March 2, 2014 by Kerri Kaczynski

Sponsor a Child in Nicaragua

As the countdown continues for my trip to Nicaragua, I will be looking for sponsors for children from the area. If you choose to sponsor one of the five children for whom I am advocating, I will take a package from you to Nicaragua to be delivered to your new sponsor child.

Compassion’s mailing guidelines allow for sponsors to send flat, paper items to their children, but this would give you the opportunity to fill a gallon-sized ziploc bag with other items. Popular gifts to send include small stuffed animals, journals, pencils, t-shirts, toy cars – really anything you can fit into the bag.

These are the children for whom I am looking for sponsors:

Heydi is five years old. Her birthday is Dec. 18, and she lives west of Leon with her parents. Her father is a laborer, and there are two children in the family. Heydi enjoys art, playing with dolls and playing ball games. She is in Kindergarten.

Randall is six years old, and his birthday is Feb. 14. He lives with his parents in Northern Managua, and there are seven children in the family. His father is sometimes employed as a seller in the market. Randall likes soccer and playing with marbles.

Jeisni is seven years old and lives in Chinandega City with her mother, who is employed as a laborer. There are two children in the family. Jeisni enjoys playing house, art and bicycling. Her birthday is June 20.

Juan is five years old, and his birthday is Dec. 29. He lives east of Managua with his mother, who is employed as a laborer. There are two children in his family. Juan likes playing with cars, art and running.

Marco, 11, lives southeast of Leon with his parents. There are three children in the family. Marco’s birthday is May 7, and he likes soccer and playing with cars.

Compassion has been working in Nicaragua since June 2002. Currently there are more than 21,765 children attending more than 105 child development centers in the country.

February 28, 2014 by Kerri Kaczynski

Nicaragua, Not Ireland

I’ve wanted to travel to Ireland ever since I was a kid. Something about the green, rolling hills, stone castles and friendly people just seemed to call to me.

I knew my ancestors came from Ireland, and I was always told my red hair came from there, too. I knew that one day, I would go there.

So last month as I waited for passport photos with my sons, it occurred to me that my first trip out of the country would not in fact be to my beloved Ireland. Apparently God has other plans for me, and I’m perfectly fine with that.

In fact, I am so incredibly excited about the first time I will use this passport that I’m not sure how I will survive the wait.

This October, my 14-year-old son Aidan and I will travel to Nicaragua with Compassion International. We will visit Compassion’s main office in Managua the first day, then we’ll see some of Compassion’s projects during the next two days of our tour.

Finally, on the fourth day, we will meet our two sponsor children and spend the day with them. We’ll have a translator with us, so we can really get to know these boys in person.

By the time we meet them, we will have sponsored Esteban, 8, for almost four years, and Jose, 11, for one year.

I’m already collecting items to bring to my boys. I have teddy bears, Uno games and children’s Bibles in Spanish so far. And I have a list of other gift ideas that continues to grow.

So the countdown is on. In just seven months and a few days, I will hug my Nicaraguan boys tight, my son and I will shower them with love, and all of us will share wonderful memories of being together.

I may not be headed to Ireland yet, but I can’t think of any place besides Nicaragua that I’d rather visit this year.

Image February 20, 2014 by Kerri Kaczynski

Bolivian Smiles

I always enjoy receiving photos of my sponsor children, and this great shot of Daniel was no exception. It’s not possible to look at that smile without smiling yourself! In this photo, Daniel is holding several letters he has received from me.

February 8, 2014 by Kerri Kaczynski

Art Spotlight: Colombia

In continuing my “Art Spotlight” series, these are some drawings from 8-year-old Paula in Colombia. She always takes the time to fill the drawing space in her letters and to color everything neatly. I especially love it when she adds a “te quiero” (I love you) to her drawings, as she did in the fourth one.

October 2013

September 2013

June 2013

May 2013

September 2012

January 14, 2014 by Kerri Kaczynski

Love in Letters: Big Hugs and Lots of Love

I’ve fallen into the habit, when writing to my sponsored children, of using the same closing to my letter every time. I always write, “I send you big hugs and lots of love.”

So when I received this letter from 18-year-old Edwin in Uganda today, I was touched to see my own familiar closing.

