Monthly update from Kiko and Carmen
Monthly update from Kiko and Carmen – November 2008
This is an edited version of Kiko and Carmen’s monthly newsletter which we will be putting on the website blog regularly to keep you all informed; I have tried to translate it as clearly as I can while keeping as much of Kiko’s original style as possible.
“Hello friends. This month Wendell and Carlye visited us which was very enjoyable, we were very pleased to be able to show all the progress since they left, and to feel that Wendell and Carlye belong to the Colonia family.
The holidays are already approaching and we are planning and organizing the possible activities. On December 10, classes finish in the majority of schools and colleges and on 12th December, Maribel is graduating. This means that we will be doing the annual camping trip from the 14th to the 21st December, taking about 50 children , although we are lacking sleeping quarters for some.
We also have a new initiative to allow the children to see the sea; Bolivian children do not have the privilege to bathe in and to know the immensity of the ocean, they are only familiar with it through the television. The nearest country bordering the ocean is Chile, the city would be Arica. We will travel there by bike and plan to do this over five or six years, each year taking 10 or 11 children.
This year we expect to be pleasantly surprised by end of year school results, the members of Colonia are studying harder than in other years, each time there is greater responsibility and focus on studying. The new system of responsibilities within Colonia is working very well, it enables the children to learn more about Bolivian reality.
This month we had some bad luck that the rearview mirrors of the taxi were stolen; we left it parked as usual by the school where Darío has classes. We went to find these rearview mirrors to "Chinatown" where all stolen objects end up. In this neighbourhood you can find anything, since all is stolen. The police do not say anything since all this is organized in this neighbourhood. We found the mirrors but each one cost me 180 Bolivians, so 360 Bolivians in total. This made me quite angry; it is no-one’s fault but I am annoyed that this money comes out of our monthly expenses.
Edgar, a resident of Colonia had an accident playing football last month, and injured his forehead, Carmen had to transport him to the hospital to have stitches. We all had quite a fright since his face was covered with blood but all was well.
Cristofer is a boy who has been at Colonia for 7 months, he is a year and seven months of age and needs an operation to correct his legs, up to now we have been helping him with correct nutrition nappies, physiotherapy, consultations to the traumatologist, medicines, etc. Cristofer needs 2000 Bolivians for this operation before it can go ahead. The operacion will cost 1500 Bolivianos and some pre-op analysis needs to be done first. This operation itself will take place in the city of La Paz. . For this he needs to travel by bus and and to cover some expenses while there, which makes up the 2000 Bolivians. Cristofer would travel with his mother; she helps in Colonia with everything that is needed.
The new wooden Cabana is already finished, and we are using this with the radio and the television, it is a project to discover future vocations. Now it is only lacking some equipment, which we are working towards.
The volunteers up to now have been of a huge help and we are trying to integrate them more, for example Paola takes charge of transporting the children to the Dentist you gave them Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Lena is responsible for a cabana. Alison is with the small children and also with the older ones helping with the studying. Lena and Paola will be coming with us on the camping trip.
Dear friends, thanks for your support and patience, thanks to this these children have a decent life now and a better future. With affection Kiko and Carmen."
This is an edited version of Kiko and Carmen’s monthly newsletter which we will be putting on the website blog regularly to keep you all informed; I have tried to translate it as clearly as I can while keeping as much of Kiko’s original style as possible.
“Hello friends. This month Wendell and Carlye visited us which was very enjoyable, we were very pleased to be able to show all the progress since they left, and to feel that Wendell and Carlye belong to the Colonia family.
The holidays are already approaching and we are planning and organizing the possible activities. On December 10, classes finish in the majority of schools and colleges and on 12th December, Maribel is graduating. This means that we will be doing the annual camping trip from the 14th to the 21st December, taking about 50 children , although we are lacking sleeping quarters for some.
We also have a new initiative to allow the children to see the sea; Bolivian children do not have the privilege to bathe in and to know the immensity of the ocean, they are only familiar with it through the television. The nearest country bordering the ocean is Chile, the city would be Arica. We will travel there by bike and plan to do this over five or six years, each year taking 10 or 11 children.
This year we expect to be pleasantly surprised by end of year school results, the members of Colonia are studying harder than in other years, each time there is greater responsibility and focus on studying. The new system of responsibilities within Colonia is working very well, it enables the children to learn more about Bolivian reality.
This month we had some bad luck that the rearview mirrors of the taxi were stolen; we left it parked as usual by the school where Darío has classes. We went to find these rearview mirrors to "Chinatown" where all stolen objects end up. In this neighbourhood you can find anything, since all is stolen. The police do not say anything since all this is organized in this neighbourhood. We found the mirrors but each one cost me 180 Bolivians, so 360 Bolivians in total. This made me quite angry; it is no-one’s fault but I am annoyed that this money comes out of our monthly expenses.
Edgar, a resident of Colonia had an accident playing football last month, and injured his forehead, Carmen had to transport him to the hospital to have stitches. We all had quite a fright since his face was covered with blood but all was well.
Cristofer is a boy who has been at Colonia for 7 months, he is a year and seven months of age and needs an operation to correct his legs, up to now we have been helping him with correct nutrition nappies, physiotherapy, consultations to the traumatologist, medicines, etc. Cristofer needs 2000 Bolivians for this operation before it can go ahead. The operacion will cost 1500 Bolivianos and some pre-op analysis needs to be done first. This operation itself will take place in the city of La Paz. . For this he needs to travel by bus and and to cover some expenses while there, which makes up the 2000 Bolivians. Cristofer would travel with his mother; she helps in Colonia with everything that is needed.
The new wooden Cabana is already finished, and we are using this with the radio and the television, it is a project to discover future vocations. Now it is only lacking some equipment, which we are working towards.
The volunteers up to now have been of a huge help and we are trying to integrate them more, for example Paola takes charge of transporting the children to the Dentist you gave them Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Lena is responsible for a cabana. Alison is with the small children and also with the older ones helping with the studying. Lena and Paola will be coming with us on the camping trip.
Dear friends, thanks for your support and patience, thanks to this these children have a decent life now and a better future. With affection Kiko and Carmen."
posted by Charity Bolivia at 10:24 AM
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