For five years, I had the privilege of leading the tours of our Global Ministry Center in Colorado Springs. It was exhilarating showing adults and children the part they could play in bringing poverty to an end by sponsoring a child.
God blessed me over and over during my years as a tour guide and allowed me to see His spirit move in the hearts of tour guests on behalf of children in poverty. During that time, He also revealed to me the presence of a small but powerful lie being used against us every day – the lie of poverty.
First, poverty lies to the poor by telling them over and over that they do not matter, that no one cares for them, and that they are forgotten. Poverty speaks to the heart of a person (especially children) and tells them, “Give Up!”
But that’s only one part of the lie of poverty. The lie is actually a double-edged sword, and it cuts us as well.
With stealth and determination, the lie of poverty tries to redefine what sponsorship means. It causes us to doubt to the difference we are making in the lives of our children.
Have any of these thoughts ever gone through your mind?
- My sponsorship is insignificant, and letters to my sponsored child don’t matter.
- How can a simple thing like a letter make any difference in the life of a child?
- It takes so long for my letter to get to my child, there’s no way a relationship could ever be built.
- They don’t know me and I don’t really know them! Poverty is so big, a simple letter couldn’t possibly be the weapon to use to fight it.
Have you bought into the lie of poverty? Has it fooled you?
As a sponsor, I take great pride in fighting the lie spoken to the poor. I fight it diligently and with fervor. I have to because our enemy is diligent and determined, too.
The truth is that our letters may be the most critical element in releasing our sponsored children from poverty.
The time we spend on writing is sacrificial. The letters we write are mighty weapons that slay the enemy and cut him down at the knees.
I have seen the faces of sponsored children when they talk about receiving letters from their sponsors. They have told me with tears in their eyes how letters from you are the very strength that gives them the courage to keep going and to not give up.
I have met sponsored children who are now adults and still have every precious letter and sticker their sponsors ever gave them. Letters matter!
Letters are weapons against the enemy! Sponsorship makes ALL the difference in the world! Don’t be fooled by the lie!