April 15, 2012. (Romereports.com) Hundreds of thousands of people have adopted a child, even though they've never directly met. It's all part of a program that makes sure the child will have enough food to eat and an education while growing up. But years later, what happens when the child becomes an adult? Back in 1986, Italian Giuseppe Rotunno from the organization, La Civilita dell'Amore, decided to keep on helping these people even as adults.
Giuseppe Rotunno
www.civiltadellamore.it
“We saw that it was necessary for us to make a jump, these children became adults. Then came the 'adopt a father,' which means a whole family, including everything in an educational role, a role in the formation of new generations with the strength of the labor of their hands.”
Fr. Chelo Telesforo
Order of the Carmelites (Congo)
“In the first place, it creates jobs. The father knows that he has not just received money for the sake of receiving, he had to work. And these fathers are responsible, they're creating a level of cooperative zones to manage what they receive and create opportunities to give more fruit.”
First, missionaries give the NGO information on exactly what type of programs are needed in different developing countries. The programs depend on individual donations, but the NGO doesn't receive a dime from these donations. One can make a deposit directly to the bank account of missionaries who then implement the assistance program.
So for 25 euros, one can 'adopt' a father so to speak, for a week. With the money, he will then be able to perform different jobs, like building a well, teaching children, planting crops and tress or even building school benches. It's all about doing jobs that help improve their community.
Giuseppe Rotunno
www.civiltadellamore.it
“They work in schools, nursing homes, camps, in the workshops of carpenters, all those fundamental activities at the village level to promote and push the lives of entire communities that need these roles that are helped by adopting a father, adopting the head of a family.”
Fr. Chelo Telesforo
Order of the Carmelites (Congo)
“It's a project with an impact! If a teacher teaches for 25 children, 25 euros is a lot because 25 children learn, but also for a father to help his own children, for their health or to eat.”
In time, people who choose to donate, also receive a letter from that parent, where he writes about how the project is helping him and his family.
Their website shows that these projects are already underway in countries like Congo, India and Bolivia. But requests are coming in from all over the world.
The mission may seem overwhelming at times, but there's nothing like the gift of opportunity.
JMB/KLH
FF
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- MGZ
