sacredground VOLUME 29, NO. 1 SP RING/ SUMMER 2010
CFCA offers
hope for families oTr aI Of aNmFi O l y.RoCr gH I L D R E N A N D A G I N G C H R I S T I A N Fh OoUpNeDf A
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sacredground CONTENTS
IN THIS ISSUE 3
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
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CFCA NEWS Sacred Ground’s new look, and walk2gether.org has some exciting new features.
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WALK2GETHER See images from Walk2gether’s journey through Central America.
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H O P E F OR A FA M I LY Pages 8-19 feature the impact of CFCA’s sponsorship program across the world.
12 WISDOM OF MOTHERS
16 DIGNITY OF ALL
18 HOPE
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ZAMBOANGA CD RELEASED CFCA held a CD release concert to unveil songs inspired by the upcoming documentary film.
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KIDS CORNER Learn more about how CFCA helps families encourage one another.
ON THE COVER: CFCA’s Hope for a Family sponsorship helps build strong families. Pictured is Jesus and her family from Guatemala. Read their story on page 10. President Robert K. Hentzen Chief Executive Officer Francis “Paco” Wertin Director of Communications Loretta Shea Kline
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International Contributors Henry Flores, El Salvador Kelly Demo, U.S. Judy-Anne Goldman, U.S. Luis CoCon, Guatemala Natasha Sims, U.S.
Sacred Ground is a semi-annual publication with stories of how sponsorship strengthens families, builds friendships, affirms dignity and offers hope in communities around the world.
Regina Mburu, Kenya Ricardo Ajpuac, Guatemala
Editor
Suresh Singareddy, India
Sheila Myers
Quezon staff, Philippines
Designer
Production Manager
Eddie Watson
Emily Brandjord
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1 Elmwood Avenue Kansas City, KS 66103 800.875.6564 • 913.384.6500
PRESIDENT’S
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PERSPECTIVE
by families to be part of this worldwide movement. For example, Doña Juana, 73, showed up on the Honduran highway at 4 a.m. after walking two hours in the dark. “I live in the mountains and can’t afford a flashlight,” she said. “I kept falling down, but I got up every time, because I wanted to be here.” Doña Juana, along with the thousands of other members and their families who are participating in Walk2gether, are hopeful because they have a voice in the CFCA
arly this year, we introduced a name for our sponsorship program: Hope for a Family. Hope for a Family goes to the very essence of CFCA. It defines our relationship with those who live in poverty. We are all equal in the eyes of our Creator, and at CFCA we are not in a power relationship with our families. Our program is not about simply As I walk through Latin America, I see handing out heroic efforts by families to be part of material goods. The primary this worldwide movement. focus of Hope movement. They are as for a Family sponsorship is to help families excited to share their lives develop their own capacity for personal with you as I hope you are to and economic growth. Our programs are share your lives with them. designed to empower families so that they Thank you for your can create a path out of poverty for their continued support and for children, and work for equality, justice and the enthusiasm you have unity in their communities. shown for Walk2gether. Your Through Hope for a Family sponsorship, participation in CFCA is we enter into a loving relationship with working to uphold dignity the family, and beyond that, with the and create long-term change community in which the family lives. and sustainability. Sponsored friends and their families are part of a network of caring and support, God’s blessings, locally with the CFCA project staff and other families, and internationally with each of you. Our Walk2gether initiative is a symbol of this international solidarity. As I walk Bob Hentzen through Latin America, I see heroic efforts CFCA president
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CFCA NEWS
New Sacred Ground format enhances efficiency, reader friendliness
