I’ve been home from Guatemala now for 48 hours.
I don’t know what I expected.
Maybe I thought I’d have processed things a bit more by now. In some ways I definitely have, but I have a feeling this is something I’ll be unpacking for years to come.
Maybe I expected there to be such an overwhelming response to the stories the team and I shared about our trip that all of the children in Seoguis would be sponsored before our plane touched down in Houston Friday afternoon – that there would be people emailing, asking if they’d missed their chance to invest in this community – wondering what other ways they might be able to help. Several children in Seoguis have been sponsored (thank you!), but fewer than I would have hoped. (I hope high for that village, though, let’s be honest.)
The truth is – it’s really hard to know how to respond to really hard information. It’s hard for me as a writer. And it’s absolutely hard as a reader.
I was talking with another blogger one evening last week and we remarked how natural and breezy it felt to comment on someone’s “What I Wore Wednesday” post or a crock pot recipe, but it’s hard to know how to respond when someone’s telling you that children’s brains aren’t developing because they don’t have the proper nutrition. It’s hard to know what to say – or do.
//
I feel like I need to stop here. Please hear me when I say that I am not writing to make you feel uncomfortable. So if you feel uncomfy – please do not.
Instead – here is what I really want: I would love to hear from you.
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I have talked enough for now about my experiences with child sponsorship – from committing to Kendy in Haiti 2 years ago (he’s getting so stinking tall!) to meeting Olga and her family in Guatemala last Wednesday. It would mean so much to me if you would share your own child sponsorship experiences!
- I’m sure many of you have been sponsoring and communicating with your child(ren) for much longer than 2 years – what has that been like? Has anyone been able to see their child into adulthood?
- How frequently do you communicate with your child?
- What kinds of gifts do you send, if any?
- What do you talk about with them?
- What has surprised/excited/disappointed you?
- Has anyone else had the opportunity to meet their sponsor child face-to-face?
(this is not a horn-tooting session, but I’d love it if you’d share! I also know that sharing something like this may feel too private and that’s okay.)
And what about those who are not child sponsors? (Please, please don’t feel funny sharing!). Would you mind sharing a little bit about the why not? (There are so many things – tight budgets, not knowing how the money is helping exactly, afraid to commit to a child only to let them down, waiting until your children are older, been meaning to pull the trigger but just haven’t yet…)
And finally (I swear this isn’t some kind of 3-point close!), I’d love to open up the comments for questions. If I can’t answer your question, I will do my best to find someone who can.
Y’all have seriously always been so gracious and respectful in the comments here (I love that!), and you have also been awesome about knowing my heart in a conversations like this. I’m not trying to talk you into child sponsorship here (though, honestly, I absolutely encourage you to consider it!) – I would just like to provide a platform (even just for my own benefit) for discussion about thoughts and experiences in this area.
All photos taken by Jessica Taylor for FH.
[If we ever made a SRT trip to Seoguis, would you be interested in coming?]
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23 thoughts on "i want to hear"
Yes, I would definitely be interested!
Thank you for sharing your heart. Yes, we are child sponsors. It first started through World Vision over 20 years ago. We also sponsor a boy in Guatemala through another ministry. I think the disappointing part is the abrupt end to some children's support. We receive a notice saying they have left the program, but here is a new child. What happened to my girl? Was she married off at 13? One of the blessings has been to see one of my sons sponsor children too. Two of my children have met our boy in Guatemala. My daughter took down Lego and a quilt I made for him because the nights can be chilly. Blessings on you. You can't know the difference you have made totally, but there will be ripple effects. Rest assured : )
Yes, I would be interested!
Many times, the hardest part of obedience is not getting exactly the results we want out of our commitment. I have struggled with this many times as I have tried to inspire others in joining me in a bible study or to serve my local community and gotten a lot of resistance, even from believers. Even though our plan might be great and full of the best intentions ever, it is still OUR plan and doesn't necessarily mean it is HIS. Not only are we called to obey regardless of outcome, but many times we are not able to see His doings immediately nor directly. Many times he works extensively on the roots before we are able to see the tree and the branches grow.
I have prayed for you and all the FH bloggers since the start of your mission and will continue to do so, as I am just so glad to see all the seeds you guys are planting and that HE is at work.
My only experience with sponsoring was for a boy in Dominican Republic through World Vision and got to meet him once, it was a really good experience.
