Friday, August 19, 2011

I'm going to Ukraine!

Dear Friends and Family,

I will soon be off to Ukraine to meet our coodinator and make arrangments for Children's Cultural Connections's Winter Host Program. We booked the tickets today and will head over the first week of October. We will be bringing clothes, jackets, and toys to donate to orphanages for a humanitarian mission during our trip. If you can help please email me and we can arrange for pick up or shipping instructions.

Hosting is a wonderful opportunity to welcome an orphaned child into your home between two and six weeks. The purpose of the hosting program is to give orphans a cultural experience as well as for families and the child being hosted to learn more about one another. This program has proven to be life changing for families and brings hope and happiness to the children.

We are also still looking for donations to sponsor children. Any amount will help as the cost per child is $2500. This includes all the coordination in Ukraine, paperwork, airline tickets, visas, passports, and much much more. It's a lot of work that holds many rewards.

We have many families who are ready to host so if you are interested in bringing an orphan child into your home for the holidays please let me know so we can add you to our list and send you the requirements to host. Photos and bios of the children will be ready by October 11th. Children will arrive the middle of December and leave the beginging of January. Exact dates will be determined in November.

Donations can be delivered to the address below and checks can be made out to Children's Cultural Connection. All donations are 100% tax deductable. Look for news on our fall fundraiser and please think of friends and family who may be interested in this program or donating to the cause.

Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive. We are very excited to help these beautiful babies.

Please tag yourself to share this on your facebook to spread the news.
Blessings,

--
Donations to:
Guglielmo's Hope for Orphans
1480 E. Main Ave.
Morgan Hill, CA  95037

Monday, August 15, 2011

Getting ready for our September trip

I am in the process of making plans for a trip to Ukaine with Cara from Children's Cultural Connection. We are trying to get tickets for the end of September. We will travel by train and car visiting 5 to 6 orphanages, many in remote areas of Ukraine.  The trip will be expensive but it will allow us to meet the children we will bring for the host program this Christmas. Meeting the children will help us talk to potential host parents about the children. It is a lot easier for the families to decide on which child they want to host when they know more about them and see if they are a fit for their family lifestyle.

The host program is a life changing experience for orphaned children. They get to stay with a family and receive love and attention they do not get in orphanages. It is also a chance for families who wish to adopt an opportunity to get to know older children who have less of a chance of being adopted. It is not a requirement to adopt as it gives the children a chance to see a different life and culture and give them hope for their future.
It is proven that these children go home changed and happy.

I am super excited to go. I know it's going to be wonderful to meet the children but heart wrenching at the same time.