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tories are at the heart of our work at print and mail each issue of your Sacred CFCA. Ground is about 29 cents. We listen to the stories of young As participants in the CFCA people, their families and the aging we movement, sponsored friends, sponsors, work with to learn about their lives and volunteers and staff are in solidarity how sponsorship can best be a source of with one another. We are engaged in a support and encouragement mutual giving and receiving sacred ground for them. that brings us together as Stories are also important one family. One of the ways in connecting sponsored sponsored individuals and individuals and their families their families share their lives with you. Sacred Ground, with us is through the stories now in its 29th year of featured in Sacred Ground. publication, brings you Our website is also a stories of how sponsorship wonderful source for stories CFCA provides hope for is offering hope and helping about families and CFCA’s families families create a path out of work with them. The poverty for their children redesigned Sacred Ground and grandchildren. will point you to stories from around the We are especially excited about this world that are featured on our website. issue because we have redesigned the We’d like to hear from you about your semi-annual publication to be more cost impressions of the redesign. Send your efficient and reader friendly. comments through our Sacred Ground The new, smaller size allows us to online page (see box below), email continue to get the best rate from the CFCAcommunications@cfcausa.org or U.S. Postal Service without having write us at CFCA, Attn: Sacred Ground to fold the publication for mailing, Editor, 1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, resulting in a cost savings. The cost to KS 66103. VOLUME 29, NO. 1 SPRING/SUMMER 2009
C H R I S T I A N F O U N D AT I O N F O R C H I L D R E N A N D A G I N G
Introducing... SG online Sacred Ground now has its own Web page! When you see a box with the SG online logo, you will be able to find more content about the story it accompanies online at www.hopeforafamily.org/sg
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CFCA NEWS
New features on walk2gether.org
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FCA always looks for ways to reach out to people of good will and encourage them to join our community of compassion. We are thrilled to share with you the newest feature of our Walk2gether website: the ability to read profiles and view photos of children, youth and aging persons waiting for a sponsor. At walktogether.org, you can read a summary of each individual’s unique story and interests, and search for a new friend by country, gender, age or birthday. It’s easy to complete the sponsorship process by securely contributing online. Our staff overseas and in the U.S took great care to explain the online sponsorship effort to families of children eligible for sponsorship and to obtain their permission to profile their children. We are grateful for the trust these families showed in allowing us to introduce their children to potential sponsors online. We would like to find sponsors for many of these children, youth and elderly during CFCA President and Co-founder Bob Hentzen’s 8,000mile walk through Central and South America. Help us make this happen by visiting walk2gether.org to see this new feature and encouraging your family and friends to do the same. We plan to offer this feature on our main site later this year. It is a very
exciting time for CFCA. We hope you enjoy this new feature and other features still to come! Experience the walk online
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alk2gether.org lets you experience Bob’s journey without leaving home. View the route, track Bob’s location and learn about CFCA’s work in each of the 12 countries he visits. Post messages of encouragement for Bob and his fellow walkers on the “Act” page. On the “Share” page, find ways to connect with others following the walk and resources to introduce your friends and family to Walk2gether. Our videos, podcasts, blogs and news coverage will make the walk come alive for you and introduce you to the beautiful people and places along the route.
At walk2gether.org To follow the Walk2gether coverage, click on the “Videos, blogs and news” link located in the upper right-hand corner
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WALK2GETHER
Journey of solidarity Sights from Bob’s trip through Central America Passion, love, community—these words come to life each day along the Walk2gether journey through Latin America. CFCA President Bob Hentzen has completed his trek through Central America and has logged more than 2,365 miles of the 8,000-mile journey. Thousands of familes have come out to walk with Bob in powerful, moving celebrations of solidarity and hope. We hope the following images bring the walk to life for you.