I'm just becoming really aware of the vast needs of kids around the world. And now God is burdening my heart for girls in India. My hubby is Indian (from the US via Fiji) and his sister brought my attention to the need in a country where baby girls are often killed by their parents if they cant afford an abortion after an illegal in utero sex determination. I believe God is leading us toward adopting at least one of these girls. We've discussed adoption before but God has already blessed us with 3 biological children. It will take time to prepare, and more work and emotional and financial investment than I can imagine, but if God is in it, it will happen.
I sponsor three children through Compassion International — one being a full sponsorship (Alejandra) and the other two being what is called correspondence sponsorships (Hira and Anise). For some reason, the people who pay to sponsor Hira and Anise cannot commit to or choose not to write to the children as a part of their sponsorship. Since Compassion values the relationship aspect of sponsorship so much, they have “correspondence sponsors” who write to the children but aren’t paying the $38/month. Anise, who is in Haiti, is actually about to graduate out of the program! It’s been such a blessing to watch her grow over the past 3-4 years. I’ve been sponsoring Alejandra and Hira for about five years. My favorite letter I received was from Hira (now 14) in India, in which he wrote something like this…”I was telling my friend about you, and he said ‘You are so lucky to have a sponsor who loves you, I wish I had that’, so I told him ‘Don’t worry, my sponsor loves you too!'” Such a sweet moment shared between teenage boys, and a testament to the power of correspondence and prayer :)
I have just started to jointly sponsor with my boyfriend, a beautiful little girl named Faith (so appropriate).
it's through 'compassion' organisation and so far I have only written one letter.
I'm not really sure what to say!
I would love to visit her one day,
my boyfriend's parents recently got to visit some of their sponsor Children in Kenya and the photos just blew me away.
I feel very blessed that sponsoring children through compassion is culturally normal in my church family and so i had little reservation and also dont feel disproportionately proud of my service. Reading these posts makes me want to do more!!
I loved this whole series and read every post. I think it's really important for us, who have so much, to be reminded that here are so many people that have so little. I went to Guatemala a few years ago, not on a mission, but on vacation. I remember seeing children everywhere, selling things or begging. At a restaurant, one little girl came up to our table and trying to sell pot holders or something. After we said no, she laid her down her head down on the table and said "I want an ice cream." How can you say no to that? I've visited the fh website many times and looked at he children. This may sound silly but I'm scared. What if something happens and the money isn't there anymore? What if I have my own children and suddenly this becomes unimportant compared to what's going on at home? As much fear and doubt I have in myself I do feel called to this. Thank you so much for doing this series and opening our eyes.
Oh Raechel! I feel bad you are going thru such a low time after seeing the fruits of your labor! As you saw my other comments on your blog posts, I think you have done soo much to bring this need to our attention. As with most things, I think time will tell. Like Babs above, I survive on $180/month disability and support 3 children on that amount. While I would LOVE to support a child, I just CAN’T. ..and it breaks my heart! Even living in poverty in the US is wayyy better than somewhere else in my humble opinion, and I shared your posts with my own kids to help them understand that while we may not have xboxes and other stuff, we DO have much more than some folks in this world do. So don’t fret Sister, you ARE touching many more than you realize!! Future generations and anybody else all of us share your story with is bound to plant seeds. They just need time to grow!
Blessings to you and yours today! Smile!! :)
When I read your post I knew exactly what your were saying. I have been blessed to travel to Zambia four times on mission trips. My husband has been five. The first time after he came home I could not get enough of what he had to say about Zambia-the people. As I listened to him tell other people I saw a blank look on many of their faces. They did not have a clue. Then, when I traveled there and came home and talked to people I saw that same blank look. It was so strange to see their eyes glaze over and their head nod but their was absolutely no understanding going on.
I did not expect to have reverse culture shock but I had it so bad it took me over a year to stop feeling like I did not belong in the USA. My heart stayed in Zambia. My mind stayed there. My soul stayed there. All I could think about and talk about was Zambia and the people and their needs. I dreamed and talked about going back.
Not knowing if I would ever go or not.
It is so hard because we want to make a huge American difference in everyone's life. But the bottom line is:
Do what you can to meet the physical needs. However: the MOST important thing we can do it take the Gospel to them. Matthew 28:18-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; an lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age."
Thank God that when we have been blessed to travel to a third world country we come home for ever changed.
Who knows what effect the little we are able to do will have on eternity. Whether you go or whether you help a child or someone else in a foreign county, just do something.