Edwin ended his letter:

“God bless you and your family. I send you big hugs and lots of love.”

Edwin, 18, Uganda

Edwin writes in English, and often shares many interesting details of his life. In this letter, I learned that Edwin’s grandparents celebrated “Golden Jubilee” in August, which was their 50th wedding anniversary. A church service including all the grandchildren was part of the celebration, and Edwin composed a song on a keyboard and sang it at his grandparents’ party.

Edwin also let me know that Manchester United is his favorite soccer team, and he listed some of his favorite players.

This young man is serious about his studies, and always asks for prayers that he do well in school. I look forward to seeing where God leads him in the future and am thankful to know him.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child in Uganda, please click here and enter Uganda in the search window.

Image January 3, 2014 by Kerri Kaczynski

From Serious to Smiles

This is Pedro from Brazil. I’ve been corresponding with this boy for about two years, and had only seen his very serious, solemn face in the first photo. It was a wonderful surprise when I logged onto my account last week and saw his beautiful face smiling back at me!

Pedro is 10 years old, and in his most recent letter, he wrote: “We have many things in common since history is one of my favorite subjects. History speaks of peoples who lived in a different time before us.” It has been a lot of fun getting to know this boy.

November 20, 2013 by Kerri Kaczynski

Giving Thankfully: Love in Letters

There isn’t much that delights me more as a sponsor than receiving a letter from one of my faraway sponsored children. Today, though, I think I found something that tops even that.

My 12-year-old son, Logan, became a sponsor earlier this year. I wrote about it here. Since February, Logan and the boy he sponsors, Osmar, have exchanged several letters.

Osmar, 11, of Guatemala

Logan was excited to receive another letter from Osmar today. As usual, he opened the letter quickly to see what his friend in Guatemala had to say, then he handed the letter to me, so I could read it, too.

I am so touched by Osmar’s affection for Logan, that I have to share his letter here:

Dear sponsor Logan,

I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ hoping that you are in great health. The weather is rainy. I want to tell you that in my town, we harvest corn, potatoes and beans. We have a lot of things in my town. I love you. I ask you to pray for everyone in my town and for my family. We are going to finish the school year. I am going to pray for you. I thank you for the letter that you sent me. I love you. What is my favorite sport? Soccer. What’s the weather like over there? I say goodbye with love and hugs. I hope that God continues blessing you and your family, and that he gives you blessings because you are my sponsor. Thank you.

Osmar

Yes, this sweet 11-year-old boy in Guatemala just told my son “I love you” – twice.

And that is why, in this month of thanks, I am thankful for love in letters.

November 13, 2013 by Kerri Kaczynski

Giving Thankfully: Compassion and World Vision

In the wake of the recent destruction in the Philippines, I am so incredibly thankful for Compassion and World Vision, and their responses in aiding the people affected.

Typhoon Haiyan is being called possibly the strongest storm in recorded history, and the Philippine government today reported a death toll of 2,275, while officials on the ground have said they fear as many as 10,000 might be dead.

Please click here to view a short video of the typhoon’s destruction.

About 9.5 million people are affected, according to World Vision. Residents of the hardest-hit areas are dealing with lack of clean water and available food, blocked roads, loss of electricity and, in some areas, looting.

You can help Compassion’s relief efforts by clicking here. Your gift will make possible interventions including emergency food and water, temporary shelters, trauma counseling and spiritual support, replacement of clothing, school supplies and household items, and restoring supplies families need for earning income.

You can help World Vision’s relief efforts by clicking here. Your donation will provide essentials such as blankets, mosquito nets, hygiene and food kits, emergency shelter and clean water. World Vision is seeking to raise $20 million for this effort.

Please consider reaching out to these people who so desperately need help.

November 11, 2013 by Kerri Kaczynski

Giving Thankfully: Freedom

This Veteran’s Day, I am thankful for freedom and the sacrifices of all those who have served in the U.S. military to gain and maintain that freedom.

These heroic individuals who answer the call to serve give up countless days, months and sometimes years away from home, often living in danger on foreign soil. They face unimaginable situations, while the rest of us live out our daily lives at home in safety.

While a great part of these individuals’ sacrifice is made up of the dangers they face abroad, another part includes everything they miss while they are away: holidays with family, births of babies, children’s milestones, anniversaries, deaths of loved ones, and all the daily events that we take for granted.

