Compassion Child of the Month: Jose (Ecuador)

Our Compassion Child for May is Jose is a 7-year-old living in Chumug Licto, Equador.  He has been waiting over six months for a sponsor and perhaps a Caffeinated Thoughts reader will decide to sponsor Jose.

From his profile (where you can also see a picture):

Personal and Family Information:
Jose lives with his father and his mother. His duties at home include making beds, running errands and cleaning. There are 4 children in the family. His father is employed as a farmer and his mother is employed as a farmer.

As part of Compassion’s ministry, Jose participates in church activities. He is also in kindergarten where his performance is average. Playing with cars, playing with marbles and playing ball games are his favorite activities.
Please remember Jose in your prayers. Your love and support will help him to receive the assistance he needs to grow and develop.

Community and Project Information:
Jose lives in the forested community of Chumug Licto, home to approximately 1,000 residents. Typical houses are constructed of cement. The most commonly spoken language is Quichua.

The regional diet consists of maize, bread, rice, potatoes, cereal and guinea pig. Common health problems in this area include parasites, respiratory infections and dermatitis. Most adults in Chumug Licto are unemployed but some work on plantations and earn the equivalent of $90 per month. This community needs doctors, schools and employment opportunities.

Your sponsorship allows the staff of Los Triunfadores Student Center to provide Jose with Bible teaching, recreational activities and academic support. In addition, non-schooled children receive supplementary food. The center staff will also provide educational workshops for the parents or guardians of Jose.

Country Information:
Straddling the equator, Ecuador has two Andes mountain ranges that split it into three zones: the western coastal lowlands, the central Andean highlands and the eastern jungles of the Amazon basin. The lowlands and islands are hot and humid and the highlands are temperate.

The Ecuadorian population is about 25 percent Amerindian and 65 percent mestizo (Amerindian and Caucasian). The remainder is of Spanish or African descent. Most people live in urban settings. Spanish is the official language but many Indians speak Quechua, the language of the Incas, and practice traditional religions. Ninety-five percent of Ecuadorians are Catholic. Compassion works throughout central and western Ecuador.

Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro invaded Ecuador, home of the Inca Empire, in 1532 and controlled it within two years. In 1822, Ecuador gained freedom as part of a federation known as Gran Colombia. In 1830, it gained independence as Ecuador.

In recent decades, Ecuador’s economy has relied heavily on oil export revenue, so fluctuations in world market prices have a significant economic impact. A drop in world oil prices combined with natural disasters in the late 1990s to drive Ecuador’s economy into poverty. In 2000, Congress enacted reforms and adopted the U.S. dollar as legal tender, which helped stabilize the economy. In recent years, however, economic reforms have been reversed, making Ecuador again vulnerable to oil price swings and financial crises. And though Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, it has been troubled by political instability, including the ouster of the last three democratically elected presidents. Rafael Correa is the current president.

Child’s Location:
South of Riobamba

You can sponsor Jose for as little as $38 a month, and can do so here.  Since he’s been waiting over six months Compassion International will only accept credit cards for his sponsorship.