Ideas for writing your sponsored child are a very popular topic on this blog, OurCompassion, on Facebook … pretty much everywhere. In the contact center, we hear lots of questions about what you should and should not write.

While this list is not comprehensive, I hope it’s a helpful guide for you.

Topics to write about:

• Your Family
  Share everything you are comfortable sharing that is age appropriate for your sponsored child.

  Talk about your children, parents, cousins, etc. Tell stories about family members and friends, and tell your sponsored child why you’re thankful for them.

• Your Pets
  I know that my dogs are like family to my husband and me. Share pictures of your pets, things they like to do (go to the park or play fetch) and your favorite memories of having them as part of your household.

  Tell your sponsored child funny stories (remember that time Fido ate the Thanksgiving turkey right off the table when the family wasn’t looking?!).

• Your Community, State, and Country
  Share educational and fun information about where you live. Be descriptive and send photos if you have some.
• Your Favorite Things
  Have a favorite memory of growing up or a favorite Bible verse? Share it with your sponsored child and let him or her know why it means so much to you.
• Encouragement
  It may seem like you aren’t doing much, but you are! Your words of encouragement provide hope and fill your sponsored child with love.

  Don’t you remember that person who spoke into your life when you most needed it? That’s YOU to your sponsored child! Don’t take the honor lightly.

• Holidays and Traditions
  Tell your sponsored child how you celebrate Christmas or why Easter is such a big deal to your family. Share Fourth of July memories and write about the history of the holiday.

  Just as you are interested to know about your child and family, they are delighted to hear details from you!



• School and Work
  As you want to know what your sponsored child is learning at school, your child wants to know what you are learning at school or what your job is like. You might even find out you share a common interest.
• Ask Questions
  No, your questions might not always be answered (do you answer EVERY question you get in an email?) but they will show your sponsored child that you truly want to know him or her.
• Share Your Pictures
  Your sponsored child LOVES pictures. Be wise in the ones you choose, but send them often. My sponsored children can’t seem to get enough!

Topics to Avoid:

First, let me state that this is not meant in any way to make you feel guilty. You are already doing an incredible thing by sponsoring a child. This information is just to help you be wise in how you communicate with your precious sponsored child.

If you’re feeling the pangs of guilt, stop and read this first: Not Guilty: Using Your Blessings for Good.

• Money
  Don’t talk to your sponsored child about money. You and your sponsored child come from very different places. This topic won’t bring children joy, but it could promote jealousy and, possibly, anger.
• Food
  Have you ever thought about what your sponsored child eats? He or she definitely will not eat the same things you do. You can find out by logging in to your account on our website.

  Want to try your child’s diet for a while? Check this out: 40 Days of Solidarity with the Poor.

• Your Home or Other Belongings
  Go ahead and talk all you want about memories that were made in your home; just avoid the actual thing.

  Don’t talk about the size of your home or that you have a car (or multiple). Be cautious not to be callous when talking about things you own.

• Inappropriate Pictures
  Avoid sharing pictures that may not be appropriate, and remember that your sponsored child lives in a completely different country and culture. While that family picture at the water park may be the “best one you’ve taken in years,” the bathing suits may be quite a shock to your sponsored child. Also, try not to send pictures of your home or belongings.

  I’ve been asked if a picture of a theme park would be okay to send; I think that’s fine. Bottom line, use your best judgment and if you’re not sure, it’s best to call and ask us or don’t send it at all.

Finally, I’ve compiled some resources for you. Feel free to share your own ideas and resources for letter writing topics in the comments!

Resources:

• Follow us on Pinterest for letter writing ideas.
• Check out the Blogging from the Boonies blog.
• OurCompassion is a great resource for meeting other sponsors and asking for ideas.
• Here’s a list of items you can and cannot send with your letters.
• Letter writing ideas from our blog.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

It has been a while since I’ve written a blog post. I’ve had one thing on my heart that I’m not entirely comfortable writing about. But other people seem to think it’s worthwhile, so here goes.

Several months ago, I had sponsorship packets for three Priority children; each had been waiting more than a year for a sponsor, one of them nearly two years. Each child appeared so thin, so frail, that looking at their photos made both my husband’s and my own heart hurt.

Two of the children were boys, and as I was getting no responses to my Facebook pleas on their behalf, my husband finally said,

“We have to sponsor them.”

