Photo Friday: Our top 5 “Catholic Sisters” photos!

Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.

From March 8-14, we’ve been celebrating Catholic Sisters Week. We are privileged to partner with many congregations around the world who live out their charism to serve the ‘least’ of Christ’s children. We marvel each day at their dedication to prayer, which fills them with the grace and strength they need to live out their vocations through acts of service and sacrifice.

It would be impossible for us to highlight and thank each Sister fully for their work and inspiration, but this week we’ve selected our top 5 Catholic Sister photos from our sites. Each one shows how they live the Gospel through their daily activities. Inspired by the well-known passages of Matthew 25, we celebrate how Catholic Sisters saw need, stepped in and…

#5: “…and you welcomed me.”

Sr. Mary Grace is the site director for our Neema site in Tanzania and a member of the Sisters of the Visitation, a Vincentian order. She oversees the site’s sponsorship program, which includes the Neema Visitation Orphanage, which welcomes girls of all ages who stay until they can support themselves on their own. Many come back for visits when they move away, because the orphanage has always been home, and the Sisters their loving family. The orphanage includes a school and a chapel, where the girls are educated and enlightened. The Sisters support their daily meals with a garden and small animal farm.

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Mission trip funds make large impact in Tanzania

A team of talented volunteers accompanied by some of our Canadian staff members embarked on an incredible adventure to our sites in Tanzania in October 2019, just a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, putting all of our mission trips on pause. Even though more than a year has passed, the children and community that our mission participants met in Tanzania are still feeling the reverberations of their memorable visit.

Before they left for their trip, the Tanzania mission team raised funds and awareness for our work at our Neema and Mbinga sites. Their hard work and dedication raised $15,162.65!

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Photo Friday: Our top 5 “showing off skills” photos!

Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.

Children and families from our sites love to cultivate their diverse hobbies and talents. Some skills are extremely practical, like crafts, handmade clothing, and handiworks. Mastering these talents can lead to opportunities for increased income, or even a full time business! Other hobbies such as sports gives children the chance to explore their passions and bond with friends.

This week, we’re sharing our top 5 “showing off skills” photos that we’ve collected from our sites. These children, parents, and staff are thrilled to show you their proud accomplishments and creations!

#5: Bragworthy bookmarks

These beautiful bookmarks are made by an artisans’ cooperative located near our Chiclayo site in Peru called “Artesanas por la Vida (Artisans for Life)”. They create unique handicrafts made from traditional fabrics and beads, which they sell to help support their families. Several mothers from our site are a part of the group. We purchased some of their bookmarks and dove ornaments to sell alongside a children’s book we published a few years ago!

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The gift of stoves feeds and warms families in Ukraine

 

At our Ternopil site in Ukraine, the modern gift of electric stoves are keeping families fed and cozy year-round in the comfort of their homes.

In Canada, stoves are essential household appliances that many families rely on daily to cook safe, convenient meals. In rural Ukraine, however, cooking can be much more complicated. “In many villages, people rely solely on wood stoves or furnaces for cooking,” says Luba, our Ternopil site director. “The furnace is heated daily all year round for cooking or warming up meals.”

Heating a wood stove or furnace is time consuming and high maintenance . It’s especially worrisome for families with young children who can accidently be burned by the hot stove if left unattended. The stove also heats the entire home, which is uncomfortable in the summer months.

Ivanna, a mother of three from our Ternopil site, was constantly managing a wood stove to cook while she stayed home to care for the children. Her husband, Andriy, was often out of the home working seasonal jobs during the day. The gift of an electric stove, donated through our gift catalogue, has been an incredible blessing for the family!

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Photo Friday: Our top 5 “sisters” photos!

Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.

Earlier this month, we celebrated International Day of Human Fraternity by sharing our top 5 “brothers” photos! Now, we’re following up with our top 5 “sisters” photos to remind us of Pope Francis’s wise words; we are all brothers and sisters, “born of the same Father.”

The bond between brothers, sisters, and siblings at our sites are special. They truly know each other’s joys and sorrows, and how to comfort and care for one another like no other. We love watching siblings grow closer through the loving support of their families, our site, sponsorship, and the surrounding community. It’s incredible to see sibling relationships deepen and flourish when families have what they need to thrive!

