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Letter from Natalia Martínez - Medellín to Sponsor(s)

July 26, 2003

Dear Sponsor:

My name is Natalia Martínez. I am 13 years old. I was born in Medellín , Colombia on February 20, 1990 . I live in Manrique Oriental neighborhood in Medellín. I am the oldest child in the family. My youngest sister is 5 years old and her name is Juliana; my younger brother is 8 and his name is Andres. My mother's name is María Martínez.

Special greetings to you!!! I am happy of being able to write this letter to you. Thank you very much for all what you have done for me and for being my sponsor. I give thanks to God for allowing me to have you as my sponsor. I pray God for your wellbeing. I thank the Colombian Scholarship Fund & Leadership Initiatives LIZWAN for they have helped me to continue to elementary school education. My family and I are also thankful with the Lutheran Church because we have learned more about God and our lives have changed for the best.

I like going to school. I am on 5^th grade, I study at Altos de la Cruz School, although I have not yet get my grades, and I know I am doing well in all my classes. I pray God for wisdom and intelligence so I can pass my school year without problems. On behalf of my family thank you for your support. Many blessings from God to you and your family.

Sincerely,

Natalia Martínez

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STORY OF ERIKA NATALIA ACEVEDO SILVA

MAY 12, 2003

My name is Erika Natalia Acevedo Silva. I was born on May 2, 2000. I am three years old. I live with my mother, my father and my little brother. My grandmother and my uncle also live with us.

I spent my day at the day nursing. I like my teacher because she teaches me a lot of things, mostly games which I enjoy very much. I also like dancing, singing, playing with my dolls, drawing and writing. Some times I get angry when things do not come out as I want. There are two things I love to do the most, go to the swimming pool and eat ice cream.

The neighborhood where we live is located at the south side of Bogotá city. Our house is also very far from St. Paul Lutheran Church (place where we attend worship services on Sunday). My dad works most of the time; some times he even works on Sunday so the only time we can go to Church is when daddy has the weekends off. When we go to Church I go to Sunday school because I like singing the hymns. My little brother also attends Sunday school. My mother is currently going to school.

My dad and mom got married at St. Paul Lutheran Church . Dad likes that Church because since he was very little he used to go there. Thanks to the Colombian Scholarship Fund and Leadership Initiatives LIZWAN my dad was also able to get his secondary and college education. Also thanks to a loan that the CSFLI LIZWAN made to my grandmother we have a house now.

This year, thanks to God and to the generosity and care of Pastor Natanael and his family, and after approval from the Council of St. Paul Lutheran Church, I was also fortunate to get a scholarship.

I am thankful to God who has put in the heart of Pastor's Lizarazo & Wangsness the vision to serve some of the most needed people of our Lutheran Church here in Colombia. I pray that God and the people who support the CSFLI LIZWAN may be filled with joy and prosperity. Thank you for giving us wings to conquer the unknown.

Thank you and God bless you.  

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MARLEN RODRIGUEZ SIERRA'S STORY

11TH GRADE

SAINT PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH

Bogota, Colombia  

My name is Marlen Rodríguez Sierra, I am 17 years old. I am on 11^th grade. My mother's name is Catalina Vargas and my father's Raul Rodríguez. I have three sisters; Rocio who is the oldest, Sandra and Zenaida who unfortunately died due to a terminal illness a year ago.

Marlen Rodríguez with her parents and Pastor Natanael Lizarazo

When I was 8 years old I had to be hospitalized and the doctors ordered me to take some x-rays and some other exams in order to see what the problem was. Through the x-ray the doctor diagnosed that I had cysts in my kidneys. Knowing about my illness, I had to start taking medicine; I also had to get blood transfusions done and had to get shots of "Heritropolletina" one per week. I had to do this for a period of two years.

After that, I got even more ill and had to be hospitalized again and had to get another blood transfusion done. Since my illness was getting more severe, I was transferred to a Kidney's National Institute to get hemodialysis done because I was running the risk of dying. The doctor implanted me a catheter in my neck and I started then getting hemodyalisis done three times per week, four hours each day. I did this treatment for 5 months only because I had the risk of my heart getting bigger.

Then, a catheter was implanted in my abdomen and I started getting peritoneal dialysis done. With this new treatment I had to make changes 4 times per day every five hours. On May 28 2002 , I was at home and suddenly I felt sleep and when I woke up I was at the hospital again. Mom told me my temperature was really high and I had had convulsions. I was hospitalized for one month there. The doctor there changed the dialysis and gave me a more concentrated and with bigger volume one.

Ever since, I continue with that same treatment and all the medical exams I get done every moth have come out well. I am thankful to God because I have not been sick again and my temperature has not risen like before. My dream and hope is to be able to graduate this year. Next year I am going to see if I can get a kidney transplant done and so be able to keep studying at college.

I thank you for all your support and prayers for me and my family. I pray God for Him to continue to bless your lives and to bless and direct all your projects and plans. My words of thankfulness also go to the Colombian Scholarship Fund & Leadership Initiatives LIZWAN for their support and care in difficult times like this. It is thanks to the Colombian Scholarship Fund LIZWAN and Saint Paul Lutheran Church that I am able to continue getting my secondary school education. My family and I do appreciate the support Pastor Natanael Lizarazo has given us throughout this time. We thank God for Him and all who support the Colombian Scholarship Fund LIZWAN.

Marlen Rodríguez Sierra

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