Updates from Father Thames
Newsletter (March/April 2010)
Educate the Children Newsletter
Note: The following documents are in PDF format. If you are unable to open these files you will need to download Adobe Reader.
Educate the Children
Learning to read and write is important to a child’s self-esteem, and even more importantly, education is essential for third-world countries to become self-sustaining societies. About 400+ children will attend school (grades 6 – 12) coming from remote areas and very poor families in Cabezas, Bolivia. Fort Worth diocesan priest Father Robert Thames works in Bolivia and has developed a substantial program of pastoral care, medical clinics, and buildings – churches, clinics and schools.
You can help by sponsoring a child's education for $25 a month or $300 per year which will supply tuition, meals, lodging, supplies, teachers, and utilities. This could be a wonderful opportunity for you and/or your children to connect with another culture as well as learn early the teachings of our faith about justice and charity.
Who is an Educate the Children Sponsor?
An Educate-the-Children sponsor is someone who has made the decision to personally invest in the life of a child in need. Your sponsorship enables a child to participate in a church-based program that offers life-changing benefits such as:
- education
- social skills development
- sacramental training
You can also help your sponsored child develop a sense of confidence and self-worth with the love you express through letters and prayers.
As an Educate-the-Children sponsor, you are assured that the child you sponsor will know your name, write to you and benefit directly from your monthly sponsorship. Your relationship with your sponsored child makes you a very important person who has a significant role in his or her development.
What specific benefits will the child I sponsor receive?
The child you sponsor through Educate the Children will receive opportunities and services that most of the world's poorest children may never see. These opportunities and services include the following:
- the opportunity to receive an education
- the cost of school fees, clothing and supplies
- dormitory facilities for the students who live too far to walk to school
- your special child can stay in school longer and get the most out of his or her education
- development of self-confidence and social skills
- a church-based program where adults offer love, guidance, personal attention, guided recreation and safety
- the opportunity to hear the gospel and learn about Jesus
- training and preparation to receive the sacraments
What is the cost to sponsor a child?
It costs $25 a month, or less than a dollar a day, to sponsor a child through Educate the Children. It is a commitment that can make an incredible difference in a child's life.
How can I communicate with the child I sponsor?
We encourage you to send your sponsored child a personal or family photograph and a short letter of introduction. Educate the Children volunteers will translate your letter and deliver it to the child you support. Sponsored children typically keep their sponsors' photos and letters as treasured possessions.
You may write to the child you sponsor at regular intervals. Your sponsored child will benefit from knowing that someone in addition to his or her family really cares. Your words of encouragement will make a big difference to your child. . The more you write the child you sponsor, the more he or she will reap the benefits of your relationship.
Will my child write to me?
Yes, your child will write to you once a year and include a picture of him or herself. A teacher or a staff member will help the children who have not learned to read or write. Letter writing is developmental for children as it improves their basic literacy, self-awareness and ability to put thoughts and feelings into words.
As your exchange of letters grows over the years, you can build a scrapbook of letters and photos from your child. Your scrapbook will serve as a constant reminder of the relationship you have developed with the child you are helping and the contribution to his or her growth.
Is it possible to visit my sponsored friend?
Yes, we encourage you to visit your sponsored child. The Educate the Children committee will help you make the travel arrangements. Such visits can be reassuring and heartwarming.
May I send gifts to my child?
Yes. As an Educate the Children sponsor, you may give additional gifts to your sponsored child for special occasions, to address specific needs or simply as an act of love. These gifts are another effective way to reinforce your care and a commitment to your child.
Unfortunately, packages are subject to high customs duties and are easily lost or stolen. If you wish to mail your sponsored friend a gift, we suggest something simple and lightweight such as pens, pencils, colored pencils, coloring book, picture book, spiral note books, paperback Spanish dictionaries, hair ribbons, T-shirts, postcards, holy cards or photos as age appropriate.
Any items you send must fit in an envelope 10 x 13 inches or smaller, and weigh less than one pound.
What percentage of expenditures is spent on program activities?
Educate the Children is unique in that 100% of your contribution goes to support your child‘s education. There are no administration fees associated with the program. These costs are handled by the Mission Council of the Diocese of Fort Worth.
Are my contributions tax-deductible?
Yes. All contributions to Educate the Children are tax-deductible in the United States. As a requirement of the 1993 Revenue Reconciliation Act, we verify that no goods or services of value were exchanged for your contribution.
How long should my sponsorship last?
Educate the Children sponsorship offers you the opportunity to sponsor a child for a number of years, usually through the school year in which they complete their secondary education. While we hope that you will be able to continue your support until he or she completes the Educate the Children program, we recognize that your circumstances can change. You may discontinue your sponsorship at anytime.
Please understand that a sponsored child's circumstances may also change. For example, sometimes families move beyond the reach of the Educate the Children program and may be asked to leave the program.
We will inform you as quickly as possible if any circumstances affect the child you sponsor, and we will offer you the opportunity to support another child in need of your help.
If I must discontinue my sponsorship, what happens to the child I am helping?
If you discontinue your support, we will immediately look for a new sponsor for your child and continue the child's support without interruption.
Volunteer your time
Educate the Children is coordinated completely by volunteers. If you have any of the following skills (bilingual, marketing, computer, organizational and/or administrative skills), we welcome your help. Please contact an Educate-the-Children representative.
How do I contribute?
If Christ is leading you to a personal and caring relationship with a child, contact a
Mission Council representative or complete the sponsorship pledge card (below) and
mail it to the Catholic Center (See address below). Your contribution can be made monthly or annually by check, credit card or automatic withdrawal.
Educate the Children
Catholic Center
800 West Loop South
Fort Worth, TX 76108
Note: The following documents are in PDF format. If you are unable to open these files you will need
to download Adobe Reader.
Pledge Card / Folleto y la inscripción
Sponsorship Pledge Card
Folleto y la inscripción (una página)
Contact
Henry del Castillo
ETC Coordinator
(817) 946-7200
delcasth@aol.com