A New Leaf

I have decided to take my separate child blogs and combine them into one. I'm hoping to add even more children to my sponsorship family and it just seems silly to have so many separate blogs.

I have recently added a new child to my sponsorship family. Compassion International has a correspondence sponosrship program. What this means is, there are many children out there who have financial sponsorships, but these sponsors have never written to their sponsored children. Because writing and receiving letters is such an important part of sponsorship as it makes the children realize that they do matter and that they are loved by someone so far away from them, they assign these children to people like me. My job is then to write to this child and get to know her. I'm planning on writing to her just like my other child, twice a month.

I received her info packet last week and I just want to post the details that I found there, for those that are interested...

Get to Know Meena
Meena is 16 years old. Her birthday is July 16th. Meena lives with her mother and her father. She is responsible for gathering firewood, buying or selling in the market, cleaning the house, and gardening. Her father is sometimes employed as a van driver and her mother is sometimes employed as a tailor.

Singing, art, playing ball, and running are amongst Meena's favorite activities. She attends school daily and is in 10th grade (U.S equivilent.) Her school performance is average.She also regularly attends church activities, bible class, and vacation bible school.

About Her Program Center

Center Name: Avadi Child Development Center
Location: West of Chennai

Her Local Church
Compassion has partnered with the local church in Meena's community to carry out our holistic development program. The pastor, staff, and volunteers are able to provide a safe haven for her and the other children attending the center. The church is a cornerstone in the community and understands the needs these children face on a daily basis.

About Her Community

Meena lives on the plains of Avadi, home to approximately 33,200 residents. Typical houses are constructed of dirt floor, brick walls, and thatched roofs. The primary ethnic group is Dravidians and the most commonly spoken language is Tamil.

The regional diet consists of bananas, vegetables, and rice. Common health problems in this area include malaria, typhoid, amoebic diseases, tuberculosis, dysentery, and diabetes. Most adults in Avadi work as day laborers and earn the equivilent of $80 per month. This community has electricity but needs clean drinking water, proper sanitation, and English language courses.

Sponsorship allows the staff of Avadi Child Development Center to provide Meena with bible teaching, medical checkups, hygiene education, water purifying kits, talent competitions, career guidance, embroidery classes, school bags, and English course. The center staff will also provide meetings, family fellowship, and health checkups for the parents of Meena.