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WALK2GETHER
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H O P E F O R A F A M I LY
‘Hope for a Family’ helps tell CFCA story
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n important part of our work is to give voice to the families we serve, to tell the stories of their lives, their everyday heroic struggles to survive and create a path out of poverty for their children. This year, we began to use the name “Hope for a Family” to help us tell our story in a compelling way that people will remember. The Hope for a Family message was developed after more than a year of reflection and discussion about the sponsorship program and its impact on families. We’ve also adopted Hope for a Family as the name of our sponsorship program. We haven’t changed our organization’s name. We’re still Christian Foundation for Children
and Aging, or CFCA. Hope for a Family defines what happens when you sponsor through CFCA. You provide hope for a better future to your sponsored friend and his or her family. The name also represents how one-to-one sponsorship impacts the entire family, providing benefits and services that affect the quality of life for everyone in your friend’s household. Our website can be accessed through our new address: www.hopeforafamily.org. We added this new web address to help people remember us and find us easily online. You can still access the CFCA website through our long-time address: www.cfcausa.org.
CFCA/Guatemala Communications Center Jesus, left, and her family are a great example of a strong family. Their story is on page 10.
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to form a real human connection that gives hope and meaning to the sponsored friend and sponsor. The program opens a window between two worlds and reveals the bonds that tie
Key belief statements
The benefits and services provided through the Hope for a Family sponsorship program are defined and shaped by five key beliefs that influence the objectives One-to-one sponsorship impacts the entire of the sponsorship family, providing benefits and services that program with affect the quality of life for everyone sponsored in your friend’s household. members and sponsors. us together as one human family. Read We believe in strong families. about the 15-year bond that developed Hope for a Family sponsorship goes between the Adloff family of Missouri beyond material distribution and and their sponsored friend, Francisco empowers families to become self(pages 14-15). sufficient. Strong families that feel connected to a broader support network We believe in the dignity of all. are the pillars of a strong community. Hope for a Family programs recognize For Doùa Jesus, a widow with five the innate dignity of all human beings, children, the CFCA community regardless of culture, religion or provided an outstretched hand when she economic standing. The youth group needed it most (pages 10-11). in Mathare, Kenya, is helping youth affirm their dignity and build selfWe believe in the wisdom of esteem (pages 16-17). mothers. In the communities where CFCA works, women are often marginalized, even though they are the primary or sole caregivers for their children. CFCA programs are designed in true partnership with mothers, encouraging them to participate in defining benefits and services for their children. The members of the St. Anthony mothers group in Hyderabad, India, help support their families through livelihood programs initiated with the support of the group (pages 12-13). We believe in the power of friendship. Hope for a Family sponsorship provides the opportunity
We believe in hope. Families in the Hope for a Family program are hopeful because of their connection to you and the CFCA community around the world. With resources and tools provided through the CFCA project, a small group of parents in the Philippines has discovered hope through a hog-raising venture (pages 18-19). The stories on the following pages illustrate how the Hope for a Family program is helping to release the tremendous potential that exists among families in communities served by CFCA.
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S T R O N G FA M I L I E S
Heart of the
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any families in Guatemala are headed by single mothers, who must compensate for the absence of a father on a social, economic and emotional level. In order for these families to succeed, a strong family bond is important, with a strong mother at the center who feels good about herself so that she can give her children the love they need. Jesus (pronounced hay-ZOOS) has found in CFCA a place where she is listened to and offered advice, support and programs that improve her selfesteem and help her to move her family forward. Smiling for her children The perpetual smile on the face of Jesus, 54, leads one to believe that she hasn’t a care in the world.
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Her two sons are about to become professional bookkeepers. Two of her three daughters are married and live nearby. She has five healthy grandchildren. But this woman of fortitude and faith has triumphed over many challenges. Surviving one day at a time As the youngest of three sisters growing up in a small town outside Guatemala City, Jesus took on the brunt of the workload. Her family was so poor that her mother would trade the firewood Jesus scavenged in the forest for stale tortillas. “The atole (corn drink) we had from these stale tortillas was not fit for animals,” she said. Jesus married young, at age 17. Her husband was skilled in construction, a good man with a weakness for alcohol. They had five children. Her husband contracted cirrhosis of the liver. Without a steady income, the family struggled financially. Jesus enrolled her oldest daughter, Laura, in a local boarding school in Guatemala City to ease some of the economic pressure. Because of Laura’s academic skills and the family’s need, the school accepted Laura on a scholarship. Sponsorship opens a door After two of Jesus’ children were already sponsored through CFCA, her husband died, leaving her a widow at age 42. That was 12 years ago.
