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COLOMBIA’S FORGOTTEN CHILDREN
CHALLENGE 2009/CATCHING THE VISION - Colombia is
 reported to be one of the world’s most dangerous societies. There are literally hundreds of thousands of displaced and disenfranchised children living in extreme poverty and in the most appalling conditions. Colombia ChildCare is seeking to reach as many of these children as possible in an attempt to restore dreams and renew hope to the many children who would otherwise have been forced onto the streets of Colombia and a certain future of child prostitution, drug addiction or the militia.
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Veronica
Navarro Ortiz
Veronica
is typical of the many children who attend our
food and educational projects. Nacho Vives where
she lives is a very deprived neighborhood to the
north of Santa Marta.
Veronica, one of
four children, lives with her unmarried parents.
Both are unemployed and her father is a serious
drug abuser. |
Veronica
Before...
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Veronica started attending the food program in Nacho
Vives when she was just 2 years old. She was in a state
of early malnutrition and quite frail because her
parents were unable to feed the family on a regular
basis.
When
she arrived at the project Veronica was particularly shy
and timid girl, with a little interest in joining in the
games and activities. Now she is the first one to greet
the Cololumbia ChildCare International team and show off
her school uniform of which she is a very proud.
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Veronica After... |
Veronica’s health
has greatly improved and although still a little
one the small side, she’s beginning to develop
well, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Her mother Martha
says “I am so grateful to CCCI for all the help
they have given my children.”
The CCCI team, her
school teachers and parents all have great hope
for Veronica; she is a wonder example of the
difference sponsorship can make.
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Natalia & Bernadette
My Godchild
Natalia
The Sponsor and Child Relationship
I met Natalia in August 2004. I had left my home in
Germany and gone to Colombia as a short-term mission
volunteer, to help David Taylor and his team at Oasis de
Esperanza, Santa Marta.
On
the very first day, as David presented me to the
children, it was ten-year-old Natalia who caught my eye.
Her friendly smile and curious, attentive eyes made me
feel welcome and needed in a way mere words could not
express.
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My heart went out to
all the children I met there, but I developed a
special fondness for this caring little girl,
who was always smiling.
Without any
knowledge of her circumstances or family
background, I instinctively knew I had to become
godmother (sponsor) to Natalia. I was soon to
learn that they were in desperate need of extra
help and had lost everything, along with their
farm, not long before I arrived. |
Bernadette &
Natalia |
I
accompanied Natalia (Nata as I call her) home to meet
her family. Their dwelling consisted of just one
bedroom, a tiny room in which they kept their few
belongings and a small yard where they cooked on an open
fire. Nine people slept in this cramped and dingy
shelter and mosquitoes hovered everywhere. Apart from
one rocking chair, there was nowhere to sit down – save
the floor! However, instead of finding a sad and
depressing atmosphere surrounding this poverty stricken
family, I met with an unbroken spirit, a grateful heart
and an enormous love for God.
Two
days prior to leaving Colombia, Jairo (my future
husband) and I visited Nata’s home once more. This time
we took our rucksacks, filled with food for the family
and little gifts for the children. They were overwhelmed
and the children were so thrilled to receive these
simple tokens.
Nata
promised to write me many letters and asked me to send
her photographs of Germany and the place where I lived.
For her the world had opened up and she was so
enthusiastic to learn about the different culture that I
represented.
Having greatly enjoyed the work at Oasis from the start,
I can now realise the importance of the help I can
offer. In Nata and her family, poverty now has faces and
names. Through them I have glimpsed the difference I can
make as an individual in the lives of a lovely child and
her family.
Now, ten months after I last saw Nata and a number of
loving and colourful letters later, I am shortly to
return to Colombia and will finally be able to hug my
godchild once more. By now, her mother will be expecting
her eighth child and there will be so much to talk about
and do. I just hope I can always give Nata and her
family as much as they have given me, by letting me be a
part of their difficult, but inspiring, lives. They have
certainly enriched my life!
Bernadette Olderdissen
Germany, July 2005
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