Rays of sunshine in dark corners

By Dra Lourdes Quijada
Behind the cold statistics of out of wedlock births in Panama lie many heartbreaking stories from abandonment or physical abuse to extreme poverty, but sometimes  some chinks of  light emerge.

Heartwarming stories are embedded in groups like Hogar Malambo and Hogar Rosa Virginia
Mark Scheinbaum, former Panama resident and university professor and a long time Kiwani’s activist, has been visiting Panama over the holiday season, meeting with old friends and organizing a memorial service at Balboa Union Church, for his wife MaryBeth, who died recently after a long battle with cancer. www.newsroompanama.com/panama/4816-obituary-community-activist-reached-out-to-indigenous-people.html

During a hectic schedule visiting friends, former colleagues and organizing the memorial service, Mark managed to find time to visit Gerry Downey of the Breakfast Show (89.3 FM) who is also receiving treatment for cancer.
He then headed for a Kiwani support center for young mothers, some as young as 12, and their children.

They are supported with classes, training, counseling, and child care, in part from Kiwanis.While, there, his ever present camera (he’s a former United Press reporter) captured some of the children and staff

As an occasional contributor to Newsroom, he forwarded some of the photos which we think are worth sharing with our readers.
Newsroom welcomes stories from readers to help lighten the gloom of news emanating from political and financial sources.