Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your browser.
Keep up to date with what is happening in NCV on our blog. You can also catch up on previous newsletters here. Enjoy!
If you are in the US, you can either send a check made out to "Ninos con Valor" to the address below, or use our Groundspring online donation page.
Niños con Valor
c/o Karen Mitchell
PO Box 223
New Hampton NH 03256
For instructions on donating outside of the US, please visit our donations page.
We know that God loves kids too, so please keep us in your prayers, using these updates as a bit of a guide on what is happening, or by writing us here. We really appreciate the support!
If you have any questions regarding our work, or would like to make some suggestions, please send us an email.
Greetings from Cochabamba, Bolivia!
Those of us who consider ourselves a part of the Niños con Valor family, including you, understand that each and every day of the year we ought to be celebrating the children who are a part of our lives. We were all children once upon a time, and know what a huge impact our childhoods have had on us, for better or for worse. So, we choose to be intentional every day in how we treat our kids, knowing that they will be the ones to mold the future.
While this is certainly how we hope to live, there is one day of the year that even more people recognize the immense value and awesomeness of kids around the world - Children's Day! So, like most things, the countries of the world can't get on the same page as to what the day the celebrations should take place, but here in Bolivia we celebrated on April 12th.
At PDC, we took a trip to a petting zoo and a day at one of the great children's parks here in the city. Most of the kids were willing to be adventurous and get up-close with the animals, but they all had fun visiting, even if they didn’t actually pet the animals. Then we were off to the park where we explored tunnels, a pirate ship, a tongue slide (huh?), and the ever-exciting striking a metal sign post with a rock for the cool sound it makes (of course that was the favorite of the majority of the boys).
The girls at CDP also celebrated with PDC for Children's Day with an excursion to the home (and pool) of a good friend of the foundation, Claudia Rivero Montaño. Everyone, including the tías, had a great time relaxing in the water, having a cookout and just enjoying the day together.
So, this is a newsletter in celebration of the children who are a part of our growing family. Instead of giving detailed updates of our projects in general, we are going to show you a lot of photos from Children's Day and the rest of the month and give you short updates on each child... Enjoy!
April's Photo Gallery
Left - Valeria studying hard.
Right - Cynthia feeling victorious after figuring out her homework with Tía Kimber.
Left - Sofia working on a scarf.
Right - The tias from PDC during a recent training.
Left - Miguel trying to blow out his candles...
Right -...did it!
Above - Checking out a cow on Children's Day.
Left - And a chick...
Right - ...and a rabbit.
Left - Lucas giving a goofy grin to the camera.
Right - Manolo all smiles at the park.
Above - The kids of PDC had so much fun with their tias, balls and the playground.
Above - That thing to the right would be a tongue slide.
Left - Going for a boat ride.
Right - Paola and Guillermo crossing a bridge as Lily looks on.
Above - Both the kids from CDP and PDC were loved having a day in the pool...
Above - ...and saoking up some rays - gotta love autumn in Cochabamba!
Left - The littlest ones loved being out.
Right - And the older girls were a huge help.
Right - Tía Celia and Romané at the bbq.
Left - Marcos half praying, half keeping a lookout for his lunch.
Right - There was so much GOOD food!
Above - And very little leftovers.
Almost in order of age, here are some of the greatest kids in the whole wide world :o) As you read the latest updates on their lives and their answers to some questions we asked them, we encourage you to consider sponsoring one of these children. Everyone of them not only has needs, but also hopes and dreams, and by deciding to invest as little as $30 a month, you can play an important role in meeting these needs, and making these dreams a reality. More information can be found here.
