Stories written by Shelley Callahan
Cyclist donates bikes to Kentucky children
Nothing is close in eastern Kentucky. Schools are an hour apart, and each one can easily be an hour away from the children who go there. Walmart – the only place to buy a bike in the entire region – is an even longer drive. In a rented pickup truck, we trekked out to Walmart on a mission: to pick out and purchase bikes for underprivileged elementary and middle school children. The bikes would be […]
At the Juan Apostol School in Guatemala, young people learn skills that will help them to obtain employment once they graduate
Located just southeast of Mexico, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America. Its spectacular mountains boast a wealth of natural resources and stunning biodiversity. For centuries, this land served as the core territory of the renowned Mayan civilization. Following two centuries of Spanish colonization, Guatemala gained its independence in the early nineteenth century — only to endure another 150 years of political instability and civil unrest. Additionally, this area is prone to devastating […]
Sponsors have special bonds with their sponsored children
We arrived in Jackson, Kentucky on Wednesday and caught up with some of the kids at LBJ Elementary School. The children here seem like typical kids. Some are shy, some are rambunctious, but each has faced incredible hardship in their short lives. Jackson is one of the poorest cities in the state. Several have lost one or both parents to the rampant drug epidemic in the region and live with a single parent, grandparents or […]
Looking at our work at our affiliated projects in Eastern Kentucky
Bolivia is still fresh in my mind as we head out on I-64 to get to our next destination: Williamsburg, Kentucky. I am joined this time by Shelley Oxenham, who manages relationships with all of our U.S. volunteer coordinators. Shelley has worked for Children Incorporated for eight years. She works closely with our volunteers and has watched many of the children we serve grow up and graduate. One of the great things about a road […]
Reflections on time spent visiting our affiliated projects
After more than a week in the mountains of Bolivia, I’m headed home — back to Richmond, Virginia, and my life of comparative ease and comfort. As the ground falls away beneath the plane, I’m staring out the window, trying to compose coherent thoughts, but they are lost amid a thousand mental images of the people and scenes I’ve experienced in the last few days. Our tour guide: An architect rises from poverty Roberto Andrade’s […]
Proud moms raising role models at Villa Emilia
A positive role model can make all the difference. Single mothers in Santa Cruz, Bolivia are finding that out, and so are the children who look up to them. Sister Pilar Hidden behind the popular tourist destinations and modern attractions of Santa Cruz lurks the shadow side, where many children knew nothing but homelessness, poverty and crime–until Sister Pilar showed up. Sister Pilar and her fellow nuns at Villa Emilia regularly […]
