|
|
|
|
Welcome to KAXL On-Line |
 |
Compassion Child of the Week - June 30, 2008
Download Information
Sheet (274k - PDF) Personal and Family Information Braian lives with his mother. He is responsible for making beds, running errands and cleaning. His mother is sometimes employed. There are 4 children in the family. For fun, Braian enjoys soccer, playing with cars and running. He attends Bible class regularly and is in primary school where his performance is average. Please remember Braian in your prayers. Your love and support will help him to receive the assistance he needs to grow and develop. Community and Project Information Braian lives in the mountainous community of Campo Valdes, home to approximately 60,000 residents. Typical houses are constructed of tile floors, mud walls and tile roofs. The population is comprised of mixed races and the most commonly spoken language is Spanish. The regional diet consists of maize, beans, bread, beef, plantains, potatoes and rice. Common health problems in this area include diarrhea, influenza and viruses. Most adults work as day laborers and earn the equivalent of $180 per month. This community needs suitable housing. Your sponsorship allows the staff of Campo Valdes Student Center to provide Braian with Bible teaching, medical exams, health education, nutritious meals, recreational activities, tutoring, vocational training and counseling. In addition, non-schooled children receive developmental activities. The center staff will also provide counseling and educational workshops for the parents or guardians of Braian. Country Information Surrounded by the Andes Mountains, Colombia’s terrain ranges from the cooler highlands to the tropical coast along the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Vast stretches of lowlands east of the mountains are thinly populated and only partially explored. Two of Colombia’s main exports are coffee and oil, though drug trafficking is a serious problem. About 73 percent of the population is urban, and most Colombians are Catholic. The racial makeup includes mestizos (Spanish and Native American), Europeans, those of black and white ancestry, and those of black and Native American ancestry. Spanish is the official language. Compassion works in Colombia’s most populated northern regions. Since its liberation from Spain in the early 19th century, Colombia has violently struggled to find its identity. In 1886, Colombia established its first constitution, which was modified and updated in 1991. The document established the basic present-day government structure consolidating the central government, ending rivalries among political factions, and creating the oldest democracy in Latin America. Yet peaceful coexistence among the multiethnic and multiparty groups in this country remains elusive. Despite a growing sense of confidence in the economy helped in part by a free trade agreement with the United States, Colombia resides in a perpetual state of political and social turmoil. Warring factions have battled for control since independence. Thousands of political figures have been massacred, and paramilitary groups that formed have installed a legacy of terrorism that ravages the country today. The National Front brought a measure of stability in the 1960s, but for all the gains made, Colombia is still plagued by political corruption, drug wars, guerrilla activity and terrorist violence.
|
Name:
Braian Chalarca Mazo