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Updated August 2021

Sponsored friends in Mexico, India, Honduras, and Nicaragua
through three Catholic mission groups

Mission Teaching Foundation
Mexico
Unbound

Christian Foundation for
Children and Aging
India

Neustros Pequaños Hermanos
(NPH) Honduras
Addresses for these groups are given at the links below.

For the last twenty years I have contributed to the education of students in India, Haiti, Honduras, and Mexico, thanks to programs sponsored by Catholic groups. In 2020 my godchild in Mexico is Nayeli; in Honduras, Angel David; and in India, Stephen. There is information about each of these programs below. All three programs are carried out by dedicated professionals and volunteers.

Mexico

The Mission Teaching Foundation sponsors the Chiapas Education Program. "Each of the Mayan students is burdened with many obstacles," project director Rev. Gary Riebe explained: "inadequate primary education in the mountain villages; their own and their families' health and economic problems; corruption in the government and the school system; lack of necessary tools such as books, computers, and the internet." What the students "do have," he adds, is "dedication. They believe that every step forward is worth the sacrifice." What Fr. Riebe writes of these students could also be said of those I know about in Haiti and India.
My godchildren in Chiapas have included Hector (red shirt, below), Jennar, Mateo, and Avelino. My current godchild is Nayeli. Some of the students continue in school, and others have to stop and begin working to help support their families. They and their teachers and advisors do a wonderful job of keeping godparents informed about the students' progress. About 250 students are enrolled in junior high, high school, and college, through the sponsorship program. The program has more applications for scholarships than the organization can fund.
Nayeli
 
Other students I have sponsored include Monica, Hector, Jenner, Mateo, Avelino, and Alejandro
 
Monica and Hector
 
Jenner and Mateo
 
Avelino and Alejandro
NPH: Honduras & Nicaraguar
In Honduras and Nicaragua, I support NPH USA (Neustros Pequaños Hermanos, "Our Little Brothers and Sisters"). NPH is raising more than 3,400 orphaned, abandoned, and disadvantaged boys and girls in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. In addition, about 2,300 children who live outside NPH facilities receive scholarships, meals, and medical care. My godson in Honduras is Angel David, and in Nicaragua I sponsor Hermes.
Angel David


In Haiti, I sponsored Alexis, lower left, and then, for many years, Widford, whose report cards I saw regularly.
Sadly, Widford died of chronic ear infection in Summer 2017. He was a good companion all his short life
to the sick and the poor. My next godson with NPH was Bryan, whose picture is below, right, who lives in Honduras.
   

In Nicaragua I now sponsor Hermes, below left. Previously I sponsored José, who died at age 70 in July 2020 (below right).
 


India
In India the program is Unbound, sponsored by the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, which helps sponsored families with nutrition, health care, education and skills training, better housing, and seed capital for a small business or farming. My godson is now Stephen, below left, who lives in Dumka, in the state of Jharkhand. He writes often to let me know how his studies are going and how his family is doing.
Until he left school, I sponsored Hanok, center. With the help of his teachers and interpretors, he used to write three or four times a year, describing his academic progress and his family's well-being. Before Hanok, I sponsored Krishna, below, right.
Stephen
 
Hanok and Krishna
 

I have never met any of these students in person, but some of the groups below do organize travel from the US for contributing sponsors. Among the many rewards of helping these students is that they actually write and mail letters. I am happy to write to them, about the weather, gardening, animal life in the back yard, and some family events, and I include a picture now and then. As they grow up, I age!

You can contact these organizations at the following addresses. Sponsorship is available at many different levels.

Mission Teaching Foundation - Chiapas (P.O. Box 29, Carmichael, CA 95609-0029) Website

NPH USA (Neustros Pequaños Hermanos) - Haiti (other countries also). (Friends of the Orphans, 134 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60202. Email: sponsorship@friendsus.org.) Website

Unbound, sponsored by the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging - India (1 Elmwood Ave., Kansas City, KS 66103. Email: mail@cfcausa.org.) Website


8-15-21