God, they didn’t even wake up! Yes, it’s true…they didn’t wake up! Only the youngest, two-year-old Vicente, sat up at the end of the longest three minutes we’d ever lived through, tenderly said “Daddy…” and went back to sleep… Despite the experience and the intensity of the earthquake, we never imagined the true magnitude of what had occurred – and what was about to happen…without water or electricity, an old battery-powered radio (the kind no one uses any more) was our companion for the rest of the night. All we could pick up was radio stations from Argentina, who were giving the first reports of what had happened in our country. Everything was confusion. With no phone lines and no cell phones, we were cut off from communications. The batteries on the old radio began to run down…we didn’t get power again until Sunday night (and there are places that still don’t have lights or water.) It’s only in the past couple of days that we’ve come to know the real magnitude of this earthquake and the tsunamis that followed it; it’s an enormous tragedy. Chile is prone to earthquakes, but we never get used to them and cease to be surprised. The aftershocks (last night we had a 6.1) keep reminding us, at every moment, of what happened. Chile is trying to get back up like so many other times. Chile is seeking calm; Chile is hoping to once again say “Good night.” Leopoldo Montecinos is the Communications Coordinator for Children International’s agency in Valparaíso, Chile. Watch the blog for firsthand accounts of what Leo has experienced as he and other staff members have visited families of sponsored children in the days following last Saturday’s tragic earthquake. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:17:04 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_Good-Night-Mommy-and-Daddy/BLOG/1930980/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-03-04T14:17:04Z LiftOne By Leopoldo Montecinos When on the night of February 26 my wife (who had just returned from the hospital after being released), my three little boys and I were saying good night, we never imagined we’d be so rudely awakened. Just a few hours later we had to get up. Quickly, struggling to keep our balance, we ran to our children’s room… Thank God, they didn’t even wake up! Yes, it’s true…they didn’t wake up! Only the youngest, two-year-old Vicente, sat up at the end of the longest three minutes we’d ever lived through, tenderly said “Daddy…” and went back to sleep… Despite the experience and the intensity of the earthquake, we never imagined the true magnitude of what had occurred – and what was about to happen…without water or electricity, an old battery-powered radio (the kind no one uses any more) was our companion for the rest of the night. All we could pick up was radio stations from Argentina, who were giving the first reports of what had happened in our country. Everything was confusion. With no phone lines and no cell phones, we were cut off from communications. The batteries on the old radio began to run down…we didn’t get power again until Sunday night (and there are places that still don’t have lights or water.) It’s only in the past couple of days that we’ve come to know the real magnitude of this earthquake and the tsunamis that followed it; it’s an enormous tragedy. Chile is prone to earthquakes, but we never get used to them and cease to be surprised. The aftershocks (last night we had a 6.1) keep reminding us, at every moment, of what happened. Chile is trying to get back up like so many other times. Chile is seeking calm; Chile is hoping to once again say “Good night.” Leopoldo Montecinos is the Communications Coordinator for Children International’s agency in Valparaíso, Chile. Watch the blog for firsthand accounts of what Leo has experienced as he and other staff members have visited families of sponsored children in the days following last Saturday’s tragic earthquake. nonadult false Good Night, Mommy and Daddy text blog 1316 3 5.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 2 1 1930980 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_Getting-to-Know-Haiti-Under-Special-Circumstances/BLOG/1918486/121091.html In this moving post, Dayanara Reyes, a former Children International employee from the Dominican Republic, shares how a recent relief trip to Haiti dispelled some ancient misconceptions about her neighboring country...and taught her important lessons about brotherhood. “Hard times are when we learn who our friends are” By Dayanara Reyes A month after the earthquake stuck our brother nation of Haiti, a group of friends and coworkers  decided to carry food rations from the Fair Trade Banana Producers [in the Dominican Republic] to a specific group of affected people there. Days before our trip, the dates weren’t working out. There were purchasing and trip delays; one of the front tires of the semi truck carrying the donation blew out…I found myself thinking, then and along the journey, “Should we cancel this trip? If all this is happening to us here, what awaits us over there?” [image] As we traveled, many of us expected the entry to Haiti to be difficult…traumatic….Just a few kilometers after entering Haiti, we stopped to eat some snacks we had brought along so we could have energy for the work ahead. Carlos, who accompanied us and served as our driver for the whole trip, was surprised to see a group of Haitians stop when they saw us, because they thought we were having problems with the vehicle and were coming to help us. Right then we did a little reflecting…The