Why do I continually choose to raise money for Children International?

A few months before I was born, my parents wanted to give back to India, their homeland, and discovered Children International (CI). They loved that they could sponsor a child throughout their childhood, and decided to sponsor a young girl from India. Since then, we have expanded to 6 children ranging from ages 8 to 15-years-old from Guatemala, India, and Honduras.

In 2014, I visited Guatemala to learn more about CI. Around this time I wanted to use the awareness I was gaining for my swims, hikes, and triathlons for a positive cause. While visiting Guatemala, I participated in CI’s youth program and I met two brothers, who we would later sponsor.

When meeting the two brothers, we went to their favorite restaurant: Pollo Campero, fast food specializing in chicken much like KFC. They were very excited that they got to go to Pollo Campero, somewhere I would normally not consider a treat. I learned from them that it is important to not take anything for granted and to be thankful of everything I have. While this may seem cheesy, like something from a Pinterest board, a lot of times in life when we have tests, due dates, or appointments we forget to take a step back and be grateful that we have the opportunity do what we love, that we have a roof over our head, or a job that pays the bills.

Also, while in Guatemala, we visited CI’s youth programs. I was able to talk to the children and learn about what they hoped to do in the future. They said they would like to be doctors, engineers, or educators. These jobs were not anything new to me, they were jobs my friends wanted to become. These children we just like me and my friends, but they lacked the opportunity to achieve their dreams. A lot of times we see posters of starving kids next to bus stops, but it never registers that these kids are kids that like to climb trees and want to become successful. Instead we see them as charity cases, as kids who only think about their next meal.  

The trip to Guatemala opened my eyes to children who were getting a boost so they could play on a level field. I decided that I wanted to raise awareness and money for Children International to give the support these children need to achieve their dreams.