Student Sponsorship
The Missions Committee is delighted to provide you with information about the four students being sponsored by Tewksbury Congregational Church: Peterson Tanis is from Haiti, Carlos Azael is from Juarez, Mexico, Florinda BenBen is from Tierra Linda, Guatemala and Maria Aiza Dagodog is from Dumaguete City, Philippines. Each one of these sponsored students has been assigned to a specific class. During the year, TCC students will be encouraged to correspond with their students by sending birthday greetings, class photos, written letters etc. There will be a photo of each sponsored student for each classroom. This photo will serve as weekly reminder for our students. More than anything else, we ask that you pray for the Peterson, Azael, Florinda, and Maria. We have enclosed a photo magnet for you to put on your refrigerator at home so that you remember each of these very special students in the lives of the TCC Sunday school families.
Peterson Tanis
Peterson Tanis (bottom left) is assigned to the Senior High class. Peterson is one of 6 children born to Jean and Arelise Tanis and living on the beautiful yet very poor island of Haiti. His family earns income working in the agricultural industry. Since 1999, TCC has provided school sponsorship for Peterson. In the early years, he regularly corresponded with the Sunday School classes. Through those letters, we received words of gratitude not only for our financial support but for our prayer support as well. We also learned about Peterson's love of soccer, cooking, singing at church, and swimming in the ocean. Sponsored through New Missions/ www.newmissions.org
Carlos Azael
Carlos Azael (top right) is assigned to the Junior High class. Azael is the eldest child in a family of three boys. He attends a Christian School in Jaurez. He is required to maintain excellent grades in order to continue in the sponsorship program. Azael loves soccer and wishes to learn how to play the drums so that he can play during worship at church. He hopes to learn English some day. Through our ongoing Mexico Mission Project, we were introduced to Harvest Hands Ministries school sponsorship program. In September 2007, we initiated sponsorship of Carlos Azael, the son of Pastor Nacho, who not only is the minister at one of the churches that Harvest Hands supports but also assists with translation for the US volunteers who run the Vacation Bible School program during our mission trips. Sponsored through Harvest Hands Ministries/ www.harvesthandsministries.org
Florinda Ben Ben
Florinda Ben Ben (bottom right) is assigned to the Grades 5 and 6 class. Florinda is one of 6 children born to Juana and Juaquin. Without the assistance of the school sponsorship program, they could not afford the enrollment fees required for her to be able to attend school. Until Mayan Families offered a helping hand, Juana and Juaquin were only able to send one child, a son, to school. Juaquin earns a meager wage of $2.25 each day picking crops in the fields. This family is among the poorest of the poor. They struggle each day to provide food for their family. Sponsored through Mayan Families/ www.mayanfamilies.org
Maria Aiza Dagodog
Maria Aiza Dagodog (top left) is assigned to the Grades 2, 3 and 4 classes. Maria is our newest sponsored students. Sponsorship started in May 2009. Maria Aiza is the youngest of 6 children. She has 3 older sisters and 2 older brothers. Her family lives in poor economic conditions. Leonardo, her father is a delivery truck driver with an average monthly salary of about $87. With 8 members in the family, this income is really not enough even for their basic needs. Maria loves school. She reports to school very early and is very helpful and eager to learn and improve her schoolwork. Maria's dream is to become a teacher. Her hobbies and interest includes reading and badminton. Sponsored through the United Church of Christ (UCC) Global Ministries Child Sponsorship program and the Kalauman Development Center, Sillman University Campus Philippines/ www.globalministries.org
Students in the Preschool classes, Kindergarten and Grade one will receive a picture magnet with a picture of all four sponsored students. It is the hope of the Missions Committee to provide activities for these students to share in this very special child sponsorship program.