I was recently able to be a co-leader on a Sponsor Tour to Guatemala (you may have seen some of my previous blogs from that trip). The last day of our trip was the one everyone had waited for — Sponsor/Child Fun Day! It was the day that busloads of sponsored children came to Guatemala City, and their sponsors, many for the first time, meet them.
The day was unique for me, as I don’t have any sponsored children in Guatemala. It was beautiful, watching these sponsors, who have faithfully prayed and written letters over the years, be able to hug their sponsored children. To play with them. To look them in their eyes and tell them how much they are loved.
OK, I was pretty much crying the whole day.
But I saw a phenomenon that day I want to tell you about.
Sean, the leader of our trip, had spoken to the group about how each sponsored child would be uniquely theirs. They may not know the reason exactly, but that child was chosen for that sponsor for a reason. And that sponsor was chosen for that child.
I saw that as I watched these sponsors interacting with their sponsored children. I saw talkative sponsors trying to keep up with their chatty children through the translators. I saw shy children paired with sponsors who were perfectly content sitting and holding their child’s hand.
But I wasn’t prepared for how these children would physically fit into their sponsors’ arms.
It’s like they were made for their hugs.
I saw little girls nuzzle into the shoulders of their sponsors.
And their heads fit just perfectly.
I saw cheeks cupped by hands that seemed to be created for that job alone.
I saw God bringing together people from all walks of life.
Like they were made for each other.
I guess, because they were.
God is amazing like that.
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I would have to agree that our sponsor child is divinely appointed. I just signed up today to sponsor a child. I asked my husband if he had any preferences for choosing a child. He said a 14 year old girl, any country. We have a 14 year old daughter who is a special needs child who is totally dependent on us for her care. So, this is why he suggested a 14 year old girl. So, I searched the children and there was only one 14 year old girl and her birthday is in the same month as our daughter’s!! She is from Brazil. He said it must be divine appointment. I totally agree!!! I am so excited about sponsoring Iris in Brazil. I can’t wait to get to know her. Thank you Lord for Iris!! 🙂
I just started sponsoring a 3 year old little girl named Estefany in Guatemala. I’m currently waiting for my packet to arrive so that I can start writing letters to her and I hope that I can eventually save enough money to sponsor more children in Guatemala and eventually go visit them on a sponsor trip. sponsoring a child is something I’ve been wanting to do for awhile and made up my mind about a week ago when the leaders of our college bible study group showed a video of a guy meeting his sponsor for the first time at a conference that they went to. It touched me so much to see the reaction from that guy meeting his sponsor in front of hundreds or thousands of people.
I totally agree that our sponsorships are Spirit directed. I would love to meet my girl in Haiti, but I fear I won’t until we get to Heaven. She will graduate from the program in 2013, and my finances aren’t stable enough to save for a trip.
This post had me crying, too. I must be turning into a crier, for I have cried for the past few blogs!
I do believe that our sponsorship was directed from above. My first sponsorship was the choosing of my girls, the second was the spiirit using a particurly bad date in my life as a source of encouragement to me and my now sponsored child.
Crying now. So sweet.
Indeed we’re made for each other for those who you personnel sponsor. God surly knows. I’m glad I went to see ‘my son’ and it was pretty emotional.
I am glad to this because I am one of those…….
Wow, I never even considered that.
Great photos and what an encouraging story. We do indeed serve a merciful and matchless God.
Oh this makes me cry too! Someday I hope to meet my sweet Palla from India! =)
That is so cute! It is amazing how the sponsor/child pairs in the pics look so natural together. I wonder if, when you pick a child, you’re subconsciously picking a child who reflects you in some way — i.e. you see something of yourself in that child or in that child’s circumstances.
God is amazing like that! I love the pictures. You can totally see the bonds between them 🙂
And now you have me crying too! That is beautiful!! The pictures are awesome too. 🙂