Living across the world from your sponsored child, you might find yourself asking, “Is my support really making a significant difference?” You may receive letters that don’t give a lot of detail, and you can’t see the effect your support is having firsthand.
Well, let us tell you something: Your relationship with your sponsored child means the world to them! Don’t believe us? See for yourself what they said about you!
We asked children, “What does your sponsor mean to you?” and here is what they said…
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My sponsor is my family and my inspiration.
“I want to be a doctor so I can help people, just like my sponsor has helped me. I think of my sponsor as a family member because family members love and look after one another, just like my sponsor does for me.”
— Dewi, 8, Indonesia
My sponsor gives me opportunity.
“If there is anyone greater to me than my parents, then it is my sponsor. It’s difficult for me to express in words how grateful I am for the opportunities given to me.”
— Antor, 18, Bangladesh
My sponsors are like my grandparents.
“Are they here yet?!”
— Poworawan, 6, Thailand
Poworawan calls her sponsors grandma and grandpa. The day her sponsors came to visit, she kept asking, “Are they here yet?!”
My sponsor is a source of happiness.
“Anytime I write a letter to my sponsor, I feel happy knowing there is someone who is willing to help and support me. One day, if I meet my sponsor, I would like to hug her and thank her for sponsoring me”
— Delin, 10, Indonesia
My sponsor helps me pursue my dream of education.
“Only because I’m sponsored have I been able to continue my education. Because I am continuing my education, my mother hasn’t given my hand in marriage, which allows me to pursue my dream of attending school.”
— Giti, 18, Bangladesh
My sponsor has helped me be a part of a church.
“I am thankful that because of my sponsorship I am now a part of a church. I listen to Bible stories and I tell those stories to my friends. I bring my Bible to school and we read it together.”
— Melanie, 10, Philippines
My sponsor makes me feel loved.
“I feel blessed to have someone love me so much even without seeing me. I cannot express in words how much they mean to me. Thank you, dear sponsor.”
— Mili, 16, Bangladesh
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You can make a life-changing difference in the life of a child.
Field reporting and photos by Vera Aurima, Edwin Estioko, J. Sangma and Piyamary Shinoda
