Sometimes we don't stand still with the fact how many poor people there are in the world, not realizing that there are more poor people then rich people. We probably all know this kind of documentaries and commercials from television about poor Africa, poor Haiti, poor Brazil, and... we need your donation, call 1-800, ... this is our account number, this is our address.
And indeed, we can't ignore that it isn't the truth. But I agree that there is to much around it and that we indeed can't sponsor everything and everyone.
As a person, that lived in some of the poor countries; Including Sri Lanka and Brazil, even lived in the Favela (slums), I can say that it was very difficult to get used in the first place, but after a time... it is difficult to "leave it behind".
This blog don't go about my live in Rio de Janeiro Favela's, but about children. Poor Children. Innocent Children that never asked to be poor, or probably never asked to be born in such a circumstances.
Years ago, even before I went for the first time to Brazil, I felt like helping the poor. And where to start then? ... "The Children", I was thinking.
The adults still can work, if there is work, but a child need education and is the future.
Also for me it was very difficult to make a decision, who -or what to help.
There are so many needs in -what we call - third world-countries, that it is very difficult to make a decisions. As an amputee, no legs and one arm, and seeing the many needs for people with a disability, it made me even more thinking in the direction of: "We need to help".
Six years ago, when I went for the first time to Brazil, I helped some street-children. They come to you, they beg for food. It was my first time in close contact with poorness and hungriness.
Very recently I finally decided to deal with an organization.
Their name isn't important, but it is one of those that offers the possibility that you give each month the same amount of money, that goes to that child, you get pictures, you may write them, and you even may visit them.
After being in contact with some other sponsors, that do the same, that visited "their" child, even showed me some pictures about their visits to the children, pictures from the children with the presents they received,... Well it made me decide to do a start with one child.
The decision went for Brazil, and a girl from 2 years old.
After receiving all the information, including the address to write her, I really could not sleep. Looking at the little amount what is necessary in this countries to feed - support or help a child, I decided to help 2, 3, 4... 5....8 children. Indeed I took the sponsoring for 8 children on my name. 6 from Brazil, because I know that country very well. The 2 other children are from Senegal and from Ethiopia.
8 children sounds a lot, but if everyone could help a child in misery, then the world would look much better. We can not blame children for the mistakes that adult people make. And in this kind of situations, my question is in the first place. Where is God? Aren't we all children of God???. If we are children from God. Then why every 5 seconds on the earth die a child from hunger. ??? And if we need to wait on God to feed the children, then we can wait long....
Sorry, I only believe in what I see, and if it then comes to an organization that is allowed to see the children, then it is so much easier.
Once someone told me: "But Alex, you can't save the whole world". Exactly, we can't. But again, if everyone would do a little. Many little pieces makes together one big piece....
Anyway, this blog is a start to my discovery in becoming a sponsor for six poor children that needed help.
Here are their pictures, from where they are, and their ages at this moment.
Looking at all the cute faces they have, thinking on the misery they know in their lives, it is such an easy decision to help them. Near helping those children, I have some more ideas, but will write about it soon as I have more information.
Meanwhile... February 7, 2013, and I stopped a while ago with this project. Too many people have their doubts about this kind of organizations, and since we know personally a child now, a boy from 11, and we help him personally (and even calls me a father) then that is much more fun then giving your money on organizations, and you really don't know what happens with it. Seeing the boy that see me as a father, happy with everything you do and buy for him is much better, and you know at least that the money you used, really went to that child. You could see on his smile that you used your money in the correct way.
For sure a reason to stop when you find out that the president of that organization has a yearly income of 300.000 us dollars...
