How we chose godchildren

There are around 30.000 street kids in Paraguay – with upward trend and many other needy children. Often people ask: „How do you choose the ones, that get a sponsored scholarship?”

To get a scholarship for a child or teenager there needs to be a severe need in their living conditions. Qualified social workers from our Educational Center examine their houses and check on their biography in order to permit the opportunity to those who are really in need of it and there are several cases in the area around our school.

The most common reasons are unemployment, severe illness or even death of one parent, difficult situations in the family, abuse or mistreatment of a parent (often alcoholic). Anyhow the income of most families is rather low, so often it is impossible to give the children the chance to attend a good school. In case of acute hardship, children are the first to suffer. Most often they have to leave school and work, to bring in money for the family and many of them end up living on the street. Most of the scholarship students in Nandejara already had to go through very difficult situations and are full of resignation or frustration, dreading their life has to go on like this. At Nandejara they can learn and experience, that God does not let go of them, that he wants to hold them and that their names are inscribed in his hand because of the sacrifice of his son. How glorious is it to give the students a new view of life coined by God´s love, which can change their lives for good and that can give hope and joy. For years there is sowed the seed of love through the faithful work of co-workers and donors and it shows more fruit every year.

There are also more and more children that are on their own staying with relatives, because their mothers leave out of need to work in Spain or other countries and send back money for the families. Here the financial necessity is eased, but the children come to suffer from loneliness and the feeling of being left behind.

For those students and others the school replaces a little the former children`s home in giving them a secure haven, with the difference that the children go “home” after school and have mothers that struggle in order to provide the what is needed for living. Still the pay often covers only the very basics as rent, light and water and many depend on additional aid. We hope and pray that help in that can be extended and our work can grow.

Dear reader, maybe you have come to think about supporting a needy child. At our homepage you get an overview about the different ways you can help.
To support a child read „Becoming a Godparent" and for further information you may also check on „Beginning of Sponsored Scholarships at Nandejara" or „Success stories about former students, that where sponsored." about former students, that where sponsored.