My heart is full today. So are my eyes, but that is another story. I am alternating between rushing around, getting my son ready to leave for college and sitting down and crying. My Mother often said that nothing equals the pleasure of giving without expecting something, unless you count the joy and happiness that comes with giving. This is gold-plated advice I've fed my son as he grew up and today, he made me a proud mommy.
He has been accepted by a premier institute and wanted to celebrate by making a difference. When I asked him how, he said he clicked the ChildFund.org banner I have here in the side bar and discovered he could sponsor a child.
Can you imagine how that made me feel?
Choked with emotion, that's how.
I asked him if he had identified a particular child and if he would like to support one in India. His answer blew me away. He said it is so unfair to "browse and choose a child" and decided that we should just click the "sponsor today" link and pick a child belonging to the poorest country.
Smiling, I asked him which country that was. And he instantly answered "Sierra Leone". We went on to sponsor a 5-year-old child.
We received a lovely email acknowledgement, letting us know that we would be getting regular updates about "our child" and that we could also correspond with each other via the ChildFund.org office in the area.
I couldn't help asking my son how he felt. Here is what he said:
"I am elated to support a child in need. I am very proud of and extremely thankful to ChildFund for making this possible. It is so unfair that there are so many children in need of basic amenities. It is so necessary to help them. I felt tearful to see the condition of these sweet children. I am immensely happy to sponsor the dear child we have chosen to help. Thank you so much, ChildFund. May you please keep up the good work with many people contributing."Moments like these fill me with a "mission accomplished" feeling. I am glad I raised a compassionate child who realizes the importance of giving back.
Sponsorship changes lives and is an easy process.
How does it work?
Once you pick a child to sponsor, you can change her life by contributing $28 per month to give her health, education and protection. Your contribution is clubbed with others who sponsor children in the same community so that it may benefit all the children there. Sponsors often correspond with these children via letters and photos and get regular updates. It is also possible to visit them.
Sponsorship is not just about the financial support that gives them health care, nutrition, education, clean water and access to opportunity - something most of us take for granted. It is also about expanding that child's world through one-on-one connection and helps them escape poverty. And of course it will change your life forever.
Child sponsorship as a gift
I found that that you can also gift a sponsorship - far better than material things. What a wonderful way to create a bond between someone who's special to you and a child who needs their friendship and support.
Did you know that 400 million children worldwide live in extreme poverty? Would you agree that all children have the right to receive support, protection and care so that they may grow up healthy and strong?
I am happy to support ChildFund, a child-focused international development organization who has made it its mission to improve the lives of deprived, excluded and vulnerable children and eliminate the factors that prevent them from fully enjoying their rights. They work towards giving them the opportunity to become young adults, parents and leaders who bring lasting and positive change in their communities.
I urge you to sponsor a child today. Exercise your power to change a life. Do it now!