And so we did.

The other child, Sandra, looked even more thin and frail than the boys, and I wanted to wrap my arms around her, very carefully.

Sandra

I would have sponsored her in a heartbeat, but for one thing (and this is the reason for my discomfort in sharing this): I don’t write as often to my sponsored girls as I did before, when I sponsored fewer of them.

And I added two more sponsored girls just last year.

One of my Advocate friends, Janet, lives in the Phoenix area.

Janet sponsors a couple of children of her own, but she also serves as a “correspondent sponsor” for a lot more; I believe she writes regularly to 12 or 13 children.

Janet is so creative and absolutely faithful in writing to each of her children every month, often enclosing small gifts.

But here was 11-year-old Sandra’s photo, staring at me daily, asking me to help her. After ensuring my husband’s agreement, I wrote to Janet to ask if she would add Sandra to her “family” of correspondent kids.

She replied with a very enthusiastic “YES!!”

Fast-forward to a few months later, when I received a packet for another Priority child named Happy.

After sharing her photo and photos of other children on Facebook for a couple of weeks, I again contacted Janet and she gladly received Happy into her heart and “family.”

Knowing the love and faithfulness Janet expresses in writing to her sponsored kids, I can’t help thinking that the two girls I sponsored last year also would have been more greatly blessed if I had made the same arrangement with Janet for them.

But to make that change now would send the message that I am abandoning them, and that I will not do.

Some of my kids have had more than one sponsor already, and I won’t shake up their world again.

So what is my fear about going public with this arrangement?

My fear arises out of my own guilt, which loudly denounces me:

“You’re an ADVOCATE, for heaven’s sake! You should write to all of your sponsored girls, every month, and not farm them out!”

And I agree. I do write to my kids, other than Sandra and Happy, about every other month. But I used to do better.

Happy

As an Advocate in conversations with other sponsors and potential sponsors, I stress the importance of writing to our sponsored children. I know how important that is for our kids.

They need our help to combat the lie of poverty, the lie that says,

“You don’t matter; you’re just not important.”

I know that, for too many children, a letter from a sponsor is the only chance they may ever have, outside of their child development centers, to hear the truth that they do matter and that God has a plan for them.

Thankfully, I also hear another voice.

One saying essentially the same thing I would say to any other sponsor who could afford the financial support for a child but, for whatever reason, cannot or will not manage the correspondence — which is where the real ministry of child sponsorship lies.

That voice whispers to me:

In sponsoring Sandra and Happy for Janet to write to, you are blessing both of the girls and Janet every month. Sandra and Happy aren’t aware of you. Janet is a great correspondent sponsor. She and the girls give and receive a lot of love through their relationships.

On occasion, I have been frustrated when talking with potential sponsors who could afford the $38/month but would not carry on the correspondence. When I have mentioned the possibility of finding a correspondent sponsor, they have routinely shaken their head and said no, if they were going to do it, they would do it all.

And then there’s the sponsor I met two or three years ago, one who routinely worked the table at her church for Compassion Sunday but, by her own admission, never writes to her child.

I suggested that she let Compassion find a correspondent, but no, he was her kid and she didn’t want to share him. But she never wrote to tell him that she loved him.

So consider this a plea: If you can afford to sponsor a child but, for any of several reasons, know that you will not correspond faithfully, please do the part that you can do and ask Compassion to find someone to do the other part.

If you cannot afford the financial obligation but have lots of love in your heart to share with a child, call (800) 336-7676 and tell a representative that you would like to correspond with a child.

Compassion will assign you a precious child (or two!) who may be sponsored financially but does not receive correspondence. You can be an incredible blessing to that child by writing letters that express God’s love and affirm the child’s God-given potential.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

It was 8 o’clock on Thursday morning when children from the child development center entered the courtyard of Christian Alliance of Bobo-Dioulasso. That day was thought to be an ordinary one, except some of the children had extra-large smiles on their faces.

But there really was something special about this day — it was a letter day.

Every child who wrote to his or her sponsor that day felt like it was an important appointment. The children enjoy receiving letters from their sponsors as much as they enjoy writing back.

