Sandra  In September 2002 I will be leaving my family, friends and country
behind to go to be a voluntary workerin Guatemala, helping to rescue the many children who live on the city streets. As a Christian I believe that God has a plan for us all and in 1999 I first became aware that this plan for me was to serve needy children and make a difference to their lives, showing them love and helping them to know and understand the unconditional love that God has for all his children. I applied to work with the Toybox Charity in October 2000 and have since spent 10 months studying a one year certificate in applied theology at Redcliffe College in Gloucester as preparation for mission. The Toybox Charity is based in Amersham and was founded in 1993. It raises awareness of the plight of the street children and is able to raise funds to help support the work of ‘El Castillo’ in Guatemala. ‘El Castillo’ is a partnership organisation and together their vision is, to be able to reach the hundreds of children that walk lost on the streets of Guatemala and to prevent many thousands of other children, who are at risk of becoming part of this way of life, from being on the streets by offering moral, physical and spiritual help. Guatemala has a population of approx 12,974,361 (July 2001 est.) and figures show that 42.11% of the population are under the age of 15. Although it is hard to quantify the number of children on the streets, it is estimated that there are around 1,500. The lack of a social care system and the neglect of the government in understanding and supporting these children means that many are ignored, undetected or treated like criminals. ‘El Castillo’ is one of 25 other charities working with street children and high-risk children in Guatemala, but one of the big differences is that they share their Christian beliefs with the children. Another difference is the fact that they have a process set in place which the children know, accept and respect. Children are not allowed to come and go as with other organisations. As a volunteer I will not be paid for my work in Guatemala which at present is for an indefinite period of time, certainly over 2 years. I am therefore seeking financial support through regular sponsorship or one off donations. My expenses in the first year will be more than subsequent years because of air-fares and language study fees, The Toybox Charity works in five key areas: Street Work: The teams work on the streets of Guatemala City and on the city rubbish dump, offering first aid, friendship and fun. Day Care Centre: A safe place for children to come as they try to leave their life on the streets. Our teachers work with the children who come off the streets, giving them training, a chance to relax and have fun and two meals each day. Hostel: The Hostel provides the children with the chance to sleep in a secure environment. A place to stay as the children prepare to take up a place in a home. Homes: The Charity has five homes in Guatemala where the children can grow up in a loving family environment. High Risk Work: The Toybox Charity works with the poorest communities to stem the flow of children onto the streets. A dedicated team of social workers and teachers work to help the families, offering free education for the children, vocational skills, training and counselling as well as practical help for parents. UK Work: We work with schools, churches and interest groups. Each year we visit over 75,000 school children in the UK telling them about the children in Guatemala, also performing dramas and teaching them about life in another country. |
