Tag: Bridging Humanity

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Embracing the Odyssey of Adoption

On November 11, 2012 I received an unusual comment on one of my blogs from Antonio Bonache. Antonio and Yolanda found me while they were fishing the internet for news and photos regarding their soon to be adopted son from Mali, Africa. This was not the first time a would be parent had contacted me regarding a child under the care of the Orphelinat Niaber. I was deeply touched by their relentless questions. They asked me what it was like to hold their son, Tidiane. They wanted to know what his needs were and if he had any special requirements. They wanted to know any and everything they could about their son. And yes, he was their son already although they had never met and Tidiane lived miles away at the Orphelinat Niaber. The doting father and mother were anxiously awaiting the day they would fly to Bamako, Mali and meet their son for the very first time. In preparation they readied his room, bought clothes, baby bottles and an arsenal of baby accoutrements for little Tidiane.

As the time drew nearer for their departure date, the war in Mali was escalating. To make matters worse, the government of Mali decided to follow Russia’s lead and put a ban on foreigners from being able to adopt Malian orphans. People were leaving Mali in a max exodus. Undeterred, the brave couple boarded their flight for Mali on January 2, 2013. On January 3 they finally received the long awaited custody of their beloved son, Tidiane. In Antonio’s own words his days in Mali were the most intense time of his life. The Bonache family did not return home to Spain until January 6.

Fast forward 2 months later. Baby Tidiane, Papi Antonio and Mami Yolanda are in seventh heaven. Tidiane is a bright, happy-go-lucky toddler who hungers for knowledge. A fairytale ending for a fairtale family who bravely embraced the odyssey of adoption that took them miles away from the comfort of their home in Spain.

May more childless couples step forward and open their arms, hearts and their homes to the world’s children in need.

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World Orphan Week – Day 2

Today, the second day of World Orphan Week I am honoring Neida Sandoval. Who does not know Neida Sandoval? She is one of Miami’s most beloved community leaders and personalities in Hispanic broadcasting in the US as well as in Latin America. She has over 30 years of experience in journalism and has won many awards and accolades for her unwavering dedication and tireless philanthropic work. She was born in the picturesque town of Las Minas de Oro, Honduras. She is known for her brilliant wit, determination, charisma and transparency, both in her professional career, humanitarian efforts and as a dedicated loving wife and mother of two vivacious twins, Abito and Ali.

I will never forget the first day I met Neida. My father, Edward Cornely fell in love with Honduras and eventually relocated our family to San Pedro Sula, Honduras in 1970. My adventure seeking father was friends with Neidas parents. On weekends he would load my brother, sister and I into his supped-up jeep and whisk us around the Honduran countryside. One weekend he took us on a gold panning expedition in Las Minas de Oro. We pulled up next to Neida’s house while she was the lone little girl playing with her entourage of big brothers. She looked at me and I waved back at her from the rear of the jeep. Little did we know back then that we would end up going to highschool together. And little did we know that we each shared a secret passion that would remain with us for life. Caring for orphans. We only discovered each other’s passion for abandoned children a couple of years ago. Neida never knew that I used to canvas the community of San Pedro Sula in search of street children. I would bring them food and clothes. Some, I would bring home with me; to the chagrin of my father! I even took some of these children to our local orphanage only to have them escape as I would soon find them back on the streets. I was not the only teen doing this in San Pedro Sula. Karl Henry Holtz and Jacqueline Diday were two of my co-conspirators and partners in caring for the homeless street children of San Pedro Sula.

Charity work and in particular orphan outreach has become one of Neida’s greatest passions in life. While I was the Chair of the Friends of the Orphans Southeastern Region, Neida was the honorary host of ceremonies for our All the World to One Child Gala Event. Her charity work is ongoing as she continues contributing to a host of several philanthropic causes, including the “Fundación Teletón” for disabled children, the “Casa Renacer”, “Fundación Amor y Vida” shelters for people living with HIV/AIDS and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Over the years she has actively contributed and participated alongside other artists and celebrities and has raised millions of dollars to combat childhood hunger and for the United Nation’s
World Food Program. Just last year Neida was made the Ambassador for the SOS Villages of Children in Honduras. In her new role as SOS Ambassador she has been instrumental in securing money as well as in-kind donations for the SOS Villages of Honduras.

Neida, I thank my lucky stars as we continue on this miraculous journey called life as friends and kindred spirits. May our paths continue intertwining, Connecting People, Transforming Lives… Bridging Humanity.

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World Orphan Week

Yes, today March 4, 2013 is the beginning of World Orphan Week. Are you an orphan? Do you know an orphan? For World Orphan Week let us all lend our collective voices & honor the orphans we know. Let us also honor the young leaders who are taking action & doing something about the plight of the world’s orphans. Here are some statistics that will better help you get your head around this important subject matter. In 2008 UNICEF conducted a survey & determined there were 143,000,000 orphans in the world. They also said that by 2015 there could be 500,000,000 orphans world-wide. In 2012 the world census said there were 315,421,266 people living in the US. Therefore, by 2015 there could potentially be twice the size of the population of the US in orphans across the globe. Simply mind boggling. What are you going to do about this? An important question that begs an answer. Share your thoughts with us & help us spread the word about the status of orphans.

Today on the first day of World Orphan Week I am honoring 17 year old Alejandro Ernst and 16 year old Neha Gupta. I was deeply touched when I learned how these two young individuals were going over and beyond and making a huge difference in the lives of orphaned children.

Alejandro’s work with orphans began when he was 14 years old. It all started when he embarked on a school summer volunteer trip that took him on a transatlantic voyage to an orphanage located in Bamako, Mali. With 13 donation-filled-to-the-hilt duffle bags in tow Alejandro managed to navigate multiple airports in multiple languages. Not an easy feat. Alejandro and some of his fellow students volunteered for the summer at the Orphelinat Niaber. During his time there Alejandro bonded with the Founder, Bibi Sangho & promised her he would continue to help her and the babies after he left. True to his word Alejandro has continued his efforts to help these vulnerable children. To date he has baked over 2500 empanadas to raise money for the orphanage.

Neha got involved with orphans at the age of 9. She received her calling because her family followed a long standing tradition of celebrating their respective family member’s birthdays by taking food and gifts to orphaned children from their family’s home town in India. Young Neha realized that these children had no one to love them or help them. No one to make sure they received an education. That day she decided she had to do something and she immediately went into action. At that moment she decided that she would be the person who would love these children and would make sure they would receive the education they deserved.

Neha has raised more than $1,000,000 thus far and has helped many communities in the US and abroad. The bulk of the funds were raised by making and selling wine charms at community events, through friends and family, and by going door to door in various neighborhoods. Her wine charms cost $5. Alejandro’s empanadas cost $2. Made by hand, made with love, by children for children.

May their stories serve to inspire us to care more, persevere more and do more. And may all of the unsung heroes who go over and beyond like Alejandro and Neha receive their rightful praise and due.

Kudos Alejandro. Kudos Neha. I am proud beyond words.

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Haiti February 2010 – One Month After the Earthquake

This is an image taken by renowned photographer Patrick Farrell. Patrick Farrell was one of the first responders to enter Haiti after the massive earthquate of 2010. The devastation he saw left an indelible impression on Patrick. He returned a month following the earthquake and took this picture of children playing jump rope at the Leogane tent city located near Port au Prince, Haiti. To this very day tent cities still remain in Haiti. One of our projects is to show tent dwellers how to repair their hole ridden tents by fusing found plastic bags to their tarps. This simple, cost effective approach also helps reduce plastic garbage bag litter from the streets.