Comments on: I Didn’t Think I Would Cry

By: Neve Kimble

Neve Kimble — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:26:38 +0000

Thank you, Edwin, for being an example. It is important to know that you are on staff with Compassion who sponsors a local child in the country you live in. I will look forward to you giving me more of a glimpse into the life of the Filipinos. I don’t know how different the TFC Channel depicts their actual living. I am a Filipina born in Manila but raised in America. My parents,though now retired, worked hard to provide for us. I am a privileged & blessed Christian even though I am not rich with $$$, I am rich in Jesus Christ, my Lord! My husband & I just sponsored a boy & a girl today from the Philippines. I am very excited as I hope to visit there some day again – having them will be motivation to visit soon, for sure. After being touched by the hardships I saw on Filipino news during the recent floods & Mayon Volcano evacuations, I wanted to help but didn’t want to just support a cause or an organization, I knew I wanted to specifically touch a life who eventually could make a difference in their own community. I give God the glory for what we are able to give away and what we are able to give up. God is good all the time and He is a faithful provider! God bless you…

By: Marvin

Marvin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:55:47 +0000

Yes, the cost of living is different in different places. I live in Chicago and my taxes and expenses are about twice what most people pay unless you live in New York or LA. I have never lived in the Philippines I have only visited 3 times; a middle class person in Manila lives like someone in Chicago making $2000 a month. (I have a friend who worked for World vision Philippines before he immigrated to the USA.) A family living on 2000 in Chicago would be considered living below the poverty line. They would have to make sacrifices to sponsor and still support other ministries like the local church. Yes 10% would be $200 a month. But it would mean giving up some things….
In 1992 when I went to Moody I dropped the child I sponsored because I could not afford it. At Founders week this year they showed some LDP kids that are attending Moody on a scholarship and they dropped meals at school each day to afford sponsoring a child. When I was a student I had 3 meals a day and no sponsored child. Most of us that sponsor do not make such a big sacrifice; as someone living in a developing country would or who live at the poverty line in the USA. God bless the people who are giving sacrificially…like give up a meal every day so they can help others…it is something we should all learn from.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:28:23 +0000

I think this is a wonderful story and it made me think about my sponsored children.

Giving $32 may be a huge amount to many in the Philippines depending on what their other expenses are. If the average middle class income in the Philippines is $500, then $32 per month is about 6.4% of total income. As Christians, we are called to give a minimum of 10% of our income a month. (I’m not saying this person does not do this or making any assumptions) We can’t be looking at dollar amounts as equivalents, it all depends on the cost of living. Someone in the US who makes $2000 and gives away 10% ($200) yet has rent, food, clothing, and other expenses totaling $1800 per month may be considered more poor than someone in the Philippines because they can’t afford any extras. It’s all relative. Just because someone in the US makes $2000 a month versus someone in the Philippines making $500 a month does not mean the US person is richer. It all depends on what else you have to pay out to live.

By: Arijana Lukic

Arijana Lukic — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:36:39 +0000

Thank you Edwin for this story. I am very new in the sponsorship and I will be already meeting my sponsored child in Brazil in March. I think it will give me the opprotunity to really see what we fight for and the value of our help to those children. Your experience that you shared is great and it gives me the opportunity to be open minded about my visit and expectations.

Many thanks

By: Avery

Avery — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:49:33 +0000

Edwin your story moved me.

I didn’t realize that the average worker in the Philippines only earned US $32.00 per month and middle class earns $500 per month.(I learned that from Dwight’s post)

Edwin, you really are giving a lot, percentage wise it would be more than US or Cdn citizens are giving.

In January of 2009 I finally decided to sponsor a girl through Compassion Canada. I was deciding what country I wanted to sponsor a child in. A dear friend of mine (who came to Canada from the Philippines) asked me to sponsor a child from the Philippines as she said it’s a poor country. That made my decision easy.

I went online and chose a girl from the Philippines and was happy when I received her picture and info in the mail. I was teary eyed when I recently received a hand made card from her.

I enjoy receiving letters from my sponsored child and even received one from her mother. I just developed some pictures to send to her and will be writing to her again soon.

I can’t control where she lives but I’m glad that my contributions help to make her life better.

By: Camy N

Camy N — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:16:02 +0000

I am planning to visit the Philippines this year (I’m a filipino as well living in Canada) and I am hoping to arrange a meeting with my sponsor child during my stay.

I heard that meeting your sponsor child changes your life and strengthens your relationship with them.

Thank you for sharing your story and I believe this really shows that these children don’t care where you are from (foreign or fellow citizen) they really appreciate all the help/support/prayers that each person gives. I can’t wait to visit my own sponsor child this year.

By: Edwin Estioko

Edwin Estioko — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:09:46 +0000

Hello Dwight,

I’m delighted to know that you’re coming to visit your sponsored children. It will be a blast, for sure. To respond to your questions better, I would need or (Compassion US would need) to ask the most appropriate people to give you tips and advice regarding your visit. They can help you best.

Yes Lem is my cousin. He was here last year to do missionary work. Say Hi to him for me. Thanks

By: Dwight

Dwight — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:41:48 +0000

Edwin
Can you answer a question I have about a visit?
I am planning on taking a missions trip to Manila Philippines and thought I might visit my sponsored children. I have the option of visiting the project or having the children travel to the capital city. Traveling to the project will be a difficult trip but if the project staff and others at the church would like to meet a real life sponsor it might be worth the time. If not it would be less work for me to not travel in country but stay in the capital and have them visit. Or just skip the visit. Is it worth visiting the project? Do the project workers come out to see you? Would they like to see a real life sponsor or does it really matter? Do most projects get the chance to have sponsors visit or only ones in Manila and Cebu?
Do you have a cousin in Chicago IL America named Lem? He goes to my church and said he had a cousin that worked for comparison named Edwin
Sorry the list is so long. Thanks for your advice

By: Chris Giovagnoni

Chris Giovagnoni — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:57:39 +0000

@Dwight - Compassion South Korea told me that they don't have any record of Filipinos sponsoring children, other than the staff members in the Philippines office.

By: Mike Stephens

Mike Stephens — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:12:03 +0000

Edwin,

Thanks for sharing!!!!!!! I am writing this from the Hong Kong Airport and starting to sweat a little, so we must be getting closer to the Philippines! See you in a few hours