Comments on: Foster Development, Not Dependence

By: Jimmy Wambua

Jimmy Wambua — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:25:03 +0000

Thanks Amber!
Well put! I learned how to think not what to think and this became possible because the sponsorship came alongside me and nurtured my vision to become independent.

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:38:48 +0000

Amber, this is a great post. I have to say that having been in Holland, I was almost suprised that you didn’t threw in an inside joke of the Belgiums wanting to put up a French Fries stand! (The Dutch and Belgiums tell jokes about each other)

I have thought about this quite a bit. I’m hoping to stay in touch with my sponsored children after they graduate. Having thought about that, I have thought too about what if the formerly sponsored child or adult now would come back to me and ask for money. I want them to be able to support themselves. It’s great post.

Kees

By: Amy Wallace

Amy Wallace — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:32:21 +0000

Great post, Amber!

By: Dana Young

Dana Young — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:04:56 +0000

I love fostering developement not dependence. This I am sure is a blessing to our sponsorees as well. Feeling like they are pulling their families out of poverty and not feeling helpless by constant handouts. I’m this is good for their self-image as well.

By: Sara Benson

Sara Benson — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:00:07 +0000

Thank you for writing this post Amber! I am going to be meeting my some kids in about a week and reading this gave me a bunch of ideas of what to talk about with the project workers and families.

By: Sara F.

Sara F. — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:29:23 +0000

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I appreciate your thoughts. So far we have heard from 2 families, and they did use the money for practical items like a bed, mosquito nets, and food supplies. I am very glad that Compassion works with them to decide where the money can best be used.

By: Judith Tremblay

Judith Tremblay — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 03:05:10 +0000

@Sara F. – I, too, am a relatively new sponsor (just coming up on a year) and I did send a small family gift back in March. I don’t know what they did with the money yet…letters have been taking a while. But as for waiting until a need is expressed: what I’m wondering is, will we even know whether there is a need? Is it something that the children/families would mention?

By: Joyce

Joyce — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 23:45:58 +0000

Sara, I don’t believe you should wait until a need is expressed before giving a family gift. In 7 years as a sponsor, none of the 5 children or teenagers we have sponsored has ever mentioned a need. But when we send family gifts, once or twice a year, it is clear in their thank-you letters that the gifts met a real need, such as buying concrete to repair a home. They and their families are so grateful for your basic sponsorship, I just don’t think they would presume to ask for more.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:28:39 +0000

I agree 100%. This “development” you speak of was observed in action and understood by me when I was on the 2008 Ethiopia Sponsor Tour. I noticed how all of the Student Center leaders and workers were natives, from the neighborhood. Our sponsored children are being taught by their own people, not by us foreigners who might just try to turn them into little americans. Whole communities are being established for future generations because of the wonderful work of Compassion sponsors. Yeah!

By: Cheryl J

Cheryl J — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:35:41 +0000

Thanks, Amber. That was so well-put. I have been thinking lately about the fact that this is a two-way street. This isn’t about us getting our do-gooding in by sponsoring these kids. We are to be a blessing to each other. I love to ask them to pray for me when I need it.

To Sara – likely your children will not express needs. Giving a family gift is a great idea. You can tell from what they spend it on how much it is needed. The father of one of my kids spent the family gifts I sent on animals – a cow, a goat, chickens and ducks. I feel like he knew what he needed to do for his family, he just didn’t have the means. He just needed a chance. But they never said what they needed. I only found that out after the fact.