#5: Jennylyn and Jeanalyn

Jennylyn and her twin sister Jeanalyn are 21 years old. Jennylyn has been sponsored since 2005, and is now studying to become an elementary school teacher! These strikingly similar twins are so close that Jeanalyn decided to study in the exact same program! They graduated at the same time and are now applying for teaching positions. They’re both so grateful for the support of sponsorship for allowing them to pursue their dreams together.

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Victoria flourishes as a web developer after years of sponsorship

Victoria is an ambitious young woman from a hard-working Catholic family. She and her two siblings grew up near our Mangalagiri site in India. When the children were little, Victoria’s parents struggled with food insecurity, lack of adequate housing, and even lacked enough clothing. The cost of the children’s education was overwhelming, and Victoria often had to ask her classmates to borrow their textbooks and learning materials. Although this was a source of great embarrassment for the young student, Victoria remained focused and studious, and her achievements shone in the classroom.

By God’s grace, a Chalice sponsor chose Victoria when she was in grade two. “This was a turning point in her life,” recall the Sisters who run our Mangalagiri site. Now, her family had access to enough food and clothing for their three children and could afford education costs.

As Victoria continued to thrive in the classroom, she and her sponsor connected closely from the start of her sponsorship. Victoria loved to write to her sponsor about her life and hobbies, even well into her college years. “Growing together is a joyful experience,” observes the Sisters. “A loving bond grew between the sponsor and the child through greeting cards, letters and financial support.”

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Photo Friday: Our top 5 “ideas for Lent” photos!

Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.

For Catholics, the holy season of Lent is upon us. We’ve collected our top 5 “ideas for Lent” photos to give you some inspiration on how to spread love, give thanks, and spend time in prayerful reflection. Plus, these hope-filled photos from our sites will give you a lovely sight to start off your 2021 Lenten season.

#5: Spend more time in prayer

Spending more time in prayer is a sure way to have a holy and blessed Lent. When one silences the mind in prayerful reflection, it’s easier to grow closer to God in heart, body, and soul. These children from our Samar site in the Philippines are taking some time before lunch to give prayers of thanksgiving to our Holy Father.
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Photo Friday: Our top 5 “hearts, hugs & kisses” photos!

Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.

It’s nearly Valentine’s Day! The origins of this special holiday known for love and affection has drawn from many influences. In the Catholic church, St. Valentine is the patron saint of love, young people, and happy marriages.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day and St. Valentine, we’re sharing our top 5 “hearts, hugs, & kisses” photos from our sites! These adorable moments between family, friends, and children at our sponsor sites are sure to warm your heart and bring a smile to your face.

#5: Big hearts

These adorable little ones from our Chiclayo site in Peru are arranged in a very special formation to show their love for their sponsors and the support they receive from the site! They are also gathered for an exciting reason. They’ve illustrated a children’s book together, created especially for Chalice!
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Edgar’s future is bright

Edgar is a bright and enthusiastic young man sponsored through our Luis Amigo sponsor site in Guatemala. He has faced many challenges in his young life, but thanks to the support of his sponsor, he has flourished.

“The first letter I received from my sponsor filled me with much joy,” says Edgar. “Each letter is a treasure. She and her family helped me reach my goals, helped me grow and prosper.”

After finishing high school, Edgar was accepted into the business administration degree program at Galileo University. He is grateful for the continued support of his sponsor through his post secondary studies.

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Photo Friday: Our top 5 “brothers” photos!

Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.

Yesterday, February 4 was International Day of Human Fraternity, a time to celebrate and strive for the peace, harmony, and togetherness of all of mankind. In his heartfelt address via virtual event yesterday, Pope Francis expressed that despite our differences in cultures and traditions, we are all brothers and sisters, “born of the same Father.”

In honour of this special day, we’re sharing our top 5 “brothers” photos from our sites! (don’t worry- we have a collection of “sisters” photos for later, too!) May the loving and joyful bonds between these brothers from all over our diverse and beautiful world remind you that no matter our differences, we are all born of the same Father and Christ unites us as our brother.

#5: Pasqual and Ramon

Little brother Pasqual and big brother Ramon are from our Dominica site in Paraguay. Pasqual is still in elementary school, while Ramon is getting ready to graduate high school! Ramon is also budding as a soccer star. He says that training keeps him away from common “teen problems” in his area, such as underage drinking and drug use. He tries to be a role model to his younger siblings including Pasqual, and motivates them to study and pursue their dreams.
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