Sondelki

For many years we have sponsored Sondelki through Love Unconditional, a ministry in the Dominican Republic that supports the nutritional, educational, and spiritual needs of the country’s most vulnerable children. It’s run by a dear friend and her mother, so I know the funds are being administered with integrity and that they do the work they say they do. This is my way of being part of the village it takes to raise a child. We correspond with Sondelki and get regular updates from the staff. They’ve become part of our extended family in a way we never expected was possible. It’s a very special relationship.

With Mother’s Day approaching, I thought this was a nice time to introduce you to the work we do with Love Unconditional. And what better way to do that than to share a bit of the letter Sondelki wrote to us earlier this year (translated by LU staff):

Dear Parents Adam and Kim,

Your photo is extra beautiful.

I am very happy that you continue to care for your father-in-law.

Thanks to God, my Christmas was marvelous!

I hope you had a blessed Christmas and that you continue to care for homeless animals.

I am happy to learn that you produced an album of Christian songs.

I am doing well in school. I have some new friends and I really enjoy talking with them.

My home situation has changed and I am living alone. It is slightly uncomfortable. There is no one telling me what to do and repeating over and over the rules to follow. But, I am happy each day to know myself better, learn more things about life, and have time alone with God.

I am working and I am learning little by little, thank God. I make and repair dining room furniture. We also paint. I am at school in the evenings and that is going well. Thank you for your support always.

Lots of hugs and blessings,

Sondelki

For young people without parents, knowing there are adults who care about them and believe in them can radically shift the trajectory of their lives. We’ve watched Sondelki weather more loss and hardship than most of us will ever face, and yet he endures, thanks to his incredible Love Unconditional network and his strong spirit. He still eats his meals at LU, they facilitate his schooling, and he’s learning a trade to support himself. They also check on his housing regularly (a complicated situation, but it’s being monitored). It’s hard to believe Sondelki is almost 18! He was a young boy when we began sponsoring.

Regardless of your status as a “mother,” you can always find a way to help a child. I hope this encourages you if you’re feeling sad about Mother’s Day, or if you just feel disconnected from helping the next generation. I know my friends at Love Unconditional would love to talk with you if you would like to join us in this work.

(And for all you creatives, I also donate art to their fundraisers. The painting on the cover of this blog is one that sold at their latest silent auction. There are so many ways to help!)

Psalms 82:3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.