Think back to what you had for dinner tonight...did you enjoy it? Was it nice and hot? Was it just the way you like it? Think back to the last time you craved crisp clean water...how long did it take you to access some? A few minutes? What about the last time you were sick? You went to a store and bought some Tylenol or Advil, or in bacterial infections, maybe went and got a prescription from your doctor. How much of all this did you take for granted?
Now...if you have children, think about them and answer the same questions. How heart breaking would it be as a parent if you were unable to provide all these basic necessities for your child? What if just taking a sip of water could put their life in danger? What if they didn't have access or resources for medical care and were killed by something like the flu, that relatively healthy people can easily survive in this country? What if you had to watch your child go to bed hungry every night? What if you had to listen to them cry from the hunger pains? How devastating would that be to you as a parent?
We are incredibly blessed in this country. Yes, a lot of people struggle to provide for their families, my children and I included, but we have access to clean water, warm meals, and medical care (though the latter 2 are sometimes difficult to come by...we CAN get them). Imagine not having the ability to provide ANYTHING for children...just because you're not blessed to live in this country. It's not because you're not a hard worker, or you're lazy, or you're trying to live off of government benefits...because there are NO government benefits in your country. The resources simply aren't there.
But...what if you could help?
There are a LOT of child sponsorship programs floating around...I don't know about all of them, but I do know about WORLD VISION. At a Women of Joy weekend retreat, I was brought to tears by the story of a World Vision sponsor. To see children suffering and dying because of things that are completely preventable is unacceptable. I went to the World Vision booth during a break between speakers and found a picture of a handsome little 10 year old boy named Cristhian. His health status was poor. His eyes begged for a better life in his sad photograph. I knew I had to help this boy. While filling out my paperwork, I came across a picture of a beautiful 12 year old girl named Maimouna...she had the same desperate eyes as Cristhian. I signed up to sponsor her as well. The feeling of satisfaction was overwhelming...but it didn't hold a candle to the first time I received hand-written letters from my sponsor children. They are so thankful for my sponsorship...
I recently got an updated picture of Maimouna...this beautiful but sad little girl who didn't have a hope in her eyes the first time I saw her, is now a young lady with a beautiful smile in her pictures. My small donation of $35/month has provided her with food, clean water, clothes, school supplies, and medical care. I'm still waiting anxiously for an update on Cristhian. I thank God for the opportunity to sponsor these children. There are so many more who need sponsors. Will you consider saving a child's life? $35/month...your cell phone payment is more than that. If you can afford a frivolous expense like that, why can't you give that money to change a life? Most people spend that much in a shopping trip for things we WANT...
Times are tough all around, but the blessing is really your's when you sponsor a child. I hope to one day be able to travel to Colombia and Senegal, West Africa to meet my sponsor children in person...until then, I will continue to treasure each letter I get from them. If you've EVER thought about child sponsorship...do it. Do it now. Children are dying every day....
www.worldvision.org
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