In a society where very few people give emphasis to the importance of children welfare. In this very few, we will find Norma Lewis, an honorable and caring citizen at heart.
With a passion for helping children, one evening Ms. Lewis had a heartwarming conversation with the minister of the church that she attends; the minister, recognizing her caring for children, advised her to pay attention to the way children’s naturally gravitated to her, in addition, extended the advice to pray and to ask God, to reveal to her, her calling, to which she did. The heartwarming conversation with her minister and the power of prayer became the tools that revealed to Ms. Lewis, her divine purpose in life, the helping of children.
In the actual pursuit of her calling, Ms. Lewis hosted a meeting with intimate girlfriends, in the kitchen of her home, in Brooklyn, NY. During this special gathering, she became aware of a very important need in society that manifested as her vision “to touch the lives of children that has been forgotten by many.” This awakening, lead to a pledge to help children’s in orphanages. The quest for this noble cause, lead to the foundation in March 15, 2003 of Amigas, Friends of Children Inc., a non-profit Organization.
In June 23, 2004, Amigas, Friends of Children, Inc., had their groundbreaking experience in the Republic of Panama, when the organization establishing relationship with Aldeas (village) SOS, a children’s home in Colon, Republic., of Panama. After establishing this relationship, this dynamic organization, during the years, managed to establish eight additional relationships with children’s home throughout the Republic of Panama. The quest for helping continued and these wonderful Amigas (girlfriends) managed to establish relationship in the year of 2005, with St. Vincent Children Services in Brooklyn, NY (USA).
As the passion for caring continued, Amigas, Friends of Children, Inc., broadened their arising by “planting seeds,” in orphanages in various parts of the world. The first planting of seeds, was accomplished in May 19, 2011 at Medina’s Children’s Home, in Senegal. In this journey, Amelia Boyce, treasurer and devoted member of the organization, had a life-realizing experience:
“I had the opportunity to see the children’s home, which was very humbling. In addition, I saw how people lived in various locations. What was interesting was to see the happiness in people faces, even when they lacked, to what we considered: the basic things.”
The second planting of seeds, was in Aug.16, 2012, at the Centro de Crianza (Center for Children) in Bahia, Brazil. The next planting of seeds will be in June of 2014, at New Life, in Ghana, Africa.
With creativity, the organization as managed to develop various programs to aid children’s, programs such as the “godparent program. This program gives the opportunity for adults who meet the requirement, to extend caring and support to children in need. In addition, to promote the importance and the value of education, Amigas, created the scholarship program, which serves as an incentive to motivate and encourage children’s at various homes to excel with academics; the idea is: by exceling in education, the child will have an opportunity to excel in life.”
As the newly appointed president of Amigas, Friends of Children, Inc., Gladys Savage shared: “I would like to see Amigas, connecting to the Caribbean Diaspora. I recognized that we are still in the early stages, however, we have so much to offer; the godparent and the scholarship programs are aspects that I would like to see extended to these communities. This could be a wonderful exchange, where we would be able to help each other grow.”
For their upcoming fundraiser, Sunday, April 20, 2014: Amigas, Friends of Childrens, Inc., extends warmth welcome to everyone to attend their Easter Extravaganza! This event will be hosted at Tropical Paradise Banquet Hall at 1367 Utica Ave., Brooklyn, (between Farragut Rd. & Foster Ave).
For additional information abouit Amigas, Friends of Children, and their upcoming event, kindly contact: Norma Lewis at (347)349-9368, President: Gladys Savage at (718)986-2097 or Treasurer: Amelia Boyce at (347)661-1362.
