An Invisible Thread

For we must be one thing or the other, an asset
or a liability, the sinew in your wing to help you soar,
or the chain to bind you to earth.
~ Countee Cullen

A picture on the

bulletin board in our

laundry room caught

my eye this morning.

An image that connects 
me and my family to

 a little person

far, far away from

here.

Please refill your cup.
Lean close.
Ah, there you are....

Nearly 21 years ago

my co-worker excitedly

shared the news that

she had become a

sponsor for a child

through Children International.

As proud as a new

grandmother, she announced

It's a boy!

My hubby and I had no 
children at the time.

Just one great big

dog and high hopes

for the family which

we were just beginning

to dream about.

Smitten with the idea

of helping a child,

be it boy or girl,

somewhere in this

vast world of ours,

I mentioned the idea

of becoming a sponor

to my husband.  He

thought it was a fine

idea, as long as I

researched Children

International first

and made certain

they were a reputable

organization.

I did....

and they are.

C.I. was founded in 1936,

dedicated to improving the 

lives of impoverished children,

their families and communities.

Sponsors help to address the

very immediate and basic 
needs of their children as well as 

support programs in the 
areas of education and health.

Currently, C.I. benefits more

than 335,000 destitute kids

and their families in 11 different 

countries.

My first child was

a tiny little girl named 
Zoili Maribel

and we sponsored

her for nearly ten

years, until her family

moved away from the 
program area.

As a sponsor, I always

looked forward to 
the annual updated picture

of my child and the report 

that comes with it.

Before a wee one is able

to write, an older sibling

usually writes the letter that

goes with the report. 

The little one will draw

a picture or two as
her contribution.

Eventually, my girls were

all able to write their

own letters, which were

then translated by someone

in the local field office.

I say girls, as there have

been two more.

After Zoili left the program,

I was asked to sponsor

Ermida Antonia.  In one 
letter, under her signature, she

scrawled this request.  

Please, I would

like to know you through

a picture.

This made me smile and I

decided that at Christmas

I would forward our card

on to her through the field

office.  Unfortunately, Ermida

had to leave the program

before Christmas came, as she

 had decided to get married,

which means suspension from
the program.

Ermida was 15.

Despite the disappointment

of Ermida's departure, we once

again agreed to sponsor 

another child, and again,

it was a girl.

Meet Sulmi Esmerlada.

Sulmi, age 10

Sulmi is ten years old and

lives with her parents and

five siblings in Honduras.

The family's monthly

 income is $158.00.

This sweet child lives in a mud 

home with a dirt floor and a corrugated 

metal roof.  There are two 

bedrooms and a kitchen.  Her

family enjoys running water,

but no electricity.  They sleep

on wooden beds.  Sulmi's 

father is a day labourer and her

mother is a homemaker.

A dangerous bridge in a Honduras neighborhood.

She is three feet, 10 inches

tall and her chores at  home

include running errands.

Sulmi's talents are drawing

and singing and her favorite 

pastime is playing with dolls.

Her letters are always, always

full of gratitude and blessings

for me and my family, our health

and our happiness.

There is usually a drawing of

a rainbow, a flower or a tree, and

 often, a colorful tropical bird.

We  contribute extra money for

special days and holidays, such

as Christmas, birthday, Easter

and Special Hug Day.  C.I. always

sends us a letter sharing

how the money was spent.

Sometimes it is shoes.  Children

without shoes cannot attend school.

Sometimes it is things for the

house, like a cooking vessel.

For her birthday, our child got

the gift of her own pillow for

sleeping at night.  Many children

must share, so it is a privilege

to have ones own, we were told.

This Christmas, Sulmi received

a brand new skirt, a real treat since

generally the children wear 

hand-me-downs.

I have such high hopes for Sulmi.

Many of the children who make

it through the C.I. program have

gone on to further schooling.  

But, even if this isn't the future 

for our girl, I like to think that

she will view the world as being

a bit softer, a little bit kinder,

for having had someone she

has never met care about her 

well-being through her 

childhood years.  

Our first photo of Sulmi, age four.

An invisible thread connects

us to one another.  I pray that

when this thread is cut,

that Sulmi Esmerlada will be

a strong young woman, ready

to embrace her adult life,

whatever form that life

 might take.

Are any of you bound

to someone you've 
never met

in

this

great, wide world?

I'd love to know more.

Pouring another cup of tea,

 in anticipation.....

Thank you for your friendship.

Have a wonderful weekend!

xx

Suzanne

images:
Flickr: 1 & 2 {click for talent}

All other photos except

those of Sulmi, courtesy

 of Children International.

http://www2.children.org

Posted in charity , childhood , gratitude