Unfortunately, many of the children do not receive letters. Among them are unsponsored children, but there are even some sponsored children who do not receive letters. One development staff member shared,

“It is very hard for children not to receive letters. Some children come to me sometimes asking why their sponsors have not written to them.”

When sponsor letters are given to children, it is difficult to see the sadness on the faces of those who do not receive a letter.

On the other side, children who receive letters from their sponsors are beside themselves with joy whenever they are called by development center workers to get their letter.

Letters from sponsors are considered family goods. The child’s entire family reads these letters, and most often it is the mother who keeps them in a safe place. According to our staff,

“Letters are a capital link between the sponsored children and sponsors.”

Many parents come to see our development center staff after reading sponsor letters. These parents usually ask what they should do about the letters and our staff advise them to write a response letter, making sure that all of the sponsor’s questions are answered.

Some parents will make a draft of a response letter with their children and then bring it to the center to copy onto a letter form to send to their child’s sponsor.

In the beginning, development center workers used to give sponsor letters to children with the hope that the children would write back in due time. But our staff noticed that letters written by children and their families were not always accurate and that some or none of the sponsor’s questions were answered. So, another strategy was put in place.

With volunteers, the staff at the Eaux Vives (Living Waters) development center decided to systematically write in a book all the questions asked by sponsors, along with the sponsor’s name and the name of the sponsored child. Now they can make sure all questions asked by sponsors are addressed when children write their reply letters.

Another innovation implemented recently is to make a copy of the letters children write to their sponsors and place them next to the sponsor’s questions in the book. By doing this, our staff can easily check the accuracy of letters.

As far as the actual letter writing, some children are able to write letters themselves and others are not.

Fabrice is one child at the development center who can read and write his own letters. He joined the center in 2007 and is now in grade six, primary school. Fabrice is a brilliant student who will get his Primary School Leaving Certificate this year.

His father is a bricklayer who has two wives and eight children. Fabrice’s mother stays in the village where she works as a midwife.

Fabrice lives with his maternal grandmother.

One of Fabrice’s half brothers, Armand, is registered at the same child development center. The two boys have the same father but different mothers. Armand stays with their father, but the brothers do not miss any opportunity to spend time together.

Fabrice has already received many letters from his sponsor. One of our staff members shares,

“Fabrice reads his sponsor’s letters himself. Every time I ask him, he is able to tell me what his sponsor has written in the last letter.”

Though Fabrice’s mother lives far away, he always manages to show her his sponsor’s letters. His mother enjoys reading these letters to learn about her son’s benefactor, who lives in a country they know only by name.

It is amazing to hear Fabrice’s aunt, who lives in the same house, talk about Fabrice’s sponsor. She has read every letter the boy has received. Sometimes she even makes suggestions about what Fabrice can tell his sponsor about certain aspects of his life.

On this letter-day morning, Fabrice was excited because he was going to write to his sponsor with his own hand. The first step in the letter writing is drawing. Every child who would be writing a letter was given a letter form on which to draw something for his or her sponsor.

After washing their hands to keep the letter forms clean, the children started drawing.

Some are very imaginative while others use biblical posters as models. Every child worked hard to deliver the best drawing possible. Some were very impressed by their friends’ drawings.

Then it was time to write. For Fabrice and some other children, the writing was not a big deal. After a few minutes telling a volunteer what he intended to write, Fabrice began a draft of his letter. After a short while the boy was done.

The next step was to meet with a development center staff member to go through the draft and correct mistakes. Then Fabrice copied the corrected version to the letter form.

For children who have just started school and cannot write their own letters, the process is different. These children have an interview with center staff or volunteers and share what they would like to write to their sponsors.

The staff person or volunteer asks the child the questions from the sponsor’s last letter so the child can provide answers. A draft of the letter is written in a book and read aloud; if the child agrees with what is written, the text is copied to the letter form on which the child has already made drawings.

When this process is completed, these children also can say that they have written to their sponsors.

The happiest sponsored children are those who communicate regularly with their sponsors through letters. In some homes children have posted their sponsor’s letters on the walls of the living room for visitors to see.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

I sat in a crowded, dank space and listened to the rain water dripping.

I squinted in the dark and leaned in to hear the quiet voice of Vincent, a sponsored child, living in the heart of Kenya, in the middle of Hell, known as Mathare Valley. He was an orphan, a child thrust into adulthood too soon, leading his family of siblings, alone.