common notion is that Haitians are people without feelings who think only of themselves, but that first action showed us that was a mistaken image of their country and its people. When we finally got to where we were to unload the donations, a Haitian man, noticeably moved and who obviously was from a high social class (in Haiti, there are only two social classes: very high and very low) stopped when he saw the truck and said, “Thank you for all the help you have brought from the Dominican Republic; that shows us we are brothers.” This was a second lesson that showed and reconfirmed that there is a mistaken impression of this nationality. As the goods were being unloaded, we proceeded to take a tour of the city so we could see how it was left and the impact [of the earthquake] on its inhabitants. The images were devastating…public offices completely out of commission – destroyed…inhabitants camping in different parks, on grassy areas with public restrooms, where you could see the clothing, the tents and the few donations they have received…right then you could see how children, adults and the elderly intermingled, and we thought of all the diseases that could be transmitted; but neither we nor they could do anything about it then. Seeing this made us feel helpless in a way. [image] [image] We continued our tour, and we encountered a blind man in front of the Cathedral, which was partially damaged; it was impressive to see the Christ on the cross still intact. This man moved us, because even though he couldn’t see, he narrated with his song and his guitar the story of what happened there, as though he had seen it all…the deaths, the destruction, the children crying…. [image] [image] Out of everything we experienced during those three days, the greatest message one of our Haitian brothers left with us was, “Many Haitians have left our country; however, we need Haitians to make a firm decision to stay here and rebuild our country.” [I was impressed by] his dedication, patriotism, strength and love for his own, enough to get back up in spite of this great fall. This feeling spread to me, and after I returned home, when people would ask me how I had returned – with everyone expecting me to say “depressed” – my answer was, “Greatly strengthened.” During the tour, with the emotions of that [fateful] twelfth of December still raw, Jean Marc, who acted as our guide, told us how he survived along with his six- and three-year-old sons: “We were at my sister’s house. I had been in other earthquakes, but when I saw that this one kept going, that it didn’t stop and was much more intense, and when I saw the house begin to crack, I ran out with my children and didn’t stop until I reached my house. Along the way, my children and I saw houses falling down, people dying, rocks falling on people and their insides coming out. The most traumatic and moving part of our journey [home] was when my six-year-old son told me, “Daddy, now I know what it means when people say the world is coming to an end.” [image] In this moving post, Dayanara Reyes, a former Children International employee from the Dominican Republic, shares how a recent relief trip to Haiti dispelled some ancient misconceptions about her neighboring country...and taught her important lessons about brotherhood. “Hard times are when we learn who our friends are” By Dayanara Reyes A month after the earthquake stuck our brother nation of Haiti, a group of friends and coworkers  decided to carry food rations from the Fair Trade Banana Producers [in the Dominican Republic] to a specific group of affected people there. Days before our trip, the dates weren’t working out. There were purchasing and trip delays; one of the front tires of the semi truck carrying the donation blew out…I found myself thinking, then and along the journey, “Should we cancel this trip? If all this is happening to us here, what awaits us over there?” [image] As we traveled, many of us expected the entry to Haiti to be difficult…traumatic….Just a few kilometers after entering Haiti, we stopped to eat some snacks we had brought along so we could have energy for the work ahead. Carlos, who accompanied us and served as our driver for the whole trip, was surprised to see a group of Haitians stop when they saw us, because they thought we were having problems with the vehicle and were coming to help us. Right then we did a little reflecting…The common notion is that Haitians are people without feelings who think only of themselves, but that first action showed us that was a mistaken image of their country and its people. When we finally got to where we were to unload the donations, a Haitian man, noticeably moved and who obviously was from a high social class (in Haiti, there are only two social classes: very high and very low) stopped when he saw the truck and said, “Thank you for all the help you have brought from the Dominican Republic; that shows us we are brothers.” This was a second lesson that showed and reconfirmed that there is a mistaken impression of this nationality. As the goods were being unloaded, we proceeded to take a tour of the city so we could see how it was left and the impact [of the earthquake] on its inhabitants. The images were devastating…public offices completely out of commission – destroyed…inhabitants camping in different parks, on grassy areas with public restrooms, where you could see the clothing, the tents and the few donations they have received…right then you could see how children, adults and the elderly intermingled, and