We sponsor a child in India. It costs 32$ a month to send him to school and provide a meal each day for him. Twice a year, they also allow you to send 15$ as a birthday or Christmas gift. To an American child, 15$ for Christmas or Birthday would seem like a joke; but to these children it is a miracle. Sudharson is my little boy's name, and he looks like my son, only with a little darker skin. I hope I get to hug him one day!
I was so afraid after the tsunami hit that Sudharson had been killed. I called Compassion and at first, they were unable to locate the children because of widespread damage. They confirmed that his village had been hit. His family and he were spared from harm, thankfully; and so was the project/school where they care for the children. I have been writing him for a few years now... and I enjoy getting his letters. They are so refreshing. My children now write him also. He calls them his brother and sister, and he calls me his Aunty. I have told him that I hope to meet him one day, and that as soon as we pay all our debts off, we will try and come across the ocean to see him face to face. He once wrote and told me that he was not sure I would like to come to his house, because it was very small. I assured him that I did not care what his house looked like, but that I still wanted to see him very much. I would like to share a letter from him that I got a few months ago:
LETTER FROM INDIA...
Dear Uncle and Aunty,
Greetings! Received your loving letter, beautiful pictures, and points about Thanksgiving Day. You are all looking beautiful in the picture. Thank you for writing to me in detail about Thanksgiving Day. You had written me that one day we will meet together. If I happen to meet you by God's grace I will be the happiest person. I received a set of color clothing from your gift money. I wore it on the project Christmas function, and on the day of the function, I received a cake box, food packet, and bucket as gifts. Thank you very much for your love. I pray to God that you will come out of your debts. Loving New Year Greetings to You.
Your loving son,
Sudharson
I hope that through Sudharson's story, you will be touched to reach out to another child just like him - a child who is bound by poverty and circumstance, and one who is asking for just a little help from those with enough to share.
Compassion has an annual event they call "Compassion Sunday" (TODAY) where they do a drive to gather sponsors and match them to children who are waiting. They even allow you to pick the country, age, and gender of your sponsored child (and you can see photos on their website if you want)! They will send you updates on your child each year with photos and involve translators to help you correspond until your child is able to write you on their own. You can view a flash animated presentation about the "day in the life" of a Compassion Child if you are interested in what kind of children are being sponsored. Here is what Compassion sent me in my email box:
"April 30 is Compassion Sunday -- a day when sponsors, pastors, and people who care about impoverished children will speak up in congregations all across the United States. We are asking God for 21,000 child sponsors through this event this year. Last year, nearly 17,000 children found sponsors on Compassion Sunday!"
Won't you please consider sponsoring a child?
Technorati Tags: Charity, Missionary, Christianity, Life, Causes, Family, Humanitarian, Culture, Parenting, Help, Poverty, Concern, India, Children, Kids, Innocence, Christian, Action, Sponsor
LETTER FROM INDIA...Dear Uncle and Aunty,
Greetings! Received your loving letter, beautiful pictures, and points about Thanksgiving Day. You are all looking beautiful in the picture. Thank you for writing to me in detail about Thanksgiving Day. You had written me that one day we will meet together. If I happen to meet you by God's grace I will be the happiest person. I received a set of color clothing from your gift money. I wore it on the project Christmas function, and on the day of the function, I received a cake box, food packet, and bucket as gifts. Thank you very much for your love. I pray to God that you will come out of your debts. Loving New Year Greetings to You.
Your loving son,
Sudharson
I hope that through Sudharson's story, you will be touched to reach out to another child just like him - a child who is bound by poverty and circumstance, and one who is asking for just a little help from those with enough to share.
Compassion has an annual event they call "Compassion Sunday" (TODAY) where they do a drive to gather sponsors and match them to children who are waiting. They even allow you to pick the country, age, and gender of your sponsored child (and you can see photos on their website if you want)! They will send you updates on your child each year with photos and involve translators to help you correspond until your child is able to write you on their own. You can view a flash animated presentation about the "day in the life" of a Compassion Child if you are interested in what kind of children are being sponsored. Here is what Compassion sent me in my email box:
"April 30 is Compassion Sunday -- a day when sponsors, pastors, and people who care about impoverished children will speak up in congregations all across the United States. We are asking God for 21,000 child sponsors through this event this year. Last year, nearly 17,000 children found sponsors on Compassion Sunday!"
Won't you please consider sponsoring a child?
Technorati Tags: Charity, Missionary, Christianity, Life, Causes, Family, Humanitarian, Culture, Parenting, Help, Poverty, Concern, India, Children, Kids, Innocence, Christian, Action, Sponsor
*Graphic by Steven Wyandt
6 comments:
I am afraid this is going to come across as skeptical but -- they limit the amount of money you can send as a gift, but they would allow you to go in person and visit?
A friend of mine got involved into something similar like this then had problems when financial circumstances changed and they had to withdraw. It was a different organization though and reading the FAQ, it seems that they would not have had the same problem here.
How does this signing up work? I tried going to the website, but all it wants to do is put up videos
I'm truly moved.
MyBoaz's Ruth: As long as I've been involved in Compassion, they have been a top notch organization. I actually got involved because I volunteered ONE day to go help with my local Christian Radio station's phone-drive for them. I helped take phonecalls and match people with children. The picture card they gave me to use while I was on the phone was my kid. I fell in love with his beautiful brown eyes and cute little face. I left that day and asked the production manager if the little boy on my card was taken. He looked at his list and said, "No, do you want him?" That was about four years ago, I guess. My son was barely five then... and he is nine now. Sudharson is two years older than Kaden.
I understand about being financially challenged also. We live by the skin of our teeth. I have to clip coupons and count gas miles each week so we don't end up with a red balance in the bank (and sometimes even that is not enough). Through all our hardships, though... I have not once considered giving up my 32$ committment to Sudharson. We do without cable TV, sometimes go without a land-line phone, and we try and cook at home to cut corners... but I can't justify eating out at a restaurant if I can't afford to feed this little boy and send him to school.
BigWhiteHat:
:) Great! I'd love to hear about your kid if you sponsor one!
We thought about taking on another child because they send you information about other kids periodically. Right now, that would be impossible for us financially.... but maybe one day when we are out of debt, we can get a little girl so that she and Morgan can write. I'd love to sponsor a child in a Hispanic country next.
Did you know that Compassion International is giving away a free scrapbook to the first 500 people who blog about Compassion’s ministry to children in need and link to their site? Learn more about this opportunity at http://www.compassion.com/share/free-scrap-book.htm.
On February 10th, 16 Christian bloggers will be traveling to Uganda to see Compassion International's work. Read the blogs and get an insiders view of Compassion's work in this African country at http://www.compassion.com/share/uganda-blog.htm.
I had wondered if they ever let you send more to your child. I wonder if they limit it by thinking it would be better to sponsor a second child then send extra to the first...?
I just signed up for the scrapbook offer from the last comment. :-)
Yeah, I signed up for it, too - but have not heard from them. I think you should sponsor more than one child instead of sending more $ - I don't think they allow it anyway. :)
I was soooooooooo jealous of BooMama's site when I saw that she got to go. I know she has way more traffic than I do, but my heart has been in India for so long and I have even written to Compassion before about going... if someone would sponsor me to go, I would! Our whole family want to go see our "son" in India!
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