CCIDD REPORT
WINTER 2005
CCIDD REPORT ISSUE DATES
We have had to change our semiannual publication times from SPRING
and AUTUMN to WINTER and SUMMER because these are our more natural
ending transitional times for the CCIDD seasonal dynamic. This was
particularly the case this year as we were still very much in flux
last Autumn.
THE FOUNDER'S CORNER
by RAY PLANKEY
Transition from the old to the new is the name of the game here at
CCIDD these days..especially in regards to the founder. We have a
new director in Fr. Paul Portland, SDS who assumed my previous position
last autumn. We have a completely renovated program staff (see
special section for further details) that has been functioning since
last November. We even have a new CCIDD logo and website at
www.ccidd.org Years ago when we created our website, this
was not
available so we picked interculturalencounter.org but now it became
available so we grabbed it. We will phase out the old website within
a couple of months. In the meanwhile, it will link you immediately
to the new one.
We also are offering for the first time open registration programs so
that people can come in small groups or individually who are
not part
of a larger organized group, as has been our traditional pattern in
the past. This is explained in much further detail later in the
newsletter. Please do help us to fill these programs by promoting
them among your family, friends, classmates, colleagues, churches,
etc.
What is not new is our longstanding contacts and relationships
with
leaders and communities in the area that will continue to guarantee
our traditional high quality of educational programs and retreat
experiences.
WHAT ELSE IS NEW AT CCIDD?
A NEW LOGO (SEE AT www.ccidd.org
)
Our new logo is much simpler than before, focusing on the idea that CCIDD is the key that unlocks the puzzle for
people to under-
stand the relation between North and South.
A NEW WEBSITE:
www.ccidd.org
A NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS: info@ccidd.org
GOD AND POLITICS
The recent presidential elections in the
a controversy about the role of churches and faith regarding
politics. It was an important part of the equation which determined
who won the election and demonstrated how important it is to be able
to focus our faith and values in an appropriate fashion in this
regard. As you know, an important part of the CCIDD program deals
with this question. The fact that this is becoming more of a
question in the
and worthwhile in meeting people's felt needs back home and helping
in creating this important awareness.
Jim Wallis of the Sojourners Community has recently published a book
called God's Politics that is rapidly climbing the New York Time's
best seller list. This is another indication of the importance of
this theme among the public today. I strongly recommend this book
and also that alumni get the free sojomail weekly e-mail report.
Subscribe at www.sojo.net
ALUMNI ACTIVITIES BACK HOME
The Pope John Paul II Secondary School group
from near
was published about their experience in their local school newspaper
and another was published in the (National) Catholic New Times. One
of the students, Bonnie Chan, made a very beautiful art project
expressing the meaning of their experience for the school. They sent
a very beautiful photo plaque for CCIDD along with a donation for our
continuing efforts here.
A student from St. Norbert's College, Sangik Jung, has created his
own web page (www.sang-ik.com/ccidd.html) within which he amply
speaks of his CCIDD experience.
Benaifer Bhadha, a two-time student from
several large bags of toys during the Christmas season. This year's
BC group will be bringing them to
children at the Salvation Army home.
A donation was made to CCIDD by the Student Association of St. Louis
University in the name of Professor John Slosar who retired in May as
the director of the Graduate School of Social Work. John had lead
many student groups that came for the CCIDD experience.
CCIDD TID-BITS
What former CCIDD program staffers are doing now:
1. Nancy Plankey and Rob Mackin are both professors of sociology
at
Pancho, is six years old.
2. Ivonne Plankey and Dave McGonnigal are living in
son, David, and daughter, Daniela, are studying in second and third
grades at the
working on an oil rig in the Caspian Sea in
3. David and Dianne Farquarson are presently visiting CCIDD.
They vacationed in
4. Michelle Ortiz visited her family in
CCIDD last August. She has now returned to
beginning studies to be a Spanish/English
interpreter within the
medical profession.