we thought of all the diseases that could be transmitted; but neither we nor they could do anything about it then. Seeing this made us feel helpless in a way. [image] [image] We continued our tour, and we encountered a blind man in front of the Cathedral, which was partially damaged; it was impressive to see the Christ on the cross still intact. This man moved us, because even though he couldn’t see, he narrated with his song and his guitar the story of what happened there, as though he had seen it all…the deaths, the destruction, the children crying…. [image] [image] Out of everything we experienced during those three days, the greatest message one of our Haitian brothers left with us was, “Many Haitians have left our country; however, we need Haitians to make a firm decision to stay here and rebuild our country.” [I was impressed by] his dedication, patriotism, strength and love for his own, enough to get back up in spite of this great fall. This feeling spread to me, and after I returned home, when people would ask me how I had returned – with everyone expecting me to say “depressed” – my answer was, “Greatly strengthened.” During the tour, with the emotions of that [fateful] twelfth of December still raw, Jean Marc, who acted as our guide, told us how he survived along with his six- and three-year-old sons: “We were at my sister’s house. I had been in other earthquakes, but when I saw that this one kept going, that it didn’t stop and was much more intense, and when I saw the house begin to crack, I ran out with my children and didn’t stop until I reached my house. Along the way, my children and I saw houses falling down, people dying, rocks falling on people and their insides coming out. The most traumatic and moving part of our journey [home] was when my six-year-old son told me, “Daddy, now I know what it means when people say the world is coming to an end.” [image] Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:41:37 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_Getting-to-Know-Haiti-Under-Special-Circumstances/BLOG/1918486/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-02-26T14:41:37Z LiftOne In this moving post, Dayanara Reyes, a former Children International employee from the Dominican Republic, shares how a recent relief trip to Haiti dispelled some ancient misconceptions about her neighboring country...and taught her important lessons about brotherhood. “Hard times are when we learn who our friends are” By Dayanara Reyes A month after the earthquake stuck our brother nation of Haiti, a group of friends and coworkers  decided to carry food rations from the Fair Trade Banana Producers [in the Dominican Republic] to a specific group of affected people there. Days before our trip, the dates weren’t working out. There were purchasing and trip delays; one of the front tires of the semi truck carrying the donation blew out…I found myself thinking, then and along the journey, “Should we cancel this trip? If all this is happening to us here, what awaits us over there?” [image] As we traveled, many of us expected the entry to Haiti to be difficult…traumatic….Just a few kilometers after entering Haiti, we stopped to eat some snacks we had brought along so we could have energy for the work ahead. Carlos, who accompanied us and served as our driver for the whole trip, was surprised to see a group of Haitians stop when they saw us, because they thought we were having problems with the vehicle and were coming to help us. Right then we did a little reflecting…The common notion is that Haitians are people without feelings who think only of themselves, but that first action showed us that was a mistaken image of their country and its people. When we finally got to where we were to unload the donations, a Haitian man, noticeably moved and who obviously was from a high social class (in Haiti, there are only two social classes: very high and very low) stopped when he saw the truck and said, “Thank you for all the help you have brought from the Dominican Republic; that shows us we are brothers.” This was a second lesson that showed and reconfirmed that there is a mistaken impression of this nationality. As the goods were being unloaded, we proceeded to take a tour of the city so we could see how it was left and the impact [of the earthquake] on its inhabitants. The images were devastating…public offices completely out of commission – destroyed…inhabitants camping in different parks, on grassy areas with public restrooms, where you could see the clothing, the tents and the few donations they have received…right then you could see how children, adults and the elderly intermingled, and we thought of all the diseases that could be transmitted; but neither we nor they could do anything about it then. Seeing this made us feel helpless in a way. [image] [image] We continued our tour, and we encountered a blind man in front of the Cathedral, which was partially damaged; it was impressive to see the Christ on the cross still intact. This man moved us, because even though he couldn’t see, he narrated with his song and his guitar the story of what happened there, as though he had seen it all…the deaths, the destruction, the children crying…. [image] [image] Out of everything we experienced during those three days, the greatest message one of our Haitian brothers left with us was, “Many Haitians have left our country; however, we need Haitians to make a firm decision to stay here and rebuild our country.” [I was impressed by] his dedication, patriotism, strength and