I read your comment this morning while laying in bed and I've been thinking about it ever since. I can understand your high hopes and expectations in regards to a greater response. Each year I host a jewelry party for WAR International, a non profit organization that rescues women and children from poverty, abuse, human trafficking, etc. After being rescued, they are taught how to make jewelry, scarves, purses, and beautiful ornaments so they don't have to resort to prostitution to make ends meet. Each year I hope for a more grand response in the amount of money raised ($250 supports one woman in a safehouse for a month). This past month, I had a party and the outcome seemed dismal to me in comparison to years past.
So here's what I wanted to encourage you with: I think sometimes, God calls us to do something in order to help others move further along in their faith walk with Him. I may not have experienced the results I was hoping for, but I know that 2-3 families learned more about human trafficking through this recent party and I think their hearts were pricked to consider action in the future – in whatever way God may call them to. They may not have purchased jewelry, but they may be more prepared to do so the next time I have a party. I read your posts concerning your recent trip to Guatemala, and my heart breaks. Currently, my husband and I feel God calling us to get out of debt. I also deeply long to have children of my own and/or sponsor a child in need and I believe God has called me to that too. But, right now we are following God to prepare for a time when we can give so generously without being in debt. Your posts and stories have further deepened the desire in my heart to support a child. You've further cemented in my heart through your words that this is something, when the time is right, that I and my husband are called to do. So don't lose hope, God is ALWAYS working behind the scenes!
I’ve sponsored two children for years via two different organizations, the best known Compassion. Interestingly, both sponsorships have termed this year. I feel some loyalty to Compassion but not as much to the other. Why? I’ve been unpacking this as well.
Compassion has a robust system making communication with your child easy. Write a letter online. Upload photos online. Or do it the old fashioned way! The other has no fixed way to communicate. It’s small with a skeleton crew in the States. I don’t feel there’s enough accountability for where the money goes.
So yes, I’m considering FFTH and “your” village as a sponsor. But I’m also sitting with my discomfort about this other org for a tad longer.
And there has been –very candidly — a part of me which hasn’t felt comfortable with using a devotional group as a forum to recruit sponsors for another organization, no matter how great. On a personal blog, sure. On this one, not so sure. Just sayin’.
This isn’t answering all of your questions and I hope you don’t feel attacked or maligned–not the intention.
Please take this with love and appreciation.
I have also read every post, and cried through most of them. My husband and I have known for years that we are called to help children in some (big I think) way – and we know we are to adopt at some point, but we have small children of our own right now, and feel like we should wait until they are a little older – so they can be the indluencers and not the influencees.
But child sponsorship feels like something we can do. Not today or this weke, as finances are tight at the moment – and Im a little afraid of making the commitment (my husbands work is seasonal, and we usually have a month or two twice a year where things are a lil tight) – what would happen if my monthly contribution wasnt made for two months? Would my child know? Would they do without when it didbt arrive or would FH be able to fill in the gap? Maybe for me to make up latrr. Idk – I really want to help, but am afraid oc getting attached and making a diference, only to let him/her down. ?
:) thank you so much for sharing your journey! It is evident you are doing the Lord’s work! I have enjoyed it tremendously!
I have never sponsored a child through one of the international programs but commend all who do. Currently one of the programs I volunteer with is Big Brothers Big Sisters. My Little is about to turn 15 next month. We have been matched for 2 years and it has made a great difference. I tend to use what little extra money I have to help her. She is one of five and her mother struggles. In fact I spent yesterday helping to complete her school shopping and setting goals for the school year. I believe that we all have to be called where God would have us. It is not to say that I will never sponsor a child but it is not what I am currently called to. I loved reading about your experience and meeting the beautiful girl that you sponsor. Thank you for being open about your feelings and allowing us to respond without feeling like we are going to be bashed. I will continue to pray for the children to be sponsored by those God has called.
I remember this feeling so well. When you come home…changed…but you can’t put into words what you experienced and your surroundings are the same. It actually took me about a year to figure out what was I going to DO. There is a depression that comes with knowing that we can’t change our culture….we must live in it…well if God calls us to stay here :) but we can influence it! That is when I decided that even though I had six kids and could no longer travel to Africa whenever I wanted, I was going to do something and the dream for my ministry came alive. Encouraging all of us to use the gift that GOD gave YOU to make a difference because you CAN! We do sponsor a child, through Horizon international in South Africa and one that we met in Nicaragua through NRN. We send letters and small gifts, but have yet to meet her. I wanted my kids to know that their impact could be greater than what their minds could create for themselves. For me it was assessing what my gifts and talents were and giving those over to God, at any cost, to use to empower those countries. If you’re a writer, he can use your words, an accountant, he can use your skills. We can all do SO much more just by harnessing our talent and directing it with unabandoned passion to the Lord. God bless you :) I will be praying for your adjustment it is always so hard.
