And now a fun post after all that number crunching yesterday: Meet Karen Stephany!

Karen Stephany is our newest sponsored child. We chose her in September of last year. One of the things I love about Children International is that you get to chose your own children. Some other sponsorship programs I explored back when we were comparing don't let you do that. They present you with a child's photo and info and ask you to give a thumbs up or thumbs down. I think being able to choose your own child makes for a stronger bond. Some other sponsors I've met say they look for the child in their target country and/or age group who has the lowest income level. Many sponsors say that the child's photo just grabbed them because they were cute ( a very subjective judgment) or funny or forlorn or reminded them of someone. That's got to make you more attached. Some sponsors go out of their way to find children with mental or physical disabilities. So I don't think letting sponsors choose their own children leaves anyone out in the cold.

Karen's picture certainly grabbed me. How could it not? Look at those eyes, those dimples! Between the time I first saw Karen on the website and the time I sponsored her a new picture had appeared. She turned 14 this January. Her favorite school subject is Math. She loves to sing, dance and draw. She also likes to play futbol. (soccer to you and me) She speaks Spanish and helps her mom with the housework. Her father abandoned the family so her mother is left to take care of Karen and her 3 siblings alone. The family income is $168 a month. They have a concrete block home with a concrete floor and corrugated metal roof. It consists of kitchen, living room and 2 bedrooms. All five of them have to share 3 beds. The family has a kerosene stove for cooking, there is running water in the house and electricity is available but not affordable. I was very excited about this child because I knew this would have to be our last one for a while. You may have noticed that my oldest 3 girls, who are also my most recently sponsored children, (Karen, Soila and Jamaica) were all chosen when they were already into their teens. I figure that they have either been waiting a long time or else they had lost their sponsors. How heartbreaking for the sponsor and child both. And how frightening for the child.
I sent Karen a welcome SNG of $100 and here is what she chose:In case you can't read the print or make out the photos, she received a large assortment of various food items, 2 pairs of sandals, 1 pair of jeans (in the latest style), 3 blouses and 1 pkg of underwear. Karen thanked me profusely stating that the family needed these things very much. She sent "warm hugs, kisses and love". I have found that, among my sponsored children at least, those from Hispanic cultures seem to be much less formal and very warm and demonstrative. (well, as demonstrative as you can be in a letter!)

I sent her a letter welcoming her to our family and telling her a little about us and our town . I told her I felt privileged to sponsor her, get to know her and to help her in this small way. She wrote back to me to say that we are welcome to her family, too and that she is proud to be part of our family and to have us as part of hers. She says that the climate in her home town, San Pedro Sula, Honduras is very warm year round and that she lives about 75 miles from the ocean. She liked the photos of us I sent and the postcards of Moscow. She says our town is beautiful. She's right of course!

So that's Karen, our newest. I can't wait to see who she grows up to be!