These books aren't simple fairy-tales. With them, and with other people's help, this orphanage in Cameroon was constructed. It's called the House of Opportunity, and it houses 50 kids.
JUAN CARLOS VELARDE
“It's a population in which, unfortunately, there are many homeless kids. They're kids who live in the streets. They don't have parents, so that's where a serious problem arises for the young ones. The dangers are immense. So, the orphanage is their home. There they can have a future.”
To support the project, Juan Carlos Velarde published a spectacular storybook. Then a second one. Now, he's on his fifth: “Adventures in the Vatican.”
It recounts the story of the young Rodrigo during a trip to the Vatican. It includes an unexpected meeting with Pope Francis and another with Benedict
JUAN CARLOS VELARDE
“He's a kid, and, logically, like any kid, he likes to play. So, in one of the chapters, he meets with Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI without meaning to.”
The book includes a magnifying glass that will help young readers find the key to the Sistine Chapel.
JUAN CARLOS VELARDE
“It's definitely a story, but there are also many experiences that I've had and that I wanted to share somehow.”
For example, the final “adventure in the Vatican” is participating in the “children's train,” which the pope attends every year.
It's an opportunity to teach children about the Vatican, while offering a future of hope to kids from Cameroon.
JMB
Translation: CT
