I want to take a moment to send a message to all of you who are sponsoring children through Compassion International. First of all - thank you! Be encouraged that your contribution to this ministry is significant. For the most part, the children we visited in the projects were not our sponsored children, but they viewed us as their sponsors - we represented YOU.
Sponsored children love their sponsors, and they want to be loved in return.
Read that sentence again....
Do you know how a sponsored child knows he or she is loved?
They know because they receive letters from their sponsor. There were some advocates in our group who were talking to some children and one of the children asked, "Why doesn't my sponsor love me?" Upon further questioning, they found out the child has never received a letter from her sponsor.
There are two parts to sponsorship:
1) Writing the check ($38 month) - the easy part
2) Developing the relationship (through letters, encouragement and prayer) -the harde part.
Please - PLEASE - Don't underestimate the importance and significance a short letter can make to your sponsored child. In all honesty, they money is insignificant to them. Yes...Compassion needs your monthly contribution to make their ministry work. But, once a child is registered in Compassion's project, they benefit from the monetary aspect. It is not until a child is "sponsored" (assigned a one-on-one relationship) that they recognize the importance of being loved, encouraged and prayed for by someone living so far away. THIS is the significance of sponsorship to them - they now have a friend.
So if you are only paying the monthly bill, and not writing the letters, you are missing the beauty and blessing of sponsorship.
My message to you today is this....Please take time in the next couple days to write to your sponsored child. You can do this either on the form Compassion supplies, or through their website. It's so easy and it only takes a few minutes. You don't have to be eloquent or full of wisdom. Write our your favorite Bible verse and tell your child you love them and are praying for them.
I would love for you to leave me a comment when you have sent a letter off...Even if you have written recently - do it again! They need to hear from you.
On behalf of your sponsored children, THANK YOU! Your support and involvement in this ministry is appreciated.
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5 comments:
You are SO right! I have never had the pleasure to visit any Compassion projects, but I have read it enough and know how important the letters are. Our family aims to write at least twice a month. Most months, that happens... I also share the importance of letter writing on Facebook, by visiting blogs of those who write about Compassion and telling anyone who sponsors through me. It is a crucial part of the ministry and I thank you for sharing this and spreading the word!
Thanks for your encouraging words. Actually in the process of another batch of letters to my and my sister's kids. I know since I've become an advocate and hear so many stories like your's, the biggest thing I like to do if follow up with the kids I've found sponsor for, asking their sponsors, have you written recently. This last bactch of letters I actually have letters for kids my sis and I found sponsors for. Thinking, well knowing, if I said I'd pay postage that the letter would reach it's destination sooner, rather than later. :) Thanks for your encouraging words Jill, it really hits home a fact we know as a truth...And I'm mailing letters out tomorrow. Had a couple more to finish :)
Jill, I know there is a group on OurCompassion that writes to unsponsored children year round. (http://www.ourcompassion.org) I do know the letters have to be mailed to the main office on Cananda, though.
I live in the Finger Lakes region of NY, so we're part of the Northeast region! I've only been an advocate for a few months, but I am so glad God guided me to join the group! It has been amazing!
Glad I found your blog and I've added you to my reader as well! :)
Good reminder Jill. I have a pile of letters on the kitchen island that I need to reply to, I think I'll do that tomorrow (or more realistically, this week). I didn't know there was a group on OurCompassion that wrote letters to unsponsored children, very very neat!
I have a letter going out today to my little girl.
I too didn't realize there was a group that wrote to unsponsored children...what a blessing.
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