September 6, 2005

REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE

Hello to all ye mates of World Kids Voyage. Greetings from Capt Eric of the good ship S/V Chickadee. Yes, we are still afloat and content in the heart of Central America. It has been a unique summer for this young salt as I am sure it has been for you. And so school in Canada and the USA is back in full session. I would like to wish all students, teachers and friends of World Kids Voyage, a joyful 2005-6 school season. Study hard, learn, have fun…go forth and prosper.

Since my last report in June, I have been both on the water and on land running up and down the coast of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Been working on a deadline to finish the first complete cruising guide of the Pacific West Coast of Central America. Finally all the field research, compilation and text is done. The guide comprises of 340 pages of up to date information, including charts, maps, topographicals and aerials of every port of call. Whew!

 Chickadee remains at anchor in El Salvador.

As you can imagine, I have come to know the coast of Central America rather well through the years. I have also come to learn a great deal about myself and what needs to be done to continue shining as much light as possible in Chickadee’s journey through World Kids Voyage.

With that, we would like to start the REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE column again and hope you can be a special part.

This week’s candidate for “REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE” is a young mother named Raquel Daniela Mumguia-Rodriguez.

Today is baby Josefa’s birthday.

Raquel has a one year old baby girl named Josefa. Today is baby Josefa’s birthday. Raquel and her baby live in a shared dirt floor shanty in the barrios of San Juan. Food is scarce in the homestead and the baby is suffering from diarrhea and malnutrition. Baby Josefa weighs only 15 lbs. She can barely hold her head up. Rosio and I have been helping Raquel with milk and basic supplies but we really need some one back home in Canada / USA to reach out to little Josefa.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Rachel must bring the baby to a pediatrician in Managua for a blood test. The young mother has no travel money or funds for food, medication and baby formula. She doesn’t need gillions of dollars. Only enough money to help her baby regain health. Infant mortality is high in developing nations due to diarrhea and malnutrition. It doesn’t have to be this way. We certainly won’t let it happen to Baby Josefa.

 Thank you for caring across the miles.

If some one out there can help Raquel’s baby to her second birthday, you can send funds directly to the mother using any Western Union office. Send funds c/o the mother’s full name:"Raquel Daniela Mumgia-Rodriguez” to the San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua Western Union office. Thank you for caring across the miles.

Good Spirits to you!
Capt Eric “Chickadee” B
S/V Chickadee