He answered our questions with a kindness in his eyes, eyes that lit up when we asked about his sponsor. He said his sponsor’s name in a revered tone and told us words he’d memorized from his last letter. Someone in our group asked if he had a copy of a letter.

He sat on the edge of his couch/bed and reached behind the thin, tattered sheet that divided a small sleeping place and pulled out a much loved, worn letter from under his blanket. Vincent held the paper and grinned as he held up a picture of his sponsor, lightly touching the edges, pride evident on his face.

In that moment I realized the significance of sponsoring a child through Compassion International. Child sponsorship is a small part of our busy lives, but in many ways and circumstances, it is a child’s life. Without sponsorship and the concern and involvement of Compassion, Vincent, in his words, would probably be dead.

In my busy American life, child sponsorship was a dedicated $38 that I didn’t even miss. It was an occasional letter and maybe $10 for a birthday gift. Maybe. Sponsorship was something I did without thinking about every week or even every month. It was another thing, albeit good, that was on my long list. But I couldn’t help think how insignificant it had been to me: a few letters a year, little prayers whenever I remembered …

In many ways, child sponsorship was like an ending for me, something that made me feel good about myself, my contribution, a check off my list. But it is a beginning for a child, a new chance.

Seeing child sponsorship from both perspectives changed mine as I watched Vincent cherish his letter. It came alive to me in that tiny shack. In his soft voice he spoke sincere words I’ll never forget. They echo in my heart: “I pray for my sponsor. I pray for him every day.”

Vincent’s sponsor is a blessed man.

It was something we heard every time we asked a sponsored child about his or her sponsor. They would run and get their letters and say, “I pray for my sponsor.”

If sponsorship rescues a child from poverty, that makes a sponsor a hero.

It’s time I started acting like one.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Yunita had grown up filled with passion for God. She entered the university in 2001, became involved in a campus ministry, and was entrusted to become the leader of the organization in 2006.

Yunita has a heart for children, and with six of her friends she established a group to help children from a landfill in Sumampow, Manado — children who don’t have the opportunity to go to school. She and her friends go to the landfill every Friday and Saturday to teach the children.

God’s love for her kept flowing. She had taken English literacy as her major, which gave her the opportunity to translate child letters for Compassion East Indonesia. Even though she was a student and didn’t have much time every day, she volunteered to translate 100 letters a week, which she’s been doing since 2006.

God had entrusted Yunita with many things and she felt alive. Though she came from a broken home, she began to believe that she could do anything. But all the success caused her to become arrogant. She thought that she would be able to do anything by her own effort.

When Yunita started to work on her thesis, things changed. Her university lecturer told her that she couldn’t finish her thesis.

“He was always angry with me every time he read my thesis. He told me that I couldn’t write a thesis. I shouldn’t be a university student because I couldn’t understand anything. I was in anguish.”

Yunita felt like God had abandoned her. She felt disappointed and that she couldn’t trust Him. Yunita felt that she didn’t have strength to write.

“I felt empty at that time. I was very embarrassed with myself. I thought that as a Christian leader I could do whatever I wanted to do. Arrogance had gnawed my heart.”

Embarrassed about her situation, Yunita began to lie to her uncle who had paid for her university. She told her uncle that her thesis was in progress.

Until one day God spoke to her.

It was when Yunita was translating a sponsor letter. Although she had read similar words before, Yunita was shocked by what she read in the letter. It was like her eyes were opened.

“God loves you. You are precious. You are special.”

The sentence that sponsors always write for their sponsored children suddenly shocked Yunita.

“I then realized that He never left me even for a second. He saw me as his precious one … I felt encouraged and got new strength.”

With a broken heart, Yunita prayed and gave thanks for God’s blessing in her life. After she surrendered to God, Yunita got the wisdom she had been looking for all this time. After eight years struggling in the university, Yunita finished her degree.

Another responsibility was then given to Yunita. She began to teach children in preschool, which is based in international literacy.

“I’m very happy because He still gives me an opportunity to prepare the next generation.”

Yunita’s days are still filled with passion for God. She gives everything for children as she continues to volunteer translating sponsor letters, helping children in the landfill, and teaching preschool. She realized that the ministry entrusted to her is God’s own.