CFCA/Guatemala Communications Center Jesus is pictured outside her home. Behind her, her son Edwin helps carry firewood.
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“To a certain extent, I thanked God because my husband was able to rest at last,” Jesus said.
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But Jesus had the enormous responsibility of providing for her children. To earn money, she sold typical Guatemalan food in the community. She worked as a midwife and eventually landed a job as a cleaning lady in Guatemala City. CFCA/Guatemala Communications Center Besides the Jesus shares a special moment with her grandchildren. educational assistance that enabled Jesus’ children I tried to motivate and empower my to go to school, sponsorship provided children to give them opportunities I never had.” the family with clothing, shoes, Jesus’ faith and hope for a better food, cleaning supplies, water tanks, kitchen utensils, furniture, mattresses tomorrow keep her going and allow her to smile through the hardship. and bed sheets. She dreams of owning a house with “The benefits were a big help electricity, of maintaining good health, because I could save the money and of seeing the fruits of her hard I would have spent on the items work reflected in the lives of her provided by sponsorship and invest it children. She is not bitter toward in other necessities,” Jesus said. anyone. Her children give her the will Jesus earns about $8 a day as a to live happily. cleaning lady and $13 each weekend “My sacrifices have not been in vain from food sales. She needs all of her because I have raised my children to be income to support the three children good people,” she said. and one grandson who live with her.
Her children help her prepare and sell the food. Her children give her happiness Jesus instilled in her children the importance of an education. “Many times, I felt frustrated with the work, and betrayed that I could only finish third grade,” Jesus said. “So
SG online CFCA projects help single mothers like Jesus get ahead. Read more at www.hopeforafamily.org/sg
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WISDOM OF MOTHERS
Mothers groups boost women’s stature
CFCA/Hyderabad project Lourdu Mary, left, and Susheela, second from right, have been able to start their own businesses.
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owhere is the wisdom of mothers more apparent than in small mothers groups. The concept of CFCA mothers groups originated in the Hyderabad, India, project and has spread to projects in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Mexico and Africa. CFCA mothers groups in Hyderabad are a bellwether for the future of the sponsorship program. Hyderabad Project Coordinator Suresh Singareddy, who has worked with the mothers groups since their inception 11 years ago, is a strong advocate for the groups because he has witnessed how women in CFCA communities have been able to contribute to their families’ livelihood and, in the process, develop their talents and enhance their self-esteem. “India is a country that has 5,000 years of cultural history and has been
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traditionally a patriarchal, maledominated society,” he said. “A woman’s freedom was never beyond her home.” The self-directed nature of the groups provides opportunities for mothers to generate ideas and act on them. Mothers define their families’ greatest needs, such as educational support, medical assistance, or seed money for a small business, and organize to meet those needs with guidance and support from the CFCA project. As a result, the stature of women in CFCA communities has been elevated. “Though the women’s participation was seen with some prejudice in the initial years, men have accepted it well now,” Singareddy said. “Women are able to share the responsibility of the family along with them.” This sharing of responsibility enables both partners in the household to
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contribute to the well-being of the family and results in a strong, stable family unit. Strong, stable families are at the core of a stable society. “When there is peace in the family, there will be peace in the world,” Singareddy said.
SG online Read more stories from the St. Anthony’s mothers group at www.hopeforafamily.org/sg
Transforming women into entrepreneurs
my family without having to depend entirely on my husband,” she said.
The St. Anthony mothers group was formed in 2005 by mothers of CFCA sponsored children in the Emjala Parish subproject in Hyderabad. The following are examples of how, through the wisdom of mothers, the group’s members have been able to use their talents to help their families.
Jeweled success
Selling saris
Susheela had always encouraged other members of the group in their own livelihood programs and admired their hard work and success. In 2009, she took the initiative to start her own jewelry business. “All women love jewelry, so I knew if it was affordable, it would be easy to sell,” Susheela said. The idea was well received by the other mothers and they, in turn, encouraged Susheela to move forward. Her first sale was a success. She sold all of her inventory in two weeks. “This gave me confidence and there was no looking back,” Susheela said. “I now earn at least 2,000 rupees ($45) a month.”
Lourdu Mary wanted to contribute to the support of her household. One of her children has a serious disability. The group members encouraged Lourdu Mary to use her sewing and embroidery talent in a sari business. The group loaned her 32,000 rupees ($705) over three years. Lourdu Mary’s business exceeded everyone’s expectations. “She sells some of the best saris in the area,” Singareddy said. Lourdu Mary said the group gave her confidence and recognized her talents. “I feel so happy that I am able to take care of my son with a disability CFCA/Hyderabad project and also provide for The St. Anthony’s mothers group in Hyderabad has helped most other needs of mothers gain confidence and share their wisdom.
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FRIENDSHIP
Friendship Friendship leads to success
Longtime correspondence binds 2 families
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hen Bob and Mary Adloff of Blue Springs, Mo., went to church one Sunday 15 years ago, they didn’t foresee the incredible journey that would begin that day. Someone in their parish who was a CFCA sponsor had set up a table with folders of children and elderly in need of sponsorship, and the Adloffs chose to sponsor a boy from Central America. More than 1,500 miles away in Cinquera, El Salvador, a town trying to rebuild after the 12-year civil war, little Francisco was happily going to school, unaware of how God was at work in his life. Francisco’s father and mother both worked hard to raise their large family but there was never quite enough. Francisco was one of the first
25 children sponsored in Cinquera through CFCA. Through sponsorship, the Adloffs and Francisco began a friendship that would span nearly two decades and change them forever. Because of the Adloffs’ support, Francisco, now 23, has completed college and is studying for his master’s degree in engineering. He is a teacher and community leader in Cinquera. In addition to the Adloffs’ financial contribution, the love and encouragement Francisco received from their letters helped him to succeed. The Adloffs considered Francisco part of their family. “He is so communicative,” Mary said. “We have 70 letters and 16 cards that he has sent. Each time he tells
Photo courtesy the Adloff family The Adloff family, from left to right: Dayna, Kara, Mary and Bob.
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CFCA/Santa Ana project Francisco, 23, has been sponsored for 15 years.
us how grateful he is. And he always draws wonderful pictures.” His artwork provided a meaningful connection for them because Francisco drew vignettes of his village, giving the Adloffs a glimpse of his day-to-day life. Mary was the one who wrote most often, exchanging about three letters a year. “We have 70 letters from him, but I know he has 70 letters from us as well,” Bob said. “Mary has always been really good about writing.” The Adloffs’ daughters also participated by writing letters. Mary feels the friendship gave her girls a good perspective on their lives and how one can help change someone else’s life for the better. They are grateful for that gift Francisco has given their family. The friendship has lasted through many hardships and celebrations in both families. Francisco’s family had health issues, and he had many personal trials as he worked to finish school. “There were times when other classmates in the university tried to humiliate me because I was poor and came from a small town and wore
the same clothes over and over,” Francisco said. But he persisted, and it paid off. “In the second year of university, things changed,” Francisco said. “The teachers started to pay attention to me because I always tried to be good in class, especially in math. My grades were high, too. They selected me to be a math instructor.” The Adloffs are deeply proud of Francisco’s accomplishments. In fact, a commitment to education is one of the things they have in common. “Mary and I are both college graduates. And now, so is Francisco!” Bob said. Francisco dreams of helping his family and community. This spirit of giving is another reason Bob and Mary are so proud of him. If they could meet, they would love to hug Francisco, tell him how proud they are and how much they love him. They feel he has so much potential, he can accomplish anything. Francisco would have something to say as well. “If I had my sponsors, Bob and Mary, in front of me, I would tell them ‘Thank you,’” he said. “I would tell them that God will bless them just as much as they have blessed me.”
SG online Read more about Francisco’s story of transformation through 15 years of sponsorship at www.hopeforafamily.org/sg
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DIGNITY OF ALL
Nairobi youth program offers more , more
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Youth meet at the Mathare office to share their problems and offer advice. The youth group also provides a forum for them to display their talents. CFCA/ Regina Mburu
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arah, 21, studies human resource management at a university in Nairobi. This cosmopolitan environment is a world apart from her home in the sprawling slums of Mathare, Kenya. “Life is tough generally,” she said. “It is even tougher coming from the slums.” Her life has been one of hardship and hope. Her family could not afford the education she longed for. Her father was ill and her mother did all she could to provide the basics for her large family. “I thought my dreams were crushed,” Sarah said. “It was in my darkest hour that CFCA held my hand and gave me a reason to dream again.” Sponsorship gave Sarah the chance to attend high school, and now, college. She recognizes the tremendous opportunity she has
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received, but she still struggles with self-confidence. “Most of my peers come from affluent backgrounds,” she said. “The fact that I am not able to dress like them, or I don’t have access to the equipment they have, makes me feel inferior. I would never disclose where I live to my colleagues for fear that they would ridicule me.” Advising and inspiring youth To help Sarah and other sponsored youth who share her feelings understand and cope with self-doubt, the Nairobi project began piloting a youth program in January of this year. “The program’s sole objective is to encourage, advise and inspire youth, to help them believe in themselves,” said Amos Kihoro, coordinator of the program. “They need more than educational support. Emotional
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Kenya youth program goals •
Boost confidence by exploring talents
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Offer an environment of healthy peer pressure
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Introduce positive role models and mentors
CFCA/Regina Mburu Sarah enjoys the support of other students in the youth group in Kenya, giving her more confidence.
support is equally valuable.” About 20 youth from ages 13 to 25 have registered, and more are registering all the time. University students meet at the Mathare community office once a month. Students in primary school and high school, most of whom attend boarding schools, meet when school is in recess. During the meetings, the youth share their challenges at home and at
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Encourage youth to follow their dreams and to stay positive
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Obtain moral support from others facing the same hurdles
school. Most of them are dealing with similar issues, so they encourage and advise each other. “The youth need guidance and counseling from those who have been through similar situations,” Kihoro said. Since the program started holding meetings with youth, the improvement has been noticeable. The youth enjoy interacting with each other, sharing problems and finding ways to deal with them. They are cultivating a sense of self-esteem and self-worth. “The program is helping these young adults understand that they are the pillars of hope in their communities,” Kihoro said. “It is helping them to discover qualities deep inside such as character, academic excellence and God-given talents.” Being part of the youth group has inspired Sarah. Once shy and withdrawn, she is now more relaxed and is able to interact with her peers at school. “I appreciate the role the youth program has played in my life,” Sarah said. “Just like the youth group’s motto states, ‘More hope. More dignity,’ I can confidently say my hope and dignity have been rekindled.”
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HOPE
Hope and hogs
Families in Philippines create hog-raising business
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CFCA community from Quezon, Philippines, has discovered a new recipe for success: hard work, patience and hogs. Thirteen parents of sponsored children make and sell tocino (bacon) and longaniza (sausage) to sponsored members and the surrounding community. The endeavor has given the members hope by teaching them a valuable incomegenerating skill they can use to improve their quality of life. Starting small Most of the families in the Quezon project PamBuhay (community group) earned little as tenant farmers. They supplemented their incomes by doing carpentry and other side jobs. Hilario, who goes by Larry, a volunteer leader of the group, drove a pedicab (threewheeled passenger vehicle). His oldest son, Rodrigo, has been sponsored through CFCA for 10 years. “Being a tenant farmer, I only received a minimal share from my landlord,” Larry said. “I had to stretch out what I received in order to meet the basic needs of my family.” Three fathers, including Larry, and 10 mothers of the PamBuhay borrowed
SG online More photos and information about PamBuhays available at www.hopeforafamily.org/sg
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$2,100 from the Quezon project’s livelihood fund to buy their first batch of piglets. The fund is a project initiative to help parents generate capital for smallscale livelihood initiatives. The piglets were distributed to the member families, who raised them in their backyards. Expanding the business Initially, the families sold the mature hogs to the local butcher, but they soon discovered they could earn additional income if they sold processed meat. With training in food handling and preparation from the Philippines department of agriculture, the group now turns the butchered meat into tocino and longaniza. The PamBuhay sells its tocino at a discounted price to the Quezon project, which includes the tocino in the bi-monthly food provisions for 2,270 sponsored members. The group also sells its products to a local school and nearby small markets. The members plan to purchase a meat slicer and freezer, and to venture into other types of meat processing, such as ham. They also plan to start a feed mill to produce their own hog feed, which will reduce their expenses and provide more income for the members. Improved quality of life Each member’s share of the profits depends on how many hogs they raise. “I started with three, now I have seven,” Larry said. “When these are sold, I keep 60 percent and 40 percent
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goes to the group. We have equal share of the tocino production because we all contribute to it.” One of the objectives of the Hope for a Family sponsorship program is to put families on the path to self-sufficiency. Larry is on his way. He said the hog production has enabled him to cover the educational needs of his children and to save money for his family’s future needs. “On behalf of my fellow group members, I am thankful for the hope and opportunity that CFCA has given us,” he said. “Now I can say that in the midst of poverty, there is hope. You are the hope that God gave to us.” The members believe in sharing their good fortune. They charge sponsored members $1.10 instead of the $1.50 other providers charge for tocino. The group also offers a healthier product. They follow all required safety procedures, use
only authorized ingredients, add smaller quantities of preservatives, and have each hog inspected before butchering. In addition to investing in their business, the group is investing in the potential of youth and the future of the community. They plan to offset the educational expenses of one college student who is determined to finish school but can’t afford to, and to open membership to other CFCA families so they, too, can become economically stable. “This is our way of returning the blessings we acquired from CFCA,” Larry said.
CFCA/Quezon project Larry, a member of a PamBuhay from the Philippines, tends to his hogs. He teamed up with other members of his PamBuhay to create a livelihood project with a loan from a CFCA livelihood fund.
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ZAMBOANGA
Songs capture essence of film CFCA introduces music from upcoming documentary
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usic is an essential way for families around the world to find and express hope. Sharing a song means sharing yourself. In the making of the CFCA documentary, “Zamboanga: Poverty, War, Music,” it’s striking to see how important music
feeling through singing.” The documentary’s music director, Barclay Martin, captured that spirit in 10 songs featured on a CD. The compositions were inspired by the strength, devotion and challenges of the families he met while filming the documentary in The concert was sponsored in part Mindanao, in the southern by Bank of Kansas City. CD sales at Philippines. On Nov. 8, 2009, about the concert raised $5,170 for the 900 people attended a CFCA Scholarship Fund. Zamboanga CD release concert in Overland Park, is to everyone we meet in the CFCA Kan. Martin took the audience along Filipino communities. on his journey during the filming of the For the 13 CFCA scholars featured documentary, weaving stories between in the film, music is a natural presence the songs that he and his band, Barclay in their homes. Students such as Martin Ensemble, performed. Wengie learn the joy of music from Visuals by Kansas City their parents. Her father told us, performance group Quixotic Fusion “Music is a spirit. You can express your transformed the theater into a trip
CFCA Barclay Martin, the documentary’s music director, sings original songs inspired by the film.
