Pandemic Memories from Central America

MSC archived stories - June 1, 2022

As much as the pandemic has brought new life experiences for me personally, being a sponsor paved the way to uncover the realities facing our children from economic hardship to saving a family in Guatemala (Estephanie's niece) from Covid infection.

My memories are surreal when Saira just updated the situation from Honduras (added to media). Things are getting back to normal over there with face covering still mandatory. As a youth (age 18) she's health conscious and exercising her choices, even more so coping well for more than 2 years by taking precautionary measures rather than Covid vaccines.

This is in spite of CI health team in Honduras helped vaccinate 26,000 people, many of whom were at first reluctant but trusted CI staff (2021 Special Report, p.13). I think the Honduran healthcare system may not be helping Saira much to make up her mind. But she knows she can get advice from CI doctors, if needed on the efficacy of the vaccines.

I know schools in Guatemala are required students to have double-vaccinated before allowed to admit in current academic year, which also seems to be the case in Honduras. I wonder whether CI will have similar protocol for admission as the CCs are re-opening now.

Since the closure of the CCs, I knew little on the frontline activities of CI during the pandemic. In last October, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported^ that CI involved in holding cultural and artistic festivals in the communities of San Pedro Sula. The festivals included activities, such as breakdancing, freestyle rapping, traditional games and muralism to strengthen their organizational capacities and recover and occupy public spaces, as well as to promote participation and youth empowerment.

^ https://reporting.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/Honduras_update_October_2021_0.pdf

Comments

Goodbyes to MSC

MSC archived stories - March 16, 2025 I haven't been able to publish anything on MSC recently when I became a carer for my elderly parents (whist on a full-time job). It makes me wonder how privileged are we to come and share stories of our sponsored children in the safest home of CI, MSC. Yes, when you're here life truly takes you to another level, leaving behind our ups and downs of the day… a therapeutic support indeed! I hate to contemplate the imminent shutting down of MSC for good, so to reminisce just started to archive my own stories, including shared comments, of course [ chelakablog.blogspot.com ] as best I can. I hope to be able to complete this task by next Sunday. If anyone can scavenge any interesting discussions on the message boards please do let me know, so I can try and archive them separately. Farewell and best wishes for the FB Group.

Pause for Thought! – The value of sponsorship

MSC archived stories - March 2, 2019 As we know the sponsorship does not demand us to write, send special needs or extra gifts to our children, but being a "silent" sponsor does your monthly contribution bring real value (for money) – especially if you live outside the USA, you or CI don't even get tax benefits of your charitable donation? Is this because most sponsors can't afford anymore than the monthly fee to sponsor a child or trust CI so much that they do not feel needing to play an active role in their sponsored child(ren)'s lives to have an impact? The sponsorship rewards both sponsor and the child through exchange of letters. Then we have social media platforms, like MSC to share our experiences with fellow sponsors – all can be done for free and bring closer understanding of each other and building friendships for life! But above all sponsorship motivates your child to attend their community center more often not only for letter reading/writing but a...

DP to Zambia

MSC archived stories - January 18, 2025 Usually the turnaround time for DP is 4 weeks. It's been a month to next Sunday (Jan 26th) since UPS collected and successfully delivered my DPs to Dulce and the twins. Two years later, last night Simon appeared in my profile as a grown up man. As we aren't getting follow up photos from Zambia anymore, for the first time thought trying DPs to Faith and Simon there, so they will have to come to CC to collect it, where the staff will have a camera to take photos. I remember Zambia used to have the whole family gatherings for EG photoshoot out. So, are there anything special they would be more excited receiving? For example, a football or cricket bat & ball set for Simon, and for Faith.. (no idea!.. may be something to make her elegant hairstyle she has in the latest photo..?). Help me make the list, of course, I don't want to make staff jealous

Children.org Sponsorship

Search This Blog