“God is the one who put His picture on me. I’m just His tool. Now I just rely on Him and obey what He wants from me,” says Yunita.

Yunita is just one of the many translators who sacrifice their time and talents to be advocates for children. Their devotion to children has affected many children across East Indonesia.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

If you have trouble viewing the slideshow above, you can view the photos on Flickr.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

I wear many colorful and different hats related to Compassion’s ministry –– sponsor, child advocate, Area Coordinator for the Advocates Network, Compassion blogger. But one of my favorite hats to wear is one you may not be aware of –– child correspondent.

What is a child correspondent?

A person who writes to a child in place of the sponsor.

Why is letter writing so important that correspondents are necessary? Isn’t financial support enough?

When you become a sponsor, you tell a child in need, “Yes. I want to know you. I want to have a relationship with you.” Your sponsorship models Christ’s love through your involvement in the child’s life, through the act of writing letters.

Poverty tells children, “You don’t matter!” But that is a lie. Your letters shine light into the darkness. They say: “You do matter Suzana.” “I care about you Renato.” “Jesus loves you Lerionga.”

The power of words, the power of a letter is tremendous, and for an impoverished child to know that you, someone from across the globe, cares . . . well, that’s the difference that can release the child from poverty.

Sponsorship is much more than just the financial support. Obviously, the financial support is critical, but it’s the letters a child receives that play a crucial role in his or her development and growth on many levels –– emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually.

Can I request a correspondent for the child I sponsor?

Yes, you can. However, Compassion prefers that you write to your sponsored child because of the relationship you can build through the letters. Letters can be the bridge that makes THE difference in a child’s future –– the bridge a child can walk across to leave poverty behind.

For instance, with one of the children I sponsor, I suggested she apply for the Leadership Development Program (LDP) because of what she shared with me in her letters. She applied … and was accepted!

I continue to sponsor her with some support from others, and her letters are now five to six pages, typed. She’s a tremendous source of encouragement for me.

However, in some cases, like when a business is a sponsor or when an individual sponsors numerous children, it may be beneficial or necessary to request a correspondent.

How do I sign up to be a child correspondent?

If you want to be a correspondent, call 800-336-7676. Any sponsor relations representative can help you.

Your name will be placed on a list of willing correspondents. If the need arises, you will be contacted to correspond with a particular child, and that child packet will be sent to you.

Please realize that you may or may not be contacted, depending on the need. Also, it could be several weeks or months before you receive the opportunity. The number of children on the list varies greatly from time to time.

Can I correspond with a Leadership Development Program student?

Yes. I have just begun to correspond with an LDP student in Colombia.

Can I write to a child I meet in a child development center on a sponsor tour, especially if I learn that the child is not receiving letters?

I can definitely relate to this question. It has happened to me often.

Many of the children I have met while visiting Compassion-assisted child development centers have asked if I can find their sponsors when I return home, just to ask them to send letters.

Right or wrong, I usually suggest that the sponsor probably has a “huge heart” and loves the child greatly, but perhaps sponsors 100 children or more and is not able to write each one!

For some children, not receiving letters is taken in stride. They continue to love and pray for their sponsors.

Others will do the same, but take the lack of letters personally, and feel hurt and unloved.

Imagine my joy when several children came to me in the Dominican Republic with letters and photos in their pockets, asking me to find their sponsors to thank them!

You can certainly request to be a correspondent for a child you meet, but it is not likely that you will be able to do so.

For instance, if the child is sponsored by someone from Canada, Australia, the U.K., or somewhere other than where you’re from, it will not be possible to connect you as the correspondent.

This happened to me once, and I had to entrust the child to God’s hands rather than feeling I should be the one to “fix” the hurt feelings.

Is any special attention given to a child not receiving letters?

Yes – reminder notes are sent to sponsors in these cases, but the notes do not always achieve the desired results. When they do, the child is delighted and encouraged in their faith!

Can I send gifts to my correspondence children? Can I visit them?

Yes. Call 800-336-7676 to send a financial gift to your child or visit compassion.com for a list of gifts that can be included with your letters or to arrange a visit with your child.

Here is a picture of me with the child I correspond with – his actual sponsor is a local church. I have written Junior for 10 years now, and we are best of friends.
He, his mother and I have had the pleasure of being together on two different sponsor tours.

