For a while now, we’ve — well, more like you have — been discussing “Should I visit my sponsored child?”

Here’s one thing you need to consider when you ask yourself that question. It’s courtesy of Whittaker Woman and the blog trip to El Salvador.

Keep in mind, the girls speaking aren’t even her sponsored children.

If you can’t visit your children, and we understand that it’s not always possible, you need to know this. It’s an absolute truth. Your sponsored children want to hear from you!

Heather’s got it all down on her blog. You should see for yourself.

The thing they desired most for you to know is how important being a sponsor is.

You are important. You are their angels, you make a difference.

There was one thing that they pleaded with me to share, THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

I asked them if they cared if it was written on a card or an email, their answer was ANYTHING.

They just want to hear from you. Every word you say to them is one of the most important things they ever hear. They treasure it, they soak it up, they read it over and over.

So from Gabriella, Jennifer, Beronica, Cindy, Claudia, Clara, Rosio, Carolina, Karan, please write your sponsor child.

Sean Dana, an International Trip Manager, has been leading sponsor tours for more than three years. On one of his first sponsor tours, he had an opportunity to bring a lifetime of joy to children who rarely get to play, run or laugh because they live in the midst of extreme poverty.

Editor’s note: The audio begins after 10 seconds

Yesterday, I promised you some insights into Steph’s Compassion Traveller experience, so here you go. - Irene

Steph in 30 seconds:

• Age: 14 and a half



• Siblings: I’m the eldest. I have a 13-year-old brother named James.
• School: Year nine (third year in junior high school)
• Pets: We have two cats: Maddison, a white tortoise-shell cross Persian, and Soots, a grey Persian cross something. Both are girls. They have completely different personalities and hate each other. We also have budgies, which we’re getting rid of.
• Hobby: Netball. This is my seventh year playing in the district competition. I also take art lessons.

Favourites:

• Quote: “A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can repeat it back to you when you’ve forgotten the words.”
• Book: The Tomorrow series by John Marsden
• Film: The Notebook
• Board game: Scrabble
• Song: “Pray for Me” by Plumb

Steph’s Compassion Traveller experience:

Describe the trip in one sentence:

An amazing experience … I need to go back!

And at the moment I’m looking for a way to do it. No luck yet, but I’m sure my Lord will provide for me and something will come up. I can’t do it by myself.

Most memorable moment:

I met my family’s sponsored child in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her name is Kini.

Kini was born without pulmonary arteries, the arteries that go between her heart and her lungs.

My Dad sponsored her after his last visit in 2006, so we had been sponsoring her for 18 months when I met her.

The doctors thought Kini would die within months when my Dad first met her, but because of her sponsorship she receives regular treatment and still lives!

What did Kini say to you when you met her? (more…)

As a kid, did you ever daydream about venturing into the slums of Kolkata? I know a gutsy 14-year-old who did … who ventured into extreme poverty. But that’s for later.

I, Irene, grew up in a sheltered, middle-class family. Whilst I didn’t make it to India at the age of 14, I ventured to Kyrgyzstan at the age of 24 with a team of medical professionals and helpers. It was a completely humbling and mind-blowing experience.

I met church pastors who have been blessed with so much more materially than I, yet they have chosen to live in abandonment for the expansion of God’s kingdom.

I met Muslims in remote villages who suffered advanced stages of cancer, but had no means to receive medical treatment. All that my team could give them were vitamin supplements.

I met orphans who were stunted from malnutrition and sometimes from past substance abuse, but have found the love of their heavenly Father.

I can’t quite imagine how I would’ve coped on the same journey at the tender age of 14.

If you read the Reflections of a Compassion Traveller series, you may have gained some guts –- I mean, a new level of desire to meet our friends living in poverty.

It definitely takes guts to travel to less developed nations. It’s inevitably a confronting experience. (more…)

The India communications manager wrote this short article about the recent sponsor tour to India for the country office’s internal newsletter. So we thought we’d share her perspective with you.

In the midst of turbulent economic times, political uncertainty and a global food crisis, 29 of our sponsors proceeded with their decision to come to India to experience this great ministry among children.

It is one thing to hear marvelous stories about sponsors and how far they would go to support a child, but it is definitely a red letter day to meet them in person. For most of the sponsors, the sponsor tour we recently hosted was their first time in India, and they surely were thrilled by the sights and sounds around them.

Churches and projects in Bangalore, Yelagiri and Chennai welcomed the visitors into their community, and the sponsors had the opportunity to witness the harsh realities of life for our children, and the hope that Compassion offers through the child development centers in our various programs.

The home visits enabled the sponsors to have a feel for the poverty surrounding the communities, as well as the traditions and superstitions that some of the communities are bound by.

The traditional welcome with garlands, sandalwood and rosewater, personal testimonies of children and parents, and the cultural events by children at the centers left each sponsor humbled.

Amidst everything, the one thing the sponsors would not give up were those personal moments of interaction with the children. The sponsors connected with the children through songs, skits and crafts. They learned, listened, laughed with the children, and cried every time they had to leave a center.

The “fun day” planned for each sponsor to interact with his or her own sponsored child was assuredly the defining moment.

Surrounded by the Bay of Bengal on one side and luscious green pastures on the other, VGP Golden Beach was ideal for fun in the sun. Every sponsor wished this day would never end.

Bidding farewell to their precious little children by giving gifts they brought all the way from the United States continues to amaze me. Hugs, handshakes, loads of tears, and treasured memories made the day worthwhile for these faithful sponsors.

Another sponsor tour has ended, and I am grateful to God for the way he led us in putting it all together. As I look back, it gives me even greater satisfaction that those 29 sponsors who explored and experienced the work of Compassion in person left India with more than just a bagful of memories! Compassion is indeed blessed with such wonderful and committed sponsors.

Please continue to pray for these sponsors that God would bless their efforts as they serve as advocates for India. Please pray also for the many unsponsored children in our ministry.

It’s been awhile … a looong while … since we last talked about winning a free trip by finding sponsors for children in poverty. Here is what happened since then.

143 people ordered a total of 1,633 child packets, and more than 50 of you successfully found a sponsor for at least one child. Many of you were able to get numerous children sponsored.

In all, because of how you responded to our request for help, 215 children in poverty now have new sponsors, and several of you won a trip because of  your efforts.

Thank you very much!

The winners are:

• Allegra Thowless
• Mary Choi
• Brittany Clarke
• Brenden and Carlene Murray