A Special Moment Between Sponsor and Child in Bolivia

Caroline arrived in Bolivia full of hope and excitement. She was looking forward to meeting her sponsored child, María Luisa, for the first time. The four-hour trip to María Luisa’s community also gave her a chance to see the landscape and how hard life can be in this rural region.

Families in Bolivia’s rural villages face a lot of struggles every day. “I did some research about the country and weather, but I wasn’t prepared for this,” Caroline said as we passed small houses with mud walls and thatched roofs. Few people were visible because most were in the fields, taking care of cattle or crops.  

Finally, we arrived at María Luisa’s preschool classroom, where she and 10 other girls waited at the door with the teacher. María Luisa, 4 ½, looked at Caroline shyly and smiled. Then, they hugged and exchanged hellos.

In the classroom, boys and girls in other grades were also studying, and there was only one teacher for all of them. After school, María Luisa usually walks about two miles home, where she lives with her parents and siblings. Her older sister uses a bicycle to ride three miles to school, and María Luisa will do the same when she’s older.

Pastora, her mother, cares for the children and watches over their sheep and cows. Toribio, her father, grows potatoes and quinoa. “They are the only things we can grow,” he said. “We don’t have enough water to grow vegetables.”

Caroline shared with the family a meal of quinoa with homemade cheese, prepared by Pastora. “This is pesqué,” Pastora said. “Please serve yourself.”

Although quinoa is full of nutrients, the family has few other options for meals because of the scarcity of meat and vegetables. With the help of a translator, the family spoke with Caroline about country life, work hazards, family activities and María Luisa’s future. They were also interested in Caroline’s life, about her family and job. Friendships grew during the meal. 

Caroline also visited the Early Childhood Development center that María Luisa’s younger sisters attend. Guide mothers, who receive support and training from ChildFund’s local partner organization Churupata, run the center, cooking meals and supervising activities that help children develop mentally, physically, emotionally and socially. 

At the end of the day, the family had some time to show Caroline their cows.

“We drink the milk from our cows,” Toribio said. “When they grow, we can sell them, or, with some luck, have calves.”

It was then time to say goodbye. “Thanks for your visit, Caroline,” said María Luisa, who was no longer feeling shy. The two hugged each other closely, and Caroline said she’d like to come back again someday, perhaps with her own parents.

“They would love to meet your family too,” she told Pastora, hugging her tight.