love for his own, enough to get back up in spite of this great fall. This feeling spread to me, and after I returned home, when people would ask me how I had returned – with everyone expecting me to say “depressed” – my answer was, “Greatly strengthened.” During the tour, with the emotions of that [fateful] twelfth of December still raw, Jean Marc, who acted as our guide, told us how he survived along with his six- and three-year-old sons: “We were at my sister’s house. I had been in other earthquakes, but when I saw that this one kept going, that it didn’t stop and was much more intense, and when I saw the house begin to crack, I ran out with my children and didn’t stop until I reached my house. Along the way, my children and I saw houses falling down, people dying, rocks falling on people and their insides coming out. The most traumatic and moving part of our journey [home] was when my six-year-old son told me, “Daddy, now I know what it means when people say the world is coming to an end.” [image] disaster, earthquake, haiti, relief nonadult false Getting to Know Haiti Under Special Circumstances text blog disaster,earthquake,haiti,relief 973 4 5.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 1 0 1918486 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_Reuniting-a-Family/BLOG/1864242/121091.html By Deron Denton I don't know about you, but it seems to me there is a serious deficit of good news out there. I mean, we all KNOW there are plenty of people doing good things out there (and a lot of them are in here - in the CI family!), but acts of generosity don't seem to grab the headlines or get very much air time.    Well, we recently received a report from our agency in Quezon City, Philippines, that put a smile on our faces. We hope that by sharing it, we might reduce the good news deficit by just a little. When husband-and-wife sponsors (who wish to remain anonymous) received a letter from their sponsored child, Rafael Yap - who just turned 18 this week - stating that Rafael's father was no longer living with the family, the sponsors wanted to learn more. As it turns out, Rodolfo (Rafael's father) hadn't actually abandoned the family...it was just that he couldn't find work near home. So, in order to provide for them, Rodolfo was living in another city and sending money back home to support his wife and three children. He was only able to return home every 2-3 months. The sponsors sent us a letter of inquiry, asking our staff in Quezon City to look into what it would take for Rafael's father to move back home. The only plausible plan the family and staff could foresee was to provide Rafael's mother with money to start a small store. If that succeeded - it might be possible for dad to return at some point in the future.   Only in a passing flight of fancy did Rafael's family mention that purchasing a jeepney (a private, small bus-sized taxi) would solve the problem. They understood this wasn't possible: the amount of money required to purchase a jeepney was beyond their dreams. Although it was more than what they'd originally intended to donate, when Rafael's sponsors heard about the cost of the jeepney, they decided to make it happen. Measuring the cost against how much good it would do - in terms of re-uniting a family and in terms of income-generation - it seemed like a bargain. There was one catch: the sponsors really wanted to see Rodolfo back home with his family, permanently, in time for Christmas. Quezon City staff and Mr. Yap had about one month until Christmas from the time the money was donated. As promised above, this is a story about good news...Rafael, his mother, and his siblings had their father home for Christmas. Permanently. Rodolfo is now driving his own jeepney and supporting his family. And he gets to be with them every day. [image] Oh, and there was even money for Mom to start her own small store, helping to reduce the family's level of poverty even further. [image] How's that for good news? By Deron Denton I don't know about you, but it seems to me there is a serious deficit of good news out there. I mean, we all KNOW there are plenty of people doing good things out there (and a lot of them are in here - in the CI family!), but acts of generosity don't seem to grab the headlines or get very much air time.    Well, we recently received a report from our agency in Quezon City, Philippines, that put a smile on our faces. We hope that by sharing it, we might reduce the good news deficit by just a little. When husband-and-wife sponsors (who wish to remain anonymous) received a letter from their sponsored child, Rafael Yap - who just turned 18 this week - stating that Rafael's father was no longer living with the family, the sponsors wanted to learn more. As it turns out, Rodolfo (Rafael's father) hadn't actually abandoned the family...it was just that he couldn't find work near home. So, in order to provide for them, Rodolfo was living in another city and sending money back home to support his wife and three children. He was only able to return home every 2-3 months. The sponsors sent us a letter of inquiry, asking our staff in Quezon City to look into what it would take for Rafael's father to move back home. The only plausible plan the family and staff could foresee was to provide Rafael's mother with money to start a small store. If that succeeded - it might be possible for dad to return at some point in the future.   