Nelida - Nelida is a sweet tiny almost two-month old that doesn't quite weigh 6 lbs. yet. Her older sister had attended the daycare about a year ago, but didn't come regularly. Nelida was born with a cleft lip and palate, but thankfully can create suction to be able to take a bottle. Their home life continues to be very unstable, so we ask for your continued prayer that they will be able to come regularly to the daycare, and so we can coordinate care for Nelida's medical needs. |
Ramona - Ramona is technically Nelida's younger sister, but is bigger and stronger now, weighing just over 7 lbs. She is a disarmingly cute and tranquil baby who is very content to sleep most of the day as long as you're close by. |
Seina - Seina and her older sister, Brigidia, were coming regularly to the daycare until their father was injured at work, many hours outside of the city. They are currently with their mother while she cares for their father, but we are concerned about their fragile health status while so far away from good medical facilities. Please pray with us that they will be able to return soon. |
"Mateo" - Once our tiniest little one, being born at 29 weeks, Mateo has been growing big and strong and is now one of our healthiest children. Mateo is a very happy and content baby with an infectious smile and a love for bopping around to music. He's a testament to the healthy and nurturing environment that we're providing to our children. |
Brigidia - Please see Seina's update above. |
"Lily" - Lily just celebrated her 1st birthday not too long ago, and she was already walking and talking. She's very strong for her age, both physically and in character. Lily enjoys playing with the other kids, but she is quick to communicate her desires to the others and isn't intimidated by her small stature. She loves to laugh and give hugs to everyone. |
"Zaquiel" - Zaquiel came to us from another home because he was constantly in the hospital with bronchial issues. Since coming to live with us, we've been able to treat him almost exclusively at the home, and he's a much happier and outgoing child. We've also been able to reestablish visits with his family, who visits him faithfully. |
"Alexis" - Alexis is one of our daycare children and is an absolute sweetheart! While she was one of the most reluctant children, once she became accustomed to being with us during the day, she is almost all smiles and sweet hugs with everyone. |
"Lucas" - It has been a lot of fun to watch Lucas grow and develop, including his personality. He's such a jokester, getting this mischievous grin on his face and then busting out into laughter. Lucas loves spending time with his dad and it always brings a smile to our faces as he lights up when he sees him. |
"Manolo" - While Manolo is one of our more behaviorally challenging children, he can also be one of the sweetest and most affectionate. He has a soft spot for our little babies, and is always willing to help hold or rock them when they are crying. It has been encouraging to us to see how much his health has improved since first coming to live with us. |
"Victoria" - Victoria is a bundle of giggles most of the time, but can be quite serious too. She loves caring for our babies as well as her baby doll that can be frequently found strapped to her back like all the good mommies here. Victoria is very bright and likes listening to books and learning everything she can. |
"Guillermo" - Our little survivor is certainly doing just that! He continues to grow strong and is developing well, and his doctors are very happy with his progress. He's still a sweet and engaging boy, but he finds it challenging to not have everyone's undivided attention anymore. |
"Raeka" - Raeka has changed so much since first coming to us. Although still timid in new situations, in the home and with people she knows, she is very outgoing and is actually quite the chatterbox! We still struggle to understand her long stories, but she’s very happy to just have our attention and smiles. |
"Santiago" - Santiago has been one of the longest attending children at our daycare. He has developed into a very articulate and kind boy who loves our playground and playing soccer with the other boys. |
"Miguel" - Miguel just celebrated his third birthday and it was a good opportunity to look back and see how much progress he's made. He arrived very developmentally delayed especially in the area of speech, but now he's starting to talk, and he's very happy to be able to communicate with those around him. He's excellent in sports and loves 'rough housing' with the other boys in the home. |
"Mariana" - Mariana, Santiago's older sister, is one of the oldest children in the daycare and has progressed so much since she first started attending. She is very bright and quite grown-up for her age. She responds well to those who are loving and firm with her, and we have seen great improvement in her behavior, often bursting into a gorgeous smile when she receives praise for her positive behaviors. |
"Marcos" - Marcos is a very sensitive and thoughtful child who likes looking out for his little sister. He has recently developed a love of music and is very cute with his specific requests for certain songs depending on his mood. Marcos is a great helper around the house and enjoys receiving praise from the tias for his cooperative spirit. |
"Nohemi" - Nohemi is our commuter. She lives at the girls' home with her older sisters, but spends her weekdays at PDC attending the daycare and getting to be with other children her age. Nohemi has made some pretty radical transformations since her arrival to CDP, and is now a more outgoing, talkative and affectionate child. Once the youngest in our foundation, she is definitely becoming quite the 'big girl'. |
"Karina" - How has your life changed since coming to CDP? |
"Kattia" - What has been the best thing about living at CDP? |
"Mariela" - What is your favorite memory? |
"Diana" - What is your favorite memory? |
"Vanesa" - How has your life changed since coming to CDP? |
"Cynthia" - What is your favorite memory? |
"Evelyn" - What has been the best thing about living at Corazón del Pastor? |
"Adriana" - What dreams do you have for your future? |
"Jhoselin" - How has your life changed since coming to Corazón del Pastor? |
"Johana" - How has your life changed since coming to CDP? |
"Paty" - How has your life changed since coming to CDP? |
"Angela" - What dreams do you have for your future? |
"Abigail" - What is your favorite memory? |
"Elena" - What is your favorite memory? |
"Lourdes" - What dreams do you have for your future? |
"Valeria" - What dreams do you have for your future? |
"Camila" - What has been the best thing about living at Corazón del Pastor? |
"Ana" - What has been the best thing about living at CDP? |
"Sofia" - What dreams do you have for your future? |
"Olivia" - What dreams do you have for your future? |
* All names have been changed to protect the children's privacy.
If you are interested in supporting us financially as we continue to invest in these children, in their futures and in our own, please visit our web page to learn how.
Peace and Love from the kids, staff and volunteers of Niños con Valor!