Vaccinations

The next major thing on the agenda is to receive my vaccinations which I will probably have done at Passport Health, a place in Winston that provides all vaccines needed by anyone traveling to a foreign country. I obtained some of my vaccines there the last time and also received some at the Department of Health (a little cheaper), but I think that just having all of it done at one place, will be better this time. Or I may to to the one in Greensboro which looks like it may be closer. Vaccines that are suggested for Colombia can be found at the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention website. It has so much additonal helpful information, for anyone needing information in this area:

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/colombia.htm

A few notes:

Before visiting Colombia, you may need to get the following vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases you might be at risk for at your destination: (llisted further on the website page and includes Hepatitus A, Yellow Fever, Malaria, TDAP)(Note: Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities.)
To have the most benefit, see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect and to start taking medicine to prevent malaria, if you need it.
Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines, anti-malaria drugs and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
CDC recommends that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine.  Find a travel medicine clinic near you. If you have a medical condition, you should also share your travel plans with any doctors you are currently seeing for other medical reasons.

A True Blessing

I just wanted to share that this upcoming visit was something that I had been planning ever since my first visit in 2011. My plan was to try to visit the children at least one more time in two years but that door did not open until a couple of weeks ago. I believe that God opened this door for me to be able to visit them and I am thankful for this opportunity to spend time with them again and to meet Leonardo and Andrea Carolina for the first time!

Meeting Francisco

Meeting Francisco in June 2011 :)

Meeting Bleidis in June 2011

Here is a short video of my first visit with Bleidis, June 2011

Things to Do

1. Purchase small gifts for the children 2. Take vaccinations (major) 3. Contact Bank concerning visit to access funds 4. Locate Spanish dictionary and camera! 5. Pack light!

A Coastal Road between Cartagena and Barranquilla

The two hour ride was only $12 in 2010 but I am sure that the price has increased!

Proposed Itinerary

This is the proposed itinerary that was provided for the visit :)

July 22

8:30 a.m. Visit main office in Barranquilla
9:00 a.m. Visit the home of Bleidis and Maria (close to the Village of Hope)

11:00 a.m. Shopping & meals & arcade at the mall

3:30 p.m. Travel to Santa Marta by van 

July 23

9:30 a.m. Visit SAC and the home of Andrea Carolina and Leonardo in Santa Marta

11:30 a.m. Shopping & meals & arcade at the mall

2:30 p.m. Depart to  Cartagena

July 24-free or visit Daliana from Compassion

July 25

10:00 a.m. Visit Yiseth & Nelson’s home. Then travel to SAC 3 to meet with Francisco.

12:00 p.m. go to lunch at “Mall Plaza el Castillo”, which includes ice cream

2:00 p.m. go to the arcade

3:00 p.m. go shopping 

This may change, because I am hoping to visit Francisco's home if possible. Due to his family situation, I am not sure if I will be able to visit him but I am hoping for the best. I am also hoping and praying that I will be able to see Sonia too. I hope to hear how this might go soon!

There are so many things to figure out such as which van and route to take from Cartagena to Barranquilla and which van and route to take from Barranquilla to Santa Marta. Then there is the one from Santa Marta back to Cartagena. I am hoping to take the coastal route at least to Barranquilla,  which did not seem to be as busy as the road that I took on the first trip. I believe that I will be able to have the staff at the hotels contact the vans for pickup in each city since I am not fluent in Spanish. I will also need to take a small bag with me when I travel to Santa Marta from Barranquilla, since I will spend one night in Santa Marta. As the days draw closer, I will have all of this figured out!!! :) :)

Gifts for the Children

When I visited my sponsored children two years ago, I brought  large suitcase filled with gifts for the children and their siblings but this time I plan to one small gift for each child and a few small gifts for some of their siblings. Then they can choose an outfit at the mall. If I have any extra funds, I would like for them to use this for food. The small gifts that I would like to bring will include watches for the boys and  necklaces or bracelets for all of the girls. I think that I will also bring a collage of photos for each child since some of the photos of the flip book that I brought the last time, were not as clear due to the restrictions on the program what was used to create the flip books

The Children International Brochure

Along with providing sponsors with a list of reputable and safe places to stay during the visit, Children International provides a brochure which has a lot of information that sponsors need as they plan the trip. See below:

The Kansas City office needs to be contacted 4-6 weeks prior to the trip and sponsors are encouraged to to contact the US Dept of State for any travel advisories. Numbers and website contacts are provided. The CI office will need to know the flight or cruise information, the city where the sponsor will be staying, the name, address and phone number of the hotel, the dates for staying in the country, the specific date for visiting the child and any companions who will be along on the trip.