However, because his studies were hard, Junior chose to leave his student center a little over a year ago, to work in the marketplace as a truck driver.

Believing this was not best for him, I wrote to urge him to return to the center, and he did, one year later!

I encouraged him to believe in the Lord and trust Him, and that God has a bright future for him. I honestly felt he did not think he could amount to much in this world, but I knew it was not true.

Through the help of the wonderful country office staff and his supportive center director, and because he was sad to lose correspondence with me, he decided to give sponsorship another try.

Now, through the support of the student center, he’s in a tech school learning how to become an automobile mechanic, and has a much brighter future than he would have had without the correspondence and friendship between the two of us.

He also prayed to receive the Lord and has written about his enjoyment of attending church and attending Bible studies!

I recently sent gifts to Junior’s family via a friend visiting her child on a sponsor tour in the Dominican Republic. To my surprise, her tour group was visiting Junior’s student center to do some maintenance work, and she not only met him and delivered the gifts personally, but also sent a “thank you” from Junior and his mother by video!

See how important letters can be? Powerful stuff in God’s hands.

What should I say in letters to my child?

Questions are good to ask.

I have a child advocate on my team who is an excellent letter writer. She even keeps a spreadsheet to record what questions she has asked for each child and what their answers were.

Here’s a list of some basic questions:

• Do you have any pets?
• What is your favorite subject in school?
• Do you like to sing or draw?
• What is your favorite song, color, game, animal, flower, Bible verse, etc.?

Simple questions not only affirm that you care about your sponsored child, but the questions also help them realize that their feelings and opinions are important – it’s that self-worth thing.

As you deepen your relationship with your child you can start to ask questions that may make them more aware of the world and the role they can play:

• What do you want to be when you grow up?
• What country would you most like to travel to and why?
• If you could do anything for your community, what would you do?

The questions can be sent one or two at a time, to develop a conversation. For more tips and ideas, check out “What Should I Write About? Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Write About?” on compassion.com.

Now I have some questions for you.

1. Why do you write –– or not write –– your own sponsored children?
2. What are some of your favorite responses from your children?

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

When he moved to the city and became part of the Capitol Development Center, he became the leader of the youth club … and decided he wanted to become the leader of the entire child development center so he could help make an impact on his community.

Milord was so committed that he, once a Compassion-sponsored child himself, achieved this mission when he became the director of the Capitol Development Center. He is honored to minister to 450 children through the child sponsorship program and 90 children and caregivers through the Child Survival Program (CSP). His mission is to bring them spiritual, socio-emotional and economic change.

Milord has now been successfully working as the center director for eight years. He became director just several years after graduating from the program himself, having studied social work and theology at the university.

As director, Milord has many responsibilities. He supervises all center activities, ensuring they are well implemented, and plans programs with the staff. Milord also mentors the teachers, reminding them of their duties to protect children’s rights.

Besides planning and training, he maintains contact with the children and parents to monitor their needs and influence changes in their lives. Through this he assesses what the needs are and creates appropriate programs. In his interactions, he challenges the parents to value children and protect them from abuse.

Milord also encourages children to participate in spiritual activities and helps them to develop leadership skills at an early age. Lastly, stimulating children to maintain good relationships with their sponsors through quality correspondence is also part of his duties.

These are just some of the ways Milord ensures the mission of developing children is happening at his child development center. Milord gains motivation for his mission to change lives through the knowledge that his work is not in vain.

One particular experience helped teach him this. A sponsored child named Idline was severely ill with convulsive attacks. Among Voodoo worshipers in Haiti, convulsive attacks are big signs of Satan’s attack and force parents to offer sacrifices.

As Idline’s parents were not Christians, they took the child to a Voodoo priest in the countryside to be cured. Unfortunately, the child’s situation became worse.

After their vain efforts to save Idline’s life, the mother decided to take the child to a child development center activity called: “Moment of Decision,” a spiritual activity held in all Compassion-assisted centers to challenge the children to experience God.

Bibles are distributed to children, and they spend time together praying, worshiping and sharing testimonies. Many Compassion children have accepted Christ at this activity.

When children are told about Christ, small groups are formed for a moment of decision, a moment of counseling and motivation for children to experience God. After a moment of prayer, Idline recovered her consciousness and the convulsive attack stopped.