Only in a passing flight of fancy did Rafael's family mention that purchasing a jeepney (a private, small bus-sized taxi) would solve the problem. They understood this wasn't possible: the amount of money required to purchase a jeepney was beyond their dreams. Although it was more than what they'd originally intended to donate, when Rafael's sponsors heard about the cost of the jeepney, they decided to make it happen. Measuring the cost against how much good it would do - in terms of re-uniting a family and in terms of income-generation - it seemed like a bargain. There was one catch: the sponsors really wanted to see Rodolfo back home with his family, permanently, in time for Christmas. Quezon City staff and Mr. Yap had about one month until Christmas from the time the money was donated. As promised above, this is a story about good news...Rafael, his mother, and his siblings had their father home for Christmas. Permanently. Rodolfo is now driving his own jeepney and supporting his family. And he gets to be with them every day. [image] Oh, and there was even money for Mom to start her own small store, helping to reduce the family's level of poverty even further. [image] How's that for good news? Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:07:19 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_Reuniting-a-Family/BLOG/1864242/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-02-15T16:07:19Z Philippines LiftOne By Deron Denton I don't know about you, but it seems to me there is a serious deficit of good news out there. I mean, we all KNOW there are plenty of people doing good things out there (and a lot of them are in here - in the CI family!), but acts of generosity don't seem to grab the headlines or get very much air time.    Well, we recently received a report from our agency in Quezon City, Philippines, that put a smile on our faces. We hope that by sharing it, we might reduce the good news deficit by just a little. When husband-and-wife sponsors (who wish to remain anonymous) received a letter from their sponsored child, Rafael Yap - who just turned 18 this week - stating that Rafael's father was no longer living with the family, the sponsors wanted to learn more. As it turns out, Rodolfo (Rafael's father) hadn't actually abandoned the family...it was just that he couldn't find work near home. So, in order to provide for them, Rodolfo was living in another city and sending money back home to support his wife and three children. He was only able to return home every 2-3 months. The sponsors sent us a letter of inquiry, asking our staff in Quezon City to look into what it would take for Rafael's father to move back home. The only plausible plan the family and staff could foresee was to provide Rafael's mother with money to start a small store. If that succeeded - it might be possible for dad to return at some point in the future.   Only in a passing flight of fancy did Rafael's family mention that purchasing a jeepney (a private, small bus-sized taxi) would solve the problem. They understood this wasn't possible: the amount of money required to purchase a jeepney was beyond their dreams. Although it was more than what they'd originally intended to donate, when Rafael's sponsors heard about the cost of the jeepney, they decided to make it happen. Measuring the cost against how much good it would do - in terms of re-uniting a family and in terms of income-generation - it seemed like a bargain. There was one catch: the sponsors really wanted to see Rodolfo back home with his family, permanently, in time for Christmas. Quezon City staff and Mr. Yap had about one month until Christmas from the time the money was donated. As promised above, this is a story about good news...Rafael, his mother, and his siblings had their father home for Christmas. Permanently. Rodolfo is now driving his own jeepney and supporting his family. And he gets to be with them every day. [image] Oh, and there was even money for Mom to start her own small store, helping to reduce the family's level of poverty even further. [image] How's that for good news? city, donation, family, jeepney, philippines, quezon nonadult false Reuniting a Family text blog city,donation,family,jeepney,philippines,quezon 1167 5 5.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 3 Philippines 0 1864242 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_Humble-Handouts-for-Haiti/BLOG/1804958/121091.html By Patricia Calderón in Barranquilla, Colombia and Damon Guinn in Kansas City. [image]Yusiva Acosta was profoundly moved as she watched images of earthquake victims in Haiti on TV. Bodies were being pulled from the rubble, children were being rushed to makeshift hospitals and people everywhere were pleading for water and food. The 13-year-old sponsored youth knew she had to help. It didn’t matter that she lived in a poor community in Barranquilla, Colombia – she wanted to do whatever she could to lend a hand. “The news caught my heart, seeing the people in Haiti who need our help,” Yusiva said. “Because today they are the ones who are affected, but tomorrow it could be us.” Yusiva’s family couldn’t afford to part with any of their $170 monthly income, so she decided to go door to door in her community and ask her neighbors for food donations. “What surprises me the most about my community is that, despite the fact that we are from the poorest neighborhoods in Barranquilla, everyone has helped,” Yusiva remarked, “and they’ve added their own little grain of sand to this activity...” What’s not a surprise is Yusiva’s initiative to help others. She’s benefited from leadership training through our Youth as Agents