Introducing: Virtual Connections

Meet your sponsored child and visit their world without leaving home.

Join the Waitlist
An illustration showing a map. Images of sponsors in Canada are connected with curving lines to those of children around the world

Virtual Connections bring you closer

A woman sits in front of a laptop and makes a heart shape with her hands. On screen, a mom and three children smile back.

A Virtual Connection is a way to take the next step in your sponsorship and create a deeper connection. You might be asking, How does it do that? In your richly facilitated hour together, you will be able to:

  • get a glimpse into your child’s context through intentional connection,
  • understand the challenges they face in their community,
  • see the impact of Compassion’s program for them and their family,
  • gain irreplaceable face-to-face time that will help your child feel more known, loved and connected to you.

How it works

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1. Say yes!

If your sponsored child is 10 years or older, join the waitlist and let us know the name of the child you would like to visit. Our team will reach out with proposed dates and times for your Virtual Connection as they become available.

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2. Getting ready

Once the date is set, we can start preparing. A Field Experience Host will send you a link to register for your visit. It’s at this time you will pay and sign two forms: Code of Conduct and Media Release. Your host will connect with you with some tips that will make your visit enjoyable and impactful.

Icon with three people gathered together.

3. Connect

When the time for your visit arrives, there will hardly be a dull moment! In the hour you spend together you will have time to chat and ask questions with your sponsored child, their family and Compassion centre staff, see photos and maybe take in a song or demonstration they have prepared for you, take a picture and pray together.

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4. Follow up

After your time together, you will enjoy receiving updates and letters from your child even more! You will have a deeper connection with your child and a greater trust in the impact of the Compassion program in their lives. It will bring your letters to life, help you be intentional about gift-giving and it will make your relationship even more meaningful for your sponsored child.

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Testimonials

“The Virtual Connection was amazing! It allowed us to get to know our sponsored child and his mother on a different level and it almost felt like we were really there to meet them. [We loved] getting to hear from Wilmer’s mother how much the family has been impacted by being part of the program. Being able to have a visual picture of places and people and hearing their voices makes things come alive.”

Candy family

Sponsors

“I was very happy, I even had tears of joy and now I would love to repeat the experience. My favorite moment was when we talked about our pets and [my sponsor] showed his pet. Also when I showed the drawings I did for him, I could see his joy. I think now we care even more for each other. [After] the visit, he became a person even more important in my life. I miss him a lot but also, I can say that Jesus gave me a person who loves me very much even when he is very far away.”

Allison

Sponsored child in Ecuador

“Compassion recently facilitated a Virtual Connection with a Survival program we support in Nicaragua. Being able to connect ‘face to face’ with the church leaders and the Survival Specialist was impactful on our group, especially as we got to see the parallels between our church communities. To be reminded of the real people sustaining this real work among mothers and babies in the community was a helpful reminder of the importance of this relationship.”

Nathan dirks, Southridge community church

Church partner

Virtual Connections build trust

Relationship matters. This is why we have always facilitated planned visits for sponsors to meet their Compassion child. Since 2011, we have taken over 8,200 people to 25 countries to make this happen. We believe that seeing the impact of your sponsorship first-hand is a valuable way for us to establish trust.

But more than that, we believe that the greatest value of getting face-to-face with your sponsor child is the trust it builds between you and your child. The time you spend with your sponsor child allows you both to ask questions, come to know each other more personally and get the bigger picture of both sides of Compassion’s program together.

Now, Virtual Connections have made an authentic experience for you and your Compassion child easier than it’s ever been before. It is an opportunity to build trust and be known, loved and connected because relationship matters.

Join the Waitlist
An illustration showing screenshots of three different sponsor/child visits. Emoji's show laughter, a heart and a party popper.

Next Trip:

Your child’s country

An illustration showing screenshots of three different sponsor/child visits. Emoji's show laughter, a heart and a party popper.

Virtual Connections enable you to connect anywhere in the world! Join the waitlist today to set up your Virtual Connection.

Join the waitlist

Virtual Connections are a new initiative and we would love to host one for you. The cost is $200 and includes a food basket for your child. Join our waitlist and we will be in touch with more details. Virtual Connections are typically booked seven weeks in advance.

FAQs

How many Virtual Connections can I have with my sponsor child?

Currently a sponsor can have one Virtual Connection with their sponsored child every 12 months.

What are the costs involved?

Virtual Connections are a new initiative for us. We are excited to be able to offer these for $200 CAD. It will cover things like transportation, meal/snack, computer expenses, office expenses, health equipment/PPE, a food basket, translation and video editing.