Sponsors are responsible for any transportation costs, meal expenses for the sponsor, the child and family member who may attend the visit, as well as staff (which includes the driver and translator)

Sponsors are responsible for entertainment expenses like visits to parks, movies, ec.
Sponsors make their own travel arrangements such as flight arrangements, hotel accomodations, and transportation to and from the airport. The CI staff makes transportation and translation arrangements (if necessary) directly related to the child's visit. In most cases, sponsors are able to visit the homes of the children.


Guidelines:
Visits with a child are limited to one day only and sponsors must realize the the there are certain daytime visiting hours. Offices are open 5 days a week but closed on holidays!

A staff member will accompany the sponsor at all times on the visit.

Weather precautions must be considered and sponsors need to respect cultural differences when expressing affection for the child and his or her family.

Be prepared to draw attention from crowds because new faces especially foreigners often cause excitement in the community.

Sponsors are unable to give direct monetary gifts to families but may purchase gifts for the child or provide gifts through the CI program

Today I have been trying to decide on the hotel to stay in when I spend one night in Santa Marta. After visiting Bleidis and Maria on Monday, I will have to leave for about an hour's drive to Santa Marta, probably by the Inventour van or another van called Cochetur. I need to check this week to see which one might be the best to travel in. Travelling by taxi is another option that I may need to check into also. The hotels in Santa Marta seem to be reasonably priced and after much searching, I decided to try one called the Hotel Edmar. I chose it because it is in my price range,  has no cancellation fee if I need to choose a different one, has a restaurant and looks nice :)

Dates and Itinerary

                            

This photo of Hotel 3 Banderas is courtesy of TripAdvisor

 The dates for the visit set for the fourth week in July. After a train ride to Ft. Lauderdale, I hope to spend the first day in Cartagena, revisiting some of the areas of the Old City. My hotel is not the same one as the last visit. I plan to stay in the Three Banderas hotel which is a little less expensive but still receives mostly good reviews from Trip Advisor. I love the colors and courtyard. But I will miss being on the main street that Don Pedro is on because I could hear the horses going up and down the street at all hours! :)  It is in the same area as the first hotel, Don Pedro. I am hoping that Dora, the tour guide that I met the last time will be able to pick me up from the airport. She contacted me last night and I was so happy to hear from her. If you ever plan to visit, Cartagena, you may want to check her out her services. I am hoping to squeeze in a short tour if possible on the day that I am free.

 

 Dora, the tour guide

http://cartagenatour.com/english.html

According to the itinerary provided by Children International, on day 2, I hope to travel to Barranquilla to meet with Bleidis and Maria. As with all of the kids, the plan is to go out to lunch visit the arcades, and the mall. Hopefully, the arcades will be open when we arrive. We had to wait awhile the last time in Barranquilla. I am also hoping that we may be able to drive by the school that the girls attend. After this, I will need to take the Inventour van (the one shown in the Old City video below) to Santa Marta and spend the night there. It supposed to be a lovely place :) and then in the morning, I hope to meet with Andrea Carolina and Leonardo at the CI center. I also hope to see their homes. Then I will take the van back to Cartagena which is about two hours away, I think, and visit Yiseth and Nelson on Thursday. I am hoping that I will finally meet their mom who just returned from Venezuela. These two children have lived with their grandmother most of their lives. I am also hoping that their little sister, Melanie, can join us on the visit. So this is the plan for now!! :)

Old Town-Cartagena

This video takes me back to my first trip in the Old City of Cartagena. I can't wait to return to the sights, smells, and sounds of the Old City. Cartagena also has a new area with modern building and businesses, but I love the Old City. I only wish that something could be down about the abject poverty that so many people find themselves in, in this city and the surrounding areas.

Children International Video about Colombia

This is a video by Children International about their work in Colombia.

Sonia and Daliana from Cartagena

I am posting about Sonia because she is the main reason that I decided to visit Colombia again. I sponsored her for 7 years and met her in 2011 but due to unforseen circumstances, she left the program. This happened after I promised her that I would return to visit her again. I am hoping and praying that it may be possible to see her on this trip but I know that it may not be possible due to regulations.

Daliana is another child that I write to on behalf of her sponsor, through Compassion and she also asked me to visit her. I am not sure if this will be possible but I will check into it as I will have one free day available and this may work. She is very sweet and writes beautiful letters about her family and activities at the center that she attends.

Sonia on the 2011 trip

Daliana, pen pal from Cartagena, through Compassion

Sonia with her aunt, CI worker and me on the 2011 trip

Andrea Carolina and Leonardo from Santa Marta

Andrea Carolina and Leonardo are the last two children that I am scheduled  to meet. They live in Santa Marta and they are the newest additions to my CI sponsored children. Leonardo is a group sponsored child and Andrea Carolina is a child that was given to me when I lost Sonia, my other Colombian child. Both children have siblings and are in school. I am looking forward to meeting them for the first  time and I hope that we have a fun time together :) These are photos of them holding small gifts and their photos from me in Dec. 2012.