As a result, she accepted Christ as her personal Savior by the end of the event. Currently, Idline is in good health and, thanks to that experience, her mother and her twin sister have also accepted Christ as their personal Savior. Milord says,

“That vivid example has motivated me to be more committed to ministry to children. I feel that my effort as a director is not in vain. I am striving for changes in children’s lives within the community.

“I am committed to see that my work bears fruit in the life of the children and parents; this will be my greatest satisfaction. I do not expect anything in return from the children or parents, but the reward is God’s blessings.”

Milord is finding that his mission is more a ministry than just a paying job. His greatest dream is to ensure that all 450 child development center children, plus the 90 CSP children and caregivers, succeed and become real agents of change.

He wants them to grow with love for their community in particular and for the country in general.
Success for Milord is that the children grow with fear for God, dignity, independence and a capacity to have an impact on others.

“My dream is that all these children become self-supported with a skill to use in life, a trade to function with a spirit of service to God and to their community. I dream that these children will improve their life condition at all levels.”

Individual attention is given to each child, helping all know their value. Playing with the children makes them feel important. In Haiti, many parents from the lower class never play with their children, thinking that playing with children provokes disrespect. So playing with the teachers and directors becomes very important for the children to learn they are valued.

Children are sometimes carried in the director’s arms in order for them to feel secure. The director shows concern in the way he feeds them. Building the children’s social skills and self-esteem is a key part of the child development center.

During Christmas season, children are given the opportunity to develop their talents on stage in the presence of their parents or guardians. The children exchange gifts.

And each year in commemoration of International Children’s Day, various activities take place in order to raise awareness of the need for the child development center staff and parents to care for and advocate for children.

Another important part of the children’s development at the program is the letters from sponsors. “It is crucial that the sponsors regularly write to their children and visit them when they can,” says Milord.

Milord confesses that sponsors’ letters can change the life of a child forever.

“A sponsor’s letter makes the child feel that they are not alone. The child feels that they have an obligation to do well in school and to behave at home in order to make their sponsor happy.

“It is certain that the sponsor does not replace the parents; but as any parent, the sponsor plays a great role in the success of a child’s life through letters of encouragement and photos.”

Being a child development director doesn’t come without challenges. The socio-economic situation prevalent in the country is an obstacle to child development. For instance, in a family of 10 children, there is chance for three to be enrolled in the Compassion program.

Milord tells about one child from the child development center who suffered from malnutrition. The center staff made acquisition of nutritional food supplies for that child to last several days as to improve his health condition.

But the director was surprised to see during a home visit that all the food supplies were used in just one day by the whole family.

This situation is very common among families with several children. The living conditions of the families make it difficult to have an impact on the life of one single child from many others.

Another challenge is cultural. Some parents accept poverty as a normal condition of life. Milord says,

“Despite all our efforts to bring in the change, some parents seem to be in their comfort zone; they are, unfortunately, not ready to move out.”

In Haiti, it is very difficult to bring people who are poor back to school to learn a vocation, especially when they already have children. Some of them think that since they have children there is no chance to move forward.

Milord finds it difficult to have the participation of most women in the sewing class, although it is free and would generate a good income for parents in the long run. A vivid example is the non-formal vocational program for parents at the center. Some parents are more interested in receiving gifts and support than to practice activities that generate income.

Despite the challenges, there is also great satisfaction in directing at the development center.

“One of the things that has had an impact on me the most is that 50 percent of the staff are former Compassion students.”

When Milord was first transferred to the child development center, it was very difficult for the church to find human resources in the community to run both the center and the school.

Milord believes that those 450 children from the child development center will continue to learn to have a positive and durable impact on the community, just as he learned himself.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Magline is deeply engrossed reading the sponsor letter she has just received from the student center.

Magline, a bright young girl from Park Circus Child Development Center, is an example of what a sponsor’s love and affection can help achieve in children who never get to paint a future for themselves because of poverty.

Magline comes from a poor family. She has been through many ups and down since childhood.

Her father was an alcoholic and did not have a job when Magline was brought to be enrolled at age 5. He would beat up Magline’s mother to get money from her to meet his thirst for wine.