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to Mindanao, with dramatic lighting, the time to know me well,” resonates images of Zamboanga and the original as the team is getting underneath the concert there. footage to reveal powerful stories. Martin also was joined onstage by the CFCA is excited to share this Sinag-Tala Performing Arts Troupe and compelling story of daily heroism, the Sampaguita Choir, from the Filipino struggle and hope. We invite you to Association of Greater Kansas City. receive updates about the making and One of the most breathtaking, progress of the film by signing up for soulful moments came at the end of monthly emails at the performance. As Barclay Martin www.zamboangathemovie.com and Ensemble began the finale, the audience by following the film on Twitter at saw a screen with a projection of a www.twitter.com/zamboanga. group of people. As the song progressed, the sounds of Order the CD the choir began softly. The screen was raised to expose the The CDs are now available from the front illusion—the Sampaguita choir page of the Zamboanga website, was really there. www.zamboangathemovie.com, or by In Martin’s music lies the calling CFCA at (800) 875-6564 or heart of the film. As the (913) 384-6500. Download songs and documentary team continues videos of songs from the concert by work on the film, lyrics from visiting the Zamboanga blog at: the songs are echoed through www.zamboanga.wordpress.com the lives of the families we see on the screen. “Won’t you take
CFCA The Sampaguita Choir, from the Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City, joins Barclay for a song.
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KIDS CORNER
Helping children connect with each other
What is a
W
hat do you think of when you hear the word “family?” Do you think of a mom, a dad and children? That is the picture most people have in their heads. For many people around the world, family looks different. A family may consist of a single parent, a mom or dad, raising children alone, possibly living with an aunt, uncle or grandparent. Sometimes the parents are not in the picture at all, and the grandparents are raising the children. In some families, the siblings are raising each other. Families here in the United States are just as varied as families around the world.
family? Like Ilene, Maria works to provide for her family. She is a tutor and preschool teacher, and has recently become a leader in her CFCA mothers group. Ilene and Maria have connected as mothers working to raise strong, intelligent and compassionate young men. The connection between these two single mothers from different cultures is not surprising because they share an interest in their boys’ schooling and sporting events. Ilene and Maria are also able to share the challenges and successes in their lives related to their careers and their children, finding joy in the relationship they have formed.
CFCA helps families encourage each other Ilene has worked at CFCA’s headquarters in Kansas for more than seven years. She is a single mom raising two teenage boys. Ilene and her boys sponsor Sonu, who lives in Hyderabad, India. His mother, Maria, is also a single mom. Maria is raising Sonu and supporting her mother.
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CFCA/Ilene Adams Ilene with Maria and her sponsored child, Sonu.
sacred ground
KIDS CORNER
What does your family look like? Some questions to think about: 1
What is a family?
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How is your family like your sponsored friend’s family? How are they different?
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Ask some relatives what family means to them.
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Visit www.hopeforafamily.org/sg, and download a family tree. Ask your mom or dad to help you fill it out. What did you learn about your family?
Did you know?
CFCA/File photo The Hentzen family, Christmas 1947. Mom Ora Catherine, whose memory inspired the founding of CFCA, is at the center.
Families can accomplish a lot when they work together. CFCA was founded by three brothers (Bob, Bud and Jim Hentzen), their sister (Nadine) and a family friend (Jerry Tolle). The Hentzen children were raised during the Depression. Like most families at the time, they were poor. However, their mother, Ora Catherine Hentzen, always taught her children to give. She showed them that no matter how bad things might be for them, someone else had it worse. This lesson stayed with them. When Ora Catherine died, the Hentzen siblings decided to begin CFCA as a tribute to her. What a family!
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sacred ground
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CFCA presents music from its upcoming film, ‘Zamboanga: Poverty, War, Music’
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