5. Kate Rogers is studying for a Master's in Education at the
Campus Ministry program here at CCIDD in May.
6. Jill Drzewiecki left CCIDD one year ago to join her fiancé
Austin Rios in
and now reside in
recently ordained, is associate pastor of the local Episcopalian
church.
7. Stephanie Barnes was married last July to Alejandro Gonzalez
here in
ceremony stayed at CCIDD. Stephanie now works at the Center for
Global Education here in
8. Lisanne Morgan delivered a nine-pound baby boy on Jan. 10 of
this year just weeks before her fortieth birthday. She is on leave
from the Center for Global Education. The baby has not yet been
named.
NEWS OF RESOURCE PEOPLE:
1. Leticia of Tlamacazapa spent three months in
September/December experiencing a new culture and climate. She was
home for the holidays and now hopes to move to
study.
2. Isidro's 18 year-old daughter Rafaela gave birth to a ten-
pound boy on Feb. 11in Tlama. What is incredible is that I saw her
two days before without perceiving she was pregnant and even her
parents were surprised to hear of the delivery! We visited her with
the
week later in her small one-room, dirt floor hut where she had the
baby, just one year after her first-born daughter who was born in
that same hut.
3. Josefina, the mother of downs syndrome 25 year-old Sandra of
Patios de La Estación squatter settlement, who always tells groups
her greatest worry is what will happen to her daughter when she dies
was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. CCIDD will continue
helping with the support of Sandra to assure her necessary care via
the contingency fund. Any donations can be flagged for her needs if
you wish to help.
4. Former CCIDD cleaning staff person Marta Agilar is breathing
easier now that her daughter Sandra (23 year-old mother of two) is
recovering nicely from a deadly disease that had her in intensive
care for three weeks and only spares two out of each hundred lives.
Again, prompt assistance from our Contingency Fund was key.
5. Bill Coleman, program director in the early 90's before
founding the Vamos Foundation that included Casa Tatic and more than
forty developmental projects within Morelos, died last November. The
present VAMOS director is Alejandro Lopez, a Mexican who is capably
carrying on this valuable effort.
CONTINGENCY FUND ACTIVITY
This report covers this period of nine months from May, 2004
to the
end of January, 2005. Total income was 39,412 pesos while
distributions were 62,530 pesos. A breakdown of principal income and
distributions follows:
INCOME (IN PESOS)
11,000 St. Andrew's Episcopalian Church,
Massachusetts
9,137 Bellarmine University/Louisville
Seminary, Kentucky
4,688 St. John's Episcopalian Church,
Massachusetts
4,436 Dr. & Mrs. Michael March, Minnesota
3,167 Pope John Paul II Secondary School,
Ontario
2,934 Louisa Brennan - CCCM, Canada
1,687 Angela Evanis
1,046 St. George's Anglican Church, Victoria,
B.C.
38,095
DISTRIBUTION
19,220 Isidro & Family (Tlamacazapa) Food
& Medical Support
13,688 Don Bosco Foundation (Work Projects\Youth Groups)
2,910 Conchita - Oxygen and Funeral Expenses
2,730 Salvation Army Children's Home - Paint
& Supplies
2,600 Carla Mejia - Scholarship for School
2,450 Raquel Cortez - Food, Medical and School
Expenses
2,250 Leticia (Tlamacazapa) - Bus Transportation
2,000 Gloria Bello - Food and Medical
2,000 Sandra Ortiz Agilar - hospital bill
2,000 Child Care Center in Colonia La Lagunilla
2,000 School for Sandra, Down Syndrome Child
in L. E.
1,665 Pedro Mejia - Medicines
1,300 Pedro and Florencia Villegas (Cuentepec)
- Food
1,000 Amada Jimenez - Medicines
1,600 Divided among Eight People in small amounts
59,413
STARTING BALANCE
$41,182 LESS $21,318
ENDING BALANCE
AS OF JAN. 31, 2005 $19,864