Friday, June 13, 2008

Scholars in Venezuela impact their community

Recently, CFCA hosted a Mission Awareness Trip to Venezuela. Two members of our staff sent this reflection about their time with CFCA scholars there – students benefiting from the scholarship program.

The Barquisimeto project in Venezuela has a very active and talented group of 128 scholarship students. The students volunteer 32 hours a month helping their respective subprojects in addition to studying and fulfilling their household responsibilities. They are beautiful role models for younger sponsored members. Scholars perform administrative tasks, they organize sporting events for younger members, they tutor students and they help children write letters, among other activities. They are also good friends and serve as a valuable source of moral support for one another.


(L to R) CFCA scholars Eliani, Joana, Adrian and Antonio

We heard a presentation by four CFCA scholars. Eliani organizes scholars. Joana helps keep the children’s files in order. She is in the third semester of nursing school. Antonio supervises the dining room for 259 sponsored in the Maria Auxiliadora school. “They receive a good lunch every school day and medical care,” Antonio said. “I am also supporting my mother and my sister, a special child. This is the hand of God.”

Scholar Adrian Mendoza works with the children and youth in Ciudad de los Muchachos, a foster home for girls and boys. “We want to give our youth tools to continue,” he said. Adrian grew up in Ciudad de los Muchachos (subproject M) and was sponsored through CFCA from age 7 to 17. He then became a CFCA scholar and has now graduated from college with a major in business administration. Adrian will continue his studies in psychology. He still lives and works at Ciudad de los Muchachos. He communicates very well and shows tremendous poise and rapport with the children and staff.
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