But in the midst of all that, Magline’s mother was steadfast in her faith in God and kept praying for her husband’s change of heart. She toiled hard, working as a maid servant to bring up her children.

It was about the same time that Magline’s sponsorship also started, but she was far too young to understand the love and concern her sponsor had for her.

“I had no dreams for the future because I hardly understood what sponsorship meant for me,” says Magline.

However, Magline’s transformation from a shy, introverted girl to someone exercising her God-given potential today, was made possible only because of the inspiration of her sponsor.

“My sponsor helped me to dream big and dream of becoming a teacher, for which I will remain ever grateful.”

Magline has been very active at the student center from the time she was enrolled even until today, with the stage set for her to graduate from the sponsorship program.

Despite her struggles back home, she complained of nothing. Instead, she would run back to the development center every day because of the love and affection she got from her caregivers. She attended all the student center activities regularly and faithfully.

Now Magline is pursuing her Teacher’s Training Course (TTC) with help from Compassion.

“My dream of becoming a teacher is now a reality. If it wasn’t for my sponsor who supported me until now and a big-hearted donors who is paying for my course, I wouldn’t know where I would be today.

“I cannot thank my sponsor enough, for they have been more than a sponsor to me … they have been my source of encouragement, and it was for their love and affection I am lifted up.”

Magline’s sponsor came from a church named Assemblee Protestante Evangelique in France. During her 14 years of sponsorship she received many letters, but the ones that motivated her most were those that were personal and informative, communicating a lot to Magline about the French culture and faith, lifestyle and beliefs of her sponsor.

Life has not been smooth sailing for Magline at all. Just when everything seemed right for her to take admission into her TTC, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Life came to a halt and her hopes for future seemed shattered.

She had just finished high school and was getting all set for her teacher’s training course.

“This day that I waited for so long was now slipping away from my hands and I could do nothing but cry out in anguish.”

Lying on her sick bed, Magline remembered the prayers of her sponsor, the love and concern for her. It gave her strength to fight her ailment and stay focused in fulfilling her long-awaited dream of becoming a teacher.

Magline wants to be a teacher for a noble purpose: She wants to stand in the gap for poor children in her community by offering free education and support for them, much in the same way she received help from her sponsor.

“That way, I know, I can be a living witness of God’s unconditional love to people living around us.”

Magline’s presence of mind and leadership in handling critical situations have made her the first choice to be delegated with responsibilities at the child development center. She was made leader of the youth group at her student center.

She not only exercises exceptional leadership qualities but is also a multi-talented girl. She teaches music and dance to children at the student center. She has outperformed at every level – be it at the center or in school.

Mr. Simson, child development center accountant of Park Circus, says with a nod,

“Seeing Magline grow from a 7-year-old shy girl to how she manages her responsibilities today, really amazes me of how much she had been influenced by her beloved sponsor.”

Magline is involved with the youth ministry of Assemblies of God Church, Calcutta at present. The most important thing she feels she has learned from her sponsor is waiting on God and to trust only in him without a shadow of doubt.

Her sponsor was instrumental in building up her confidence in God through the scripture references mentioned in the letters, to help her overcome the fear she faced of exams.

Today, Magline stands firm in her faith as she leads a youth group at her church. She is filled with gratitude for the love and concern her sponsor showed her.

“I enjoyed reading my letters word by word until I actually memorized them completely.”

The letters gave her a special sense of belonging, one that she doesn’t have words to express. She was simply delighted to know how much she was loved and cared for, despite the great divide separating them geographically.

“Without help from my sponsor I wouldn’t have achieved anything.”

Magline’s mother feels indebted for the generosity, without which it would have been impossible for her to give Magline the education she received.

“I knew that God had a definite purpose for Magline, and her sponsors were a great channel of blessing for her and us all these years.”

With a loving sponsor, who cared and loved her dearly, and a mother whose faith was grounded so strong in the word of God, Magline would not have as bright a future.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

The photos helped me picture my sponsored child, Lerionga, reading letters I’ve sent him. They drew me closer to him.

Some of these photos are old – five or six years. Others were taken just last year.

Some of these children have left our program, and some have sponsors from countries other than the U.S.

The exciting thing is that we were able to contact several sponsors and let them know about this post, so they could download the photo.

Any time I can do that for you, I will.

Here is what I speak of – the sponsor letter photos.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates