Jessalen 2010

I just checked into my CI account and found the 2010 photo. Boy, she is growing up a lot and she is almost 10 years old. And she is wearing the pink T-Shirt I have sent her almost 1 1/2 years ago. And she is getting prettier by the day!!!
I have found an updated family report and the income has dropped again. I think I need to save up for a donation.

Direct Packages - still waiting

I am still waiting for some direct package photos of Christmas gifts I have sent to Jessalen, Maria Isabel and Monica. I have sent the packages out in November and I just hope and pray that they made it to the Philippines!! I am running every day to the mailbox but no letters or photos from CI. But hey, they probably come all at once.

Maria Isabel

I know I can't keep away from the Philippines. therefore I am sponsoring Maria Isabel (born 2002) since June 2009. She is living with her mom (dad passed away) and 5 siblings on $38 monthly. Maria Isabel is the youngest of the family. They live in a 1 bedroom, 1 multi use room and sharing one bed between them. I have provided a special needs gift to the family last month and can't wait what they have bought with the $100 I have sent.

Karol Juliana

I shouldn't look on the CI website. It is very dangerous to click the "sponsor me" button. But how could I resist? I am very bad.
This is Karol Juliana (born 2003) and she is from Colombia. She is living with her parents, sister (she is sponsored by super sponsor Steve) and brother in a one multi use room on just $29 monthly. And that is very low. Karol Juliana is now the poorest of my kids. I can't wait to get to know her and the first letter is already on the way to her.

Elina

Elina (born 2001)is from Colombia and has been waiting for a sponsor for almost 2 years. I am sponsoring her since August 2009 as she was featured on a CI campagne "end the wait" and I just felt drawn to her. Although I did not want to sponsor another child I just couldn't resist on the family's very low income of $75 monthly. And their living condition is deplorable. I am so happy having her in my life and the family's income has again dropped to $50 monthly. She is living with her parents and 3 brothers. Her letters are so sweet and she always draws lots of hearts and says that she loves me very much. I hope that I can go to meet her one day in Colombia.

Monica

This is Monica (born 2002) and she is from the Philippines. I have chosen her because I was looking for a Filippina with the name of "Monica", the name of my mother. I am sponsoring Monica since June 2009 and I hear a lot from her and her letters are very detailed. She lives with her parents and older brother.

Jordan

This is Jordan (born 2004) and she is from Ecuador. She is living with her mother, brother and two sisters in a one multi use room made out of split cane. Her mum is working as a maid and brings home about $120 a month. As the family cooked their meals over open fire I have provided Jordan and her mum with a portable gas stove. I wasn't planning on taking on another child - I was just browsing the site and she came along. It was her name and I am sponsoring her since June 2008. As Jordan is too young, her mum writes all the letters. They are very informative and Jordan tells me off for not writing to her. I just love this girl and her family so much.

Jessalen

This is Jessalen (born 2000) and she is from the Philippines. I am sponsoring her since January 2007 and she tells me that I mean so much to her and calls me "Auntie" as her mom is deceased and her father has abandoned her. Jessalen is living with her legal guardian and the family makes at the moment around $120 a month. She loves reciting poetry and enters competition.
I have bought a bunk bed for her and the family in July 2007 as she was sleeping on a mat on the floor.
Jessalen is actually my second sponsored child as I sponsored a little Mexican girl, Vianey, for only 3 months before her parents pulled her out of the sponsorship programme.

Why do I sponsor?

Well, I always wanted to sponsor a child but never really thought about it. I was like, the money will not reach its destination, the child/family does not exist etc. All these questions went through my mind.
Then my little nephew was born in 2004 and the tsuanami in South East Asia struck on Boxing Day 2004 I looked more into it. But I still did not take the plunge. Then the decision was made as my little niece was born late 2006. I started looking more into child sponsorship and came across so many organization. Do you want community based programme or the child/family directly benefitting from my sponsorship contribution. It was very hard. I sponsored a girl from Vietnam through PLAN UK but wasn't happy and relinquished this sponsorship after a year (hardly no contact to the child/family). I came across Children International so many times on the web and really thought that only people from the USA could sponsor through them. As I became more interested in child sponsorship I joined a yahoo group "forchildsponsors" and received very useful information. And I was delighted that I also could sponsor through CI, although I am not based in the USA. I signed up to sponsor a girl from Brazil through Childfund, USA (formerly Christian Children's Fund)but she moved out of the area (no contact was established)and sponsored also through CI. I sponsored my very first child through CI. It was a little Mexican girl, but her parents pulled her out of the programme after only 2 months. I was devastated.
Now my family of sponsor children has grown over the years and I love them dearly. I will introduce them shortly.
It has now become my most "addicted" hobby and I really need to stay away from these sponsorship sites!!!