{"id":3435,"date":"2016-10-19T15:49:54","date_gmt":"2016-10-19T15:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/covenantkidscongo\/?p=3435"},"modified":"2019-05-07T20:00:01","modified_gmt":"2019-05-07T20:00:01","slug":"sponsor-a-child-like-hermine-through-ckc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/covenantkidscongo\/sponsor-a-child-like-hermine-through-ckc\/","title":{"rendered":"Hermine’s Story: Overcoming Malnutrition"},"content":{"rendered":"

By CKC Project Manager Cat Knarr<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Hermine,<\/a><\/p>\n

Hermine, her sister, and her mother (left to right)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"hermine-picture-folder\"<\/a>Many of you have seen a picture folder like this one on the right. You might have picked up a folder when your church had a Hope Sunday, and you opened it to read about a boy or girl who lives in Congo. That\u2019s how most Covenanters find out about CKC and decide to sponsor a child.<\/p>\n

Recently, we at the Covenant offices ordered 50 picture folders for Triennial, each featuring a child who had not yet been sponsored. Much to our surprise, we recognized one of the children! Her name is Hermine<\/strong>, and she\u2019s a 7-year-old girl in the CKC program.<\/p>\n

We immediately recognized Hermine because the CKC team interviewed her while in Congo this spring. At the time, we knew that Hermine and her sister were registered in the Covenant Kids Congo powered by World Vision sponsorship program. We didn\u2019t know that, a few months later, Hermine\u2019s picture folder would find its way into our hands. She\u2019s still waiting to be sponsored\u2014and you can sponsor Hermine or a child like her. (UPDATE:<\/strong> Hermine has been sponsored.)<\/p>\n

Thousands of you have already opened your hearts to give generously to CKC and to pray for and encourage these sponsored children. But the beautiful thing about the CKC program is that it\u2019s not limited to only helping kids who are sponsored. The program exists to benefit all the children in the city of Gemena in northwest Congo\u2014a city of about 300,000 people!\u00a0Even before Hermine was sponsored, this program made a great difference in her life.<\/p>\n

How Hermine Overcame Malnutrition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When the CKC team met Hermine, she was very shy. While her mother, Mama Fifi, shared her story, Hermine stood in front of her mom, staying still and listening quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it were not for these good teachings, you would not see my daughter here standing as healthy as she is,\u201d Mama Fifi said. \u201cI already lost a child to malnutrition.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Mama Fifi gave birth to Hermine, she was malnourished like her siblings before her. But this time, Mama Fifi joined a women\u2019s agricultural group, went to\u00a0trainings, and started preparing more nutritious food, like protein-rich peanuts and dried fish. It made a dramatic difference to Hermine\u2019s health.<\/p>\n

Mama Fifi\u2019s women\u2019s agricultural group is one of many such groups started with the help of Covenant Kids Congo powered by World Vision.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working hard all the time in my gardens here,\u201d Mama Fifi said. \u201cMy children are no longer malnourished. You see my daughter standing here in good health before us, all because of the work we\u2019re doing. I\u2019m pressing on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sponsor Hermine or a Child Like Her<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hermine shyly told the CKC team about where she goes to school and what she hopes to do in the future. Her favorite classes are reading and handwriting, she said. And when she grows up, Hermine would like to be a doctor, \u201cto give people shots,\u201d or a teacher, \u201cto get knowledge,\u201d she said. Shots hurt; Hermine remembers getting a shot from the doctor before. But she knows they make you better.<\/p>\n