Without starting a political discussion, I want to point out that Compassion and World Vision work in many struggling countries around the world where the idea of freedom is very different from ours. If you chose to sacrifice about one dollar a day, you could sponsor a child in one of those countries by clicking here or here. Your sponsorship can give a child the help he needs to rise out of poverty, and there’s no telling what he will accomplish in our world after that.

Video November 6, 2013 by Kerri Kaczynski

One Meal, One Day

November 5, 2013 by Kerri Kaczynski

Giving Thankfully: Safe Streets

Most mornings, I head outside first thing for a walk around the neighborhood. It’s a great way to wake up, get some exercise and start off the day.

I love the crisp smell of the desert in the morning, and I enjoy seeing wild bunnies and birds throughout my walk. Sometimes I just listen to the sounds around me, and sometimes I listen to music through headphones.

I never worry about my safety beyond being aware of cars driving past. I am thankful to live in an area where I can walk alone without fear.

There are children all over the world who can’t do that.

A fellow Compassion sponsor was saddened when her child Eduar in Honduras wrote that he is afraid to walk to the Compassion center in his neighborhood. He’s also afraid to walk to church with his mother. He described hearing gunshots often and being fearful of being grabbed off the streets.

Eduar’s sponsor teamed up with Compassion to set up a fund to rent a bus in which the church pastor can transport the children to and from the center safely. The goal was to raise $2,000, and that goal has been met. Eduar’s sponsor took action, others joined in, and now the children in that center will benefit greatly.

You can read Eduar’s story by clicking here.

There are many Compassion children who live in dangerous areas. When browsing the web site of children waiting for sponsors, a blue V with a dot underneath at the corner of the child’s photo indicates the child lives in an area with higher risk of exploitation and abuse. You can help one of these children today by clicking here.

World Vision also works to help children living in dangerous areas. While the conflict in Syria has faded from U.S. news reports, it continues, and more than 1 million Syrian children have left their homes, becoming refugees in neighboring countries. As refugees, these children lack shelter, clean water and food.

You can read more about this desperate situation by clicking here, and you can make a donation to help these children by clicking here.

Please consider reaching out to help these children in hopes that they, too, can be thankful for safe streets one day.

October 29, 2013 by Kerri Kaczynski

It’s (Not) So Sad to Say Goodbye

In three years as a Compassion sponsor, I’ve had to say goodbye to several sponsor children. Children leave the program for many reasons, including graduating, moving away from the area with their families and even simply tiring of the program.

Three times, though, I’ve had children leave for an incredible reason, which is surely a testament to Compassion’s success. They left because their family situations had improved so much that they no longer needed Compassion’s help.

Anderson, from Guatemala, was my first sponsor child, and also my first to leave Compassion due to his family’s circumstances improving.

Can you imagine that? These families who once qualified for Compassion’s services had improved their circumstances so greatly that they were able to stand on their own.

Initially children are selected for Compassion sponsorship by the leadership of the local project, which is often a pastor or a committee of church leaders. These children are selected after being identified as the most needy in the community.

Greyvin, of Nicaragua, was my second sponsor child whose circumstances improved so much that his family left Compassion.

While in the program, children receive help with spiritual, economic, social and physical needs. Meanwhile, their parents also can receive training covering topics such as family care, adult literacy education, seminars on domestic violence, and nutritional food preparation.

At the point when a family feels it no longer needs Compassion’s services, the family can make this known to the project leaders, who make a home visit to confirm it.

A Compassion representative told me that many families make the decision to leave the program when their circumstances improve because they know there are children on the waiting list who desperately need the benefits offered by Compassion.

Jordy, of the Dominican Republic, is my most recent child to leave Compassion when his family’s circumstances improved.

So a family in desperate need receives help and training, its circumstances improves, and the family makes the decision to step aside so another family in the community can receive help. I can’t think of a better system than this.

Please click here, browse the children waiting for sponsors, and see if there is a child you would like to release from poverty. Compassion works in 26 countries around the world, and has more than 3,500 chldren available today on the United States web site alone.

When you partner with Compassion, you could help a child and its family to reach the point where Compassion’s help no longer is needed, and isn’t that the whole point of sponsorship?