'Poor relations' has new meaning

When Ann and Howard Picard decided to sponsor a needy Mexican child through the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging recently, they hoped some youngsters closer to home might also benefit from the experience.

"We have been so blessed and have so much to be thankful for that it's sometimes easy to take things, including our good health, for granted," says Mrs. Picard, a Clifton Park mother of five whose 14th grandchild is due to arrive in January. She is also administrative assistant at St. Mary's Church in Crescent.

"My husband and I hoped that by sponsoring a needy child, our grandchildren might gain a better appreciation of how much they have, and they might learn the importance of sharing some of what they have with those who are less fortunate."

Connections

So far, it seems to be working. It's been heart-warming, says Mrs. Picard, to see the concern the grandchildren have shown for Mayra, the seven-year-old Mexican girl under the family's sponsorship.

"The two oldest granddaughters wanted to send Mayra a doll, but we were advised by CFCA not to send anything that wouldn't fit inside a 9 x 12 manila envelope," she said. "The girls thought it over and decided to send Mayra some pretty hair ribbons and puzzles. They also drew pictures of themselves so Mayra would know what they looked like."

The older grandsons, meanwhile, thought Mayra might be interested in learning more about turkeys and their significance around Thanksgiving.

Parish activity

The Picards are but one of 28 families from St. Mary's in Crescent who decided to put their faith into action by sponsoring a needy child after listening to a CFCA appeal during a weekend Mass over the summer. About 30 parishioners from Corpus Christi in Ushers also responded to a CFCA speaker's invitation to make a positive difference in the life of a youngster. A few of the parishioners opted to sponsor an elderly person rather than a child.

Among those who answered the call at Corpus Christi were Ballston Lake residents Dolores ("Dee") and Donald Butner. They have four grown children and seven grandchildren (with number eight due on Christmas Day). The Butners chose to sponsor a three-year-old named Astrid from Guatemala City. According to the information supplied by CFCA, the impoverished little girl suffers from health problems, complicated by inadequate housing and poor nutrition.

Like the Picards, the Butners felt their family has been abundantly blessed. One might even say their offspring have enriched the Albany Diocese since all four of them are employed by it: Patricia Eldridge is principal of St. Bridget's Regional Catholic School in Watervliet; Kathleen Stiffen works at the diocesan Consultation Center in Albany; Kelly Leverone teaches at St. Paul the Apostle in Schenectady; and Donald Jr. is custodian at Corpus Christi.

Inspired by missionaries

In addition to wanting to set a good example for their children and especially their grandchildren, the Butners felt strongly that the Catholic missionaries representing CFCA were caring, committed and trustworthy.

"So often, you hear about situations in the world and want to do something to help, but there's that feeling of helplessness," said Mr. Butner. "You don't always know who you can trust or how much of the money you give will actually go to help the people who need it. With CFCA, my wife and I felt we'd finally found an opportunity to get involved in something where we could make a difference."

For one thing, points out Mr. Butner, sponsoring a needy child through CFCA costs only about $240 a year -- or $20 a month. "Twenty dollars a month won't buy a whole lot over here," he noted, "but in a place like Guatemala, where the average income is $85 a year, it goes a long way."

Hopes for children

If the Butners' prayers are answered, the funds they send to CFCA will help provide not only better food and clothing, but also medical care and an education for Astrid.

"It seems to me," says Mr. Butner, who is also active in a diocesan prison ministry called Residents Encounter Christ (REC), "that we've all been given a great example to follow in terms of helping to ease human suffering. Jesus came to us in human form to show us how we can give of ourselves to help others. We hope that by reaching out to this little girl in Guatemala, her suffering -- and the suffering of those close to her -- will be lessened."

(Anyone interested in learning more about sponsoring a needy child or elderly person through CFCA should call 1-800-875-6564 or write to the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging, One Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66103.)

(11-14-96) [[In-content Ad]]