The Joy of Sponsorship

In the months that I have been here many friends and family have commented on my pictures saying things like 'we see children like this on tv infomercials but don't really believe they exist.  Your pictures have shown us they do exist.'

Unlike Santa Claus and the Easter bunny.... children living in extreme poverty do exist and they are more prevalent than the percentage of children living in comfortable homes with food and their own bedrooms.  I can assure you this is not just an Africa issue but also an America problem. 

For years, this has been  a vivid reality in my mind.  After traveling to several 3rd world countries I realized that I was spending more on specialty coffee each month than these people earned in that amount of time.  (And really I didn't by most standards spend that much on coffee.)  So I started making coffee at home and using my savings to sponsor children.  So far I have been given the privilege of sponsoring 4 children through the years and even though I am here with these little brown eyed cuties... I continue to provide for my little brown eyed cutie in Indonesia.

At this point I would like to say how my sponsored children have grown up to change the world... but at this point all I know is how much they have changed my life. 

They have challenged my prayer life.... as they are praying for me daily!

They have inspired me to do more as they do so much with so little.

They have blessed me immensly with their kind words and unconditional love.

They have shown me that sometimes the simple life is better than the busyness to make money.

Each child holds a special place in my heart.  Out of the 4 children... I have only met one face to face... but one day as I am walking down the streets of gold... I hope to see these precious little ones walking along with me telling me stories of their childhood.

As we have just started a new school year, the number of children that we are serving daily has increased and we expect the numbers to keep growing.  With this said, I am going to start telling the story of some of my brown eyed cuties that are available for sponsorship.  Sponsorship is $35 per month and it provides the child with a quality education, a safe building to learn in, qualified local teachers, a meal during the day, medical treatment as needed, and ultimately the hope of Jesus.  In return you receive a letter or picture from your child each term.

International Christian network is who we use to handle all the sponsorship paperwork but if you see a particular child you desire to sponsor...message me your name, address, email, phone, and the child's name and I can submit it to Jennie at ICN.  Many of these children just started so I am in process of getting all the forms scanned in, pictures taken, and this will be sent to the US for processing the end of February.

The child of the day...

Her name is Neema Vamugo and she loves to dance! 

Neema is from Congo and is now dwelling in Uganda as a refugee with her sister's husband.  They live in a mud house with iron sheets for roofing. They rent portions of land and grow their own food for survival.  They have very limited resources on their plot of land.  Neema's chores during the day include fetching water, cleaning the compound, and taking care of the younger children.  They get their water from the swamp and even though she sleeps on a mattress in a mosquito net she has had malaria many times.  Neema normally eats cassava, sweet potatoes, and vegetables but on special occasions like Christmas may have rice, banana, and meat.