of Change program and is an active and very popular member of the local Youth Council. Yusiva plans to deliver the food items to the local Red Cross office, which is receiving donations for later shipment. “I am very satisfied with what I’ve collected, [and] with the people who helped me,” she exclaimed. “Every day I see them I thank them for having trusted in me and for having contributed....” By Patricia Calderón in Barranquilla, Colombia and Damon Guinn in Kansas City. [image]Yusiva Acosta was profoundly moved as she watched images of earthquake victims in Haiti on TV. Bodies were being pulled from the rubble, children were being rushed to makeshift hospitals and people everywhere were pleading for water and food. The 13-year-old sponsored youth knew she had to help. It didn’t matter that she lived in a poor community in Barranquilla, Colombia – she wanted to do whatever she could to lend a hand. “The news caught my heart, seeing the people in Haiti who need our help,” Yusiva said. “Because today they are the ones who are affected, but tomorrow it could be us.” Yusiva’s family couldn’t afford to part with any of their $170 monthly income, so she decided to go door to door in her community and ask her neighbors for food donations. “What surprises me the most about my community is that, despite the fact that we are from the poorest neighborhoods in Barranquilla, everyone has helped,” Yusiva remarked, “and they’ve added their own little grain of sand to this activity...” What’s not a surprise is Yusiva’s initiative to help others. She’s benefited from leadership training through our Youth as Agents of Change program and is an active and very popular member of the local Youth Council. Yusiva plans to deliver the food items to the local Red Cross office, which is receiving donations for later shipment. “I am very satisfied with what I’ve collected, [and] with the people who helped me,” she exclaimed. “Every day I see them I thank them for having trusted in me and for having contributed....” Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:31:34 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_Humble-Handouts-for-Haiti/BLOG/1804958/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-02-03T16:31:34Z Colombia LiftOne By Patricia Calderón in Barranquilla, Colombia and Damon Guinn in Kansas City. [image]Yusiva Acosta was profoundly moved as she watched images of earthquake victims in Haiti on TV. Bodies were being pulled from the rubble, children were being rushed to makeshift hospitals and people everywhere were pleading for water and food. The 13-year-old sponsored youth knew she had to help. It didn’t matter that she lived in a poor community in Barranquilla, Colombia – she wanted to do whatever she could to lend a hand. “The news caught my heart, seeing the people in Haiti who need our help,” Yusiva said. “Because today they are the ones who are affected, but tomorrow it could be us.” Yusiva’s family couldn’t afford to part with any of their $170 monthly income, so she decided to go door to door in her community and ask her neighbors for food donations. “What surprises me the most about my community is that, despite the fact that we are from the poorest neighborhoods in Barranquilla, everyone has helped,” Yusiva remarked, “and they’ve added their own little grain of sand to this activity...” What’s not a surprise is Yusiva’s initiative to help others. She’s benefited from leadership training through our Youth as Agents of Change program and is an active and very popular member of the local Youth Council. Yusiva plans to deliver the food items to the local Red Cross office, which is receiving donations for later shipment. “I am very satisfied with what I’ve collected, [and] with the people who helped me,” she exclaimed. “Every day I see them I thank them for having trusted in me and for having contributed....” barranquilla, colombia, earthquake, haiti, in, victims nonadult false Humble Handouts for Haiti text blog barranquilla,colombia,earthquake,haiti,in,victims 1158 12 5.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 2 Colombia 0 1804958 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_The-Three-Rs/BLOG/1802200/121091.html By Scott CotterA quick note from Kenya…About two hours outside of Nairobi there is a school that sits atop a small rise in the hard African pan. The only way to get there is a dirt road that beats vehicle and rider into a gauzy daze. The school draws Masai children from up to five miles away. It is said Kenyans make such good runners because they have to cross long distances to reach schools and often run the entire way. They leave early in the morning all by themselves and cross the distance as fast as possible to not draw the attention of animals that call this sun-baked land home. We have a book distribution program in Kenya that reaches dozens of schools all over the country, many of them like the one described above. Those books, in some unlikely places, are teaching children the three Rs and much more. When we met the children and their families of this school, the hospitality was amazing. They thanked us by singing us some traditional songs and reciting poetry. Have a look. (To see the video, click on this post.)   