Meet Dayana. She lives on the coast of Colombia, a country in South America. As part of Compassion’s program, Dayana goes to a Compassion center at a church in her neighborhood for yummy meals, Bible lessons, health checkups, playtime and help with schoolwork!
When her school and Compassion center were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Dayana was sad because she couldn’t see her friends. But she stayed busy, helping her family and doing schoolwork that her teachers had assigned.
Let's follow along with Dayana to see what a normal day is like in her neighborhood!
Dayana walks to a market in her small town. She woke up at 6 a.m. and brushed her teeth and combed her hair. Now she is going to buy potatoes for her family’s breakfast and coffee for her grandmother. It rains a lot around here, so there are plenty of puddles on the dirt road.
After breakfast, Dayana helps wash the dishes. Then she sweeps the concrete floors inside and outside of her red brick home.
Next up is homework. Dayana and her brother sit at a table outside their home. She likes to get her schoolwork out of the way so she has free time to play afterward.
With her schoolwork finished, Dayana can join a game of barefoot soccer with her brothers — and a long little doggy!
All that outside activity has made Dayana hungry for lunch. Rice is eaten for almost every lunch in Dayana’s home. Her family gets to eat other foods when they can afford it. Today Dayana is happy because along with her rice, she also gets potatoes and sausage!
Dayana reads a letter from her sponsor, Erin, who lives in the United States. “She writes me letters, sends me photos and gives me gifts,” Dayana says. “I have my sponsor’s letters in a notebook so that they are not lost or damaged, and I can read them whenever I want.”
Dayana rides her bike around the neighborhood. She says her favorite activities are riding her bike, playing soccer and spending time with her family. She lives with her parents, sister, three brothers and a nephew.
After dinner, Dayana and her mom do dishes and other chores together. Then they can sit back and spend time relaxing outside their home. It’s been a good day in the neighborhood!
Dayana walks to a market in her small town. She woke up at 6 a.m. and brushed her teeth and combed her hair. Now she is going to buy potatoes for her family’s breakfast and coffee for her grandmother. It rains a lot around here, so there are plenty of puddles on the dirt road.
After breakfast, Dayana helps wash the dishes. Then she sweeps the concrete floors inside and outside of her red brick home.
Next up is homework. Dayana and her brother sit at a table outside their home. She likes to get her schoolwork out of the way so she has free time to play afterward.
With her schoolwork finished, Dayana can join a game of barefoot soccer with her brothers — and a long little doggy!
All that outside activity has made Dayana hungry for lunch. Rice is eaten for almost every lunch in Dayana’s home. Her family gets to eat other foods when they can afford it. Today Dayana is happy because along with her rice, she also gets potatoes and sausage!
Dayana reads a letter from her sponsor, Erin, who lives in the United States. “She writes me letters, sends me photos and gives me gifts,” Dayana says. “I have my sponsor’s letters in a notebook so that they are not lost or damaged, and I can read them whenever I want.”
Dayana rides her bike around the neighborhood. She says her favorite activities are riding her bike, playing soccer and spending time with her family. She lives with her parents, sister, three brothers and a nephew.
After dinner, Dayana and her mom do dishes and other chores together. Then they can sit back and spend time relaxing outside their home. It’s been a good day in the neighborhood!
Dayana walks to a market in her small town. She woke up at 6 a.m. and brushed her teeth and combed her hair. Now she is going to buy potatoes for her family’s breakfast and coffee for her grandmother. It rains a lot around here, so there are plenty of puddles on the dirt road.
After breakfast, Dayana helps wash the dishes. Then she sweeps the concrete floors inside and outside of her red brick home.
Next up is homework. Dayana and her brother sit at a table outside their home. She likes to get her schoolwork out of the way so she has free time to play afterward.
With her schoolwork finished, Dayana can join a game of barefoot soccer with her brothers — and a long little doggy!
All that outside activity has made Dayana hungry for lunch. Rice is eaten for almost every lunch in Dayana’s home. Her family gets to eat other foods when they can afford it. Today Dayana is happy because along with her rice, she also gets potatoes and sausage!
Dayana reads a letter from her sponsor, Erin, who lives in the United States. “She writes me letters, sends me photos and gives me gifts,” Dayana says. “I have my sponsor’s letters in a notebook so that they are not lost or damaged, and I can read them whenever I want.”
Dayana rides her bike around the neighborhood. She says her favorite activities are riding her bike, playing soccer and spending time with her family. She lives with her parents, sister, three brothers and a nephew.
After dinner, Dayana and her mom do dishes and other chores together. Then they can sit back and spend time relaxing outside their home. It’s been a good day in the neighborhood!
How is your neighborhood the same as Dayana's?
How is it different?
Colombia
Population: 49,084,841
Language: Spanish
Wild Residents: capybaras, humpback whales, sloths, black spider monkeys, rock hyraxes and more species of birds than in any other country.
Fast Facts:
A special treat enjoyed in Colombia is called “chocolate con queso.” It’s hot chocolate with cheese melted inside!
It’s the only country in South America that touches both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
The most popular sports are soccer, baseball, competitive roller skating and cycling.
Some popular celebrations are Christmas, Epiphany, Carnival, Easter and All Saints’ Day.
The national symbol is the Andean condor, the world’s largest flying bird.
The typical family income is $15,541 per year (compared with $63,051 in the U.S.).
About 28% of people in Colombia live below the poverty line (compared with about 10.5% in the U.S.).
Click here to learn more about Colombia!