Happy New Year!

Every year at this time we look back at what a winding road it has been. This year has been the same, and early this week we encountered what perhaps is one of the biggest bends in the road we have encountered in a long time. So, in addition to sharing some stories and photos from December's festivities, we would also like to explain what is going on.

Bolivia's "Gasolinazo"

World AIDS Day 2010

Getting to Know Bolivia

Merry Christmas!

BOLIVIA'S "GASOLINAZO"

So, just what is a "gasolinazo"? It is the word being used in Bolivia to describe the Christmas surprise the government of Bolivia had for the nation on the 26th of December. Basically, the government announced that it was ending gasoline and diesel subsidies, a decision which has caused fuel prices to rise between 53 and 83%. The government has defended the decision, saying the low prices were the cause of illegal cross-border sales of Bolivian fuel. Unfortunately, whether the reasoning is sound or not, the effects of the act is already being felt across the nation. Huge price hikes in everything from gas to water to bread have unions, civic groups and pretty much the whole country in a state of tension. Protests and blockades have been going on for over 3 days now, paralyzing most major city centers, and whilst the government tries to alleviate concerns by promising pay raises, more investment in the country's agriculture and other positive investments, these promises mean little to the thousands of families living in poverty that are now unable to afford basic necessities.

As a non-profit working with children, it is not our place to comment much on the rights and wrongs of these decisions. If you are interested in reading some commentary on the situation, a friend of ours has been blogging here. However, we are faced with the practical reality that our family, the 34 children living in Corazón del Pastor and Pedacito de Cielo, as well as the 2 families we are supporting in the campo, are now facing the same situation as the rest of the country. What does 2011 hold when it starts like this?!?

In response to the price hikes, we are having to make budget adjustments. We want to take care of our staff, who are likewise impacted, and are giving them all a 10% pay raise next month to help them make their own ends meet. We will be cutting out some of the "extras" we like to offer our children but that are not the "basics" in order to offset this increase as well as the budget increase on basic items like gasoline, milk, rice, flour, etc.

We don't want to end 2010 and start 2011 on a down note, but we did feel it important to share this with you, our extended family and supporters. As you make your decisions for your year-end giving, please consider giving to Niños con Valor to help offset these unforeseen increases in our budget for 2011.

So, having shared the big news, we will leave it here, and move on to some of the exciting updates from December - always our most full and fun month of the year :)

Photo from RadioFides.com


The next 3 photos are all from Los Tiempos. Above, protesters in Al Alto hold a sign that reads "President Evo Morales Enemy of the Poor".


A bus with the new fare stuck in it's windshield.


A group of young adults set fire to posters of the current government in Cochabamba's main plaza Thursday morning.

WORLD AIDS DAY 2010

In a show of solidarity with the thousands of Bolivians living with HIV/AIDS, and hoping to help draw crowds to the various information tents set up in Cochabamba's main plaza, we joined up with Performing Life to put on a street show. Thanks to donations from Orkney Helping Hands and other sources, we were able to have some stand-out t-shirts made and take the troupe of performers out for lunch following the show. Before the main event in the plaza, all of our staff, kids and volunteers joined in a solidarity march across the city.

As we head into 2011, let's not forget this growing problem here in Bolivia. Unlike many countries, Bolivia is in the unique position to step up prevention and keep HIV from becoming a much more serious issue. However, without heart-wrenching statistics and a well-organized plan from the governmental and non-governmental agencies working with HIV/AIDS care and prevention, progress is slow and, arguably, things are getting worse rather than better.

Please keep NCV and Casa de los Niños in your prayers as we hope to join forces in 2011 to provide supplementary health care to children and families affected by HIV in coordination with the state specialists.

GETTING TO KNOW BOLIVIA

One of the goals for our girls is for them to develop a respect and understanding for their country. We want them to personally experience the varied cultures, languages, foods, and histories that Bolivia has to offer and to better comprehend how their country has arrived to be where it is today. This year's annual cultural excursion brought us to the legislative capital of Bolivia, Sucre, and the nearby mining city of Potosí.

     

     

With generous donations from Christ the Redeemer Episcopal Church and private families as well as funding from a grant from the Sister Fund, we were able to bring the girls' history books alive. They visited many prominent locations in both cities including museums, cathedrals, the Casa de las Monedas (the former mint) and a favorite with many of the girls, the dinosaur park. We also visited a cloistered convent which was very interesting, however some of the girls seemed concerned that they might be left behind there if they weren't careful.;)

     

     

With 21 girls, and a slew of staff, we were quite the sight to behold as we managed to weave our way through crowded and narrow streets. While taking a break in the main plaza in Potosí, we were interviewed by both a television and radio station asking who we were and what brought us to their city.

     

     

Much fun was had by all as we explored so many interesting sites and got to experience those many hours of Bolivian history lessons in real life. Our hope is that seeing the birthplace of their country, sitting under the same tree as Simon Bolivar, seeing the depths of resources their country has, will create a desire to continue to improve the lives of all Bolivians.

     

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Every year we are overwhelmed and filled with gratefulness as we experience an outpouring of love and generosity from all over the world on our children during the Christmas season. This year it was especially sweet to see the faces of our newest children experiencing such a joyful Christmas filled with not only gifts, but love, security and a sense of belonging. And it's always special to watch our little ones who are understanding Christmas for the first time take in all that's going on around them.

     

     

We have so many people to thank for making this possible- our annual gift supporters at Elevation and the Freeway Church in Canada; the children, parents and staff at the Cochabamba Cooperative School Calvert for providing gifts and a lovely day with Santa for our little ones; Maxam-Fanexa for their day of fun with games, snacks, gifts and a clown as well as gifts for the homes; KeepCalling for sponsoring our huge Christmas dinner and gifts for our One Child at a Time families; and to the many wonderful individual families and sponsors that gave individual gifts to make this Christmas a very special memory for each and every child in the NCV family.

     

     

One of the most special memories we'll have of Christmas 2010 was the wonderful experience of seeing the dreams of a forever family come true for two of our girls. Since their arrival in the Fall of 2006 Angela and Diana have wanted to be adopted, and after a very long process and much waiting, they left for Italy on the 27th with their new mom and dad.

It was with bittersweet joy in our hearts that we said goodbye to them after so many years of being a part of the NCV family. We hope that all of our children available for adoption will soon find the same love and acceptance that they have found in their new family.

     

As many of you may know, every year we do a special Christmas outreach to rural communities where poverty is severe, where a toy for Christmas isn't a possibility because the families are in need of even the basics. We aim to provide both to these families as we give out 'canastones' of basic foodstuffs to the families as well as a toy for each child along with a day filled with fun activities.

     

     

Because of the drastic increase in prices for food and transportation, the funds that we initially received are now not quite covering our adjusted budget. If you'd like to donate to making this important outreach possible, you can easily make a contribution here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Although our future seems more uncertain than ever, putting together this newsletter has been a great reminder to all of us, both here in Bolivia and abroad, why we are working so hard to do what we do.

This past year we were blessed in ways that we never saw coming, and we ask you to pray with us that we will again see God's provision for our children.

We are filled with gratitude and thankfulness for each of you who gave, who became a sponsor, was part of a trip, volunteered with us, and supported us in prayer. We would not have been able to do all the great things we've done without you! We hope you'll continue to join us in our endeavors throughout 2011 and beyond!