By Scott CotterA quick note from Kenya…About two hours outside of Nairobi there is a school that sits atop a small rise in the hard African pan. The only way to get there is a dirt road that beats vehicle and rider into a gauzy daze. The school draws Masai children from up to five miles away. It is said Kenyans make such good runners because they have to cross long distances to reach schools and often run the entire way. They leave early in the morning all by themselves and cross the distance as fast as possible to not draw the attention of animals that call this sun-baked land home. We have a book distribution program in Kenya that reaches dozens of schools all over the country, many of them like the one described above. Those books, in some unlikely places, are teaching children the three Rs and much more. When we met the children and their families of this school, the hospitality was amazing. They thanked us by singing us some traditional songs and reciting poetry. Have a look. (To see the video, click on this post.)   Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:09:22 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_The-Three-Rs/BLOG/1802200/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-02-02T14:09:22Z Africa LiftOne By Scott CotterA quick note from Kenya…About two hours outside of Nairobi there is a school that sits atop a small rise in the hard African pan. The only way to get there is a dirt road that beats vehicle and rider into a gauzy daze. The school draws Masai children from up to five miles away. It is said Kenyans make such good runners because they have to cross long distances to reach schools and often run the entire way. They leave early in the morning all by themselves and cross the distance as fast as possible to not draw the attention of animals that call this sun-baked land home. We have a book distribution program in Kenya that reaches dozens of schools all over the country, many of them like the one described above. Those books, in some unlikely places, are teaching children the three Rs and much more. When we met the children and their families of this school, the hospitality was amazing. They thanked us by singing us some traditional songs and reciting poetry. Have a look. (To see the video, click on this post.)   africa, children international, kenya, maasai, masaai, masai, school nonadult false The Three Rs video blog africa,children international,kenya,maasai,masaai,masai,school 1417 2 5.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 1 Africa 5 1802200 19259005 CI Employee 3870 http://community.liftone.org/_Playing-with-Poverty/BLOG/1800221/121091.html By Scott Cotter   It’s the one place they seem just like other kids. And it seems so, well, simple. Put up a swing set, a slide, a teeter totter and a jungle gym and you have instant happy. Laughter fills the air and kids get to be something they should be…kids.   [image]   In Chibolya, it’s easy to see how much use the equipment gets. Weld on top of weld holds the parts together so the children can keep playing. And they do. Day after day, they’re forgetting the circumstances outside the walls while shouts of joy fill the air. Heck, even rain won’t run them off. In Kanyama, drops fell like rocks, pounding the community and everything in it. But many of the kids ignored the weather and kept right on having a good time.   Our community centers here are a refuge. I suppose they are everywhere. Especially when kids have no place to play.   [image]     By Scott Cotter   It’s the one place they seem just like other kids. And it seems so, well, simple. Put up a swing set, a slide, a teeter totter and a jungle gym and you have instant happy. Laughter fills the air and kids get to be something they should be…kids.   [image]   In Chibolya, it’s easy to see how much use the equipment gets. Weld on top of weld holds the parts together so the children can keep playing. And they do. Day after day, they’re forgetting the circumstances outside the walls while shouts of joy fill the air. Heck, even rain won’t run them off. In Kanyama, drops fell like rocks, pounding the community and everything in it. But many of the kids ignored the weather and kept right on having a good time.   Our community centers here are a refuge. I suppose they are everywhere. Especially when kids have no place to play.   [image]     Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:13:47 GMT http://community.liftone.org/_Playing-with-Poverty/BLOG/1800221/121091.html CI_Staff 2010-02-01T15:13:47Z Africa LiftOne By Scott Cotter   It’s the one place they seem just like other kids. And it seems so, well, simple. Put up a swing set, a slide, a teeter totter and a jungle gym and you have instant happy. Laughter fills the air and kids get to be something they should be…kids.   [image]   In Chibolya, it’s easy to see how much use the equipment gets. Weld on top of weld holds the parts together so the children can keep playing. And they do. Day after day, they’re forgetting the circumstances outside the walls while shouts of joy fill the air. Heck, even rain won’t run them off. In Kanyama, drops fell like rocks, pounding the community and everything in it. But many of the kids ignored the weather and kept right on having a good time.   Our community centers here are a refuge. I suppose they are everywhere. Especially when kids have no place to play.   [image]     africa, center, children, community, playground, playing, sponsored, zambia nonadult false Playing with Poverty text blog africa,center,children,community,playground,playing,sponsored,zambia 1260 4 5.0 http://community.liftone.org/service/displayKickPlace.kickAction?u=19259005&as=121091 http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/121091/photos/PHOTO_8231091_121091_19259005_ap_160X120.jpg false 3 Africa 1 1800221 19259005 CI Employee 3870