The past 5 years we have sponsored a boy named Gift from Zimbabwe through World Vision.
Without fail, we send $35/mth - it is automatically taken out of our account. But we haven't been very diligent about writing to him. As a family, we periodically pray for Gift and his community, but somehow we rarely get around to putting pen-to-paper.
This morning we wrote Gift a letter. It was simple. Our girls colored some pictures for him.
Do you sponsor a child? How often do you correspond with him/her?
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I sponsor a beautiful young girl named Praise. She turns 15 this week and I have been terrible about sending letters. I pray for her and always tell myself I'll write, but somehow I never get to it. Thank you for your post; I am going to make a special effort tonight to sit down and write to her.
Great plan! Writing about it motivates us to write more often too.
In some ways the letters are more important than the money. I mean money is great, it's necessary and it's providing for a need, often a desperate need. But the letters say "I really do care about YOU" not just poor people in general who need some help. I often wonder how much more our money means when we back it up with personal love, care, concern and time for those we give the money too.
The letters, cards, pictures really are what keeps those children going. I heard first hand from some of the sponsored children at a Revolve conference and they look EVERY day to see if they got something in the mail. There are some children who don't hear from their sponsor at all and it does make them sad. The money and prayers to help very much so but its the personal contact that the children love the most.
So true.
Hearing stories first hand is powerful. Was that at the Revolve Girls Conference?
Yes, I took my younger sister to it last year with a group of girls from her church and I even went once when I was 16!
I used to be much better about sending letters. Then I got a new sponsored child and had my own children at the same time. Sadly, I don't think I've written her yet, and I've been her sponsor for 3 years. I really need to get that in gear. I know how much it means. I went to visit my sponsored child and she had EVERYTHING I had ever sent her on display. It felt a little strange, but I know how much it was appreciated.
That is really neat you were able to visit your sponsored child. That must have been a cool experience for both of you. Where does she live?