Yiseth and Nelson from Cartagena

Yiseth and Nelson are siblings who live in Cartagena. They live with their mother and other relatives. I also had a chance to visit with them in 2011 when I only sponsored Yiseth. I have been Yiseth's  sponsor for 7 years but always wanted to sponsor Nelson. This was finally done after I visited them in 2011. Both children are very sweet and full of life. They love school and they work hard in school. Yiseth wants to be a pediatrician one day.  Nelson has asked me to visit them again, several times in his letters so my goal is to make this wish come true! :) 

This is a photos of Yiseth, Nelson, their aunt, and me on the 2011 trip

Francisco from Cartagena

Francisco is another sponsored child that I hope to see. He is sponsored by a group of Children International sponsors and he lives in Cartagena. Cartagena is a lovely historic city but it is marred by poverty and Francisco lives in an area of extreme poverty and his family has other sad issues. I also had the opportunity to visit Francisco in 2011 when he was eight years old. He is a small child for his age and he enjoys playing with his siblings, cousins, and  friends. One of my main goals on this visit is to see the new room that was constructed for the family.  Many CI sponsors and friends donated funds to accomplish this. We were also able to provide bunk beds and bathroom additions.

 Francisco holds a flag from one of his sponsors, Barbara,  who lives in Canada

 Here Francisco sits on top of the new bunk beds provided by his sponsors and friends

 This is Francisco and me on the 2011 trip inside of his home

Bleidis and Maria from Barranquilla

Meet the Children!

                                                Visiting Bleidis and Maria in 2011



These are the special children that I plan to visit in July! The first two children are siblings that I visited in the summer of 2011. Their names are Bleidis and Maria. These two little girls live in Barranquilla, Colombia with their mom and stepdad. They are very sweet and they love school. I have sponsored Bleidis for a little over two years and after meeting her little sister, Maria, I decided to sponsor her also and became her sponsor few months ago. Both girls live in a home that has one large living area with a corner designated as the kitchen and there is one bedroom. When I visited the home, there was only one small sofa and two small tables  in the living area and two beds in the bedroom. They also use an open field for sanitary purposes, meaning there is no bathroom. One of my goals to help construct a bathroom/washroom/shower for the family in the future if I can.  Bleidis enjoys reading and wants to be a vet one day, and Maria has just started school. These little girls are the sweetest and they have very loving and supportive parents.

Why I Support Children International

                     Maria Luisa, my sponsored child from the Philippines, with a Special Needs gift

Children International is a great organization that  provides assistance to  children in these basic areas:

• Emergency Food as Needed
• Medical and Dental Care
• Educational Support
• Family Assistance
• Clothes, Shoes and More

As a Children International sponsor, I have an opportunity to make a real and lasting difference in a child's life. My monthly support provides the above services and I am also able to provide emotional support by building a positive relationship through letters, photos, and visits. Children International sponsors receive updates about their children and annual photos which help us to see how the child progresses through the years. We are able to send packages in the mail and also provide for special needs that a child and his or her family might have.  The children also correspond with their sponsors on a consistent basis. This organization is very flexible and reliable and I believe it is one of the best child sponsorship organizations that exists today. To learn more about Children International, please visit the link below:


 https://www.children.org/sponsor-ir-e?rs_id=2

What is a Child Sponsor?

              Albert, on the left, is a little boy that I use to sponsor who lives in Zambia

A child sponsor is someone who decides to make a commitment to support a child who is in need. Many of the children are affected by poverty.  The children that I plan to visit are sponsored through Children International, which is a very well known and well respected organization. Children International works in various countries to help bring about positive change in the lives of children who are living in poverty.

I became a child sponsor when I was a teenager and have sponsored off and on over the years. I have been blessed to maintain my longest sponsorships for a little over seven years now. As a child sponsor I am able to help provide support for children such as school supplies, clothing, dental visits, nutritional supplements, and other support. I try to write to the children five or six times throughout the year and send gifts when I can. The children write back and as a result, we have formed a special bond even though we have never seen each other in person. I hope that my visit with my sponsored children will help to strengthen that bond and let them know that they truly have someone who is rooting for them.

These special children are all children that I sponsor or co-sponsor through Children International, a program that helps children who live in third world countries. All of these children live in Colombia, South America and all are affected by poverty. I had the opportunity to visit Colombia two years ago and I was able to visit four of these children in addition to another child who is no longer in the program. This blog is a record of plans, thoughts, experiences, and updates for this trip. I am very excited to be able to see these children and I hope that you will enjoy the ride with me! :)