I haven't personally gone on a mission trip or gone and seen a sponsored child, but some,thing you said resonated with me….we talk about it all the time here at SRT…where does God need YOU. He may need me here and you there, and Barbs (an earlier post) in her bed with all her time….are question should not be how can I fulfill myself but how can God fulfill me and use me. What can he do with what He has given me and where I'm at?
Thank you for creating this community, staff at SRT!
My husband I just began our sponsorship journey through Compassion about a month ago, and I am so looking forward to watching our child grow and develop. Growing up, I remember the letters our family would get from the child my parents sponsored, up until she became an adult. It is such a blessing to have come to the point in my life where we too can sponsor a child.
Hi Raechel, I was able to read the first few post, and then I never got back to them because I have been serving my sister during her cancer diagnosis, surgery and post-op for over a week. Today I started with the last post, and was going to work my way back. I use to sponsor a WV child and discontinued when my husband lost his job. When our income resumed at 50% less, we started giving to a local mission because there are so many homeless in our own US state. Obviously the Lord wants this message of yours read, because with everything going on it was impressed upon me to read this instead of just vegging my brain. I will be praying that the Lord make it clear to me and my husband when we can start supporting abroad
again. God's blessing to you for having such a passion for these children.
Rachel:
I’ve read every one of the posts from the your recent trip with FH… Oh, how I WISH I could do something like that!!
Many years ago, I began sponsoring a child through World Vision (his name is Oscar and he lives in Colombia). My latest purchase for him was a Bible. THAT was made possible by the WV staff, and I bless them for their work.
I will be really vulnerable now… Your post made my heart hurt. Seeing how few responses there are made my heart hurt. But I have to tell you: I have more time than money. How is THAT possible, when time is at a premium? I live in pretty gruesome chronic pain, 24/7/365. I am not able to be upright all day, so some of the hours that I have to sit, or lay down in my hospital bed (smack in the center of my itty bitty living room!) I spend reading posts and updates on SRT. I have time to use my phone to write back. And, I think, there are many women who MEAN TO and WANT TO write back, but we are all so overwhelmed in this world, just trying to keep up with bills, responsibilities to family and work, (things that steal time, that I suspect the enemy has a hand in)… That my guess is that many more women have their hearts tuned to FH and SRT and your recent appeal for sponsors, than you can even picture in your mind.
How can I be sure? Because MY heart has been with you, and I am writing because I felt God prompting me to share that with you. I may not have, as I am battling pain that is out of control right now… But it seemed important to say this:
Don’t imagine the lack of responses means a lack of prayer!! We are here, praying, many of us also sponsoring children. We just struggle with finding the time to write about the difficult things. It is MUCH easier, isn’t it, to mindlessly scan email and Facebook at the end of a long and overly busy day? It seems therapeutic to just disconnect a little – a way of shutting out the clamor of THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE!!!
Anyway. Raechel, I love you. I pray for you and the rest of the SRT and FH staff! And I know I’m not alone in that!
Blessings, ‘Babs”
I have always had this feeling of wanting to be more and do more. I had no idea how this was going to happen but I've always felt called to do some sort of missions work overseas. Ever since I was young, I knew that I wanted to work with orphans either in Africa or in Eastern Europe. I've wanted to go on missions trips, but things would get in the way. I had friends who would sponsor a child and for a while I did that because that was the thing to do, but it wasn't genuine or heart felt.
I knew that I should do something greater than myself and oddly enough, my church currently sponsors orphans in Guatemala. I started looking into how to help and how to go about responding to the call. Right around the time I read your posts, I knew that it was time. Each post would tug on my heartstrings and I thought that maybe my heart should be for Guatemala and not for Africa or Eastern Europe. The more I kept reading the blog posts, the more that I knew something needed to be put into action.
I was talking to a friend about this and she encouraged me to sponsor a child. While she was still on the phone, I went on the FH website and started looking at a possible child to sponsor. Note: before this talk, I had went on the site almost daily to look a children, but didn't do anything. As I was looking a little girl in Ethiopia popped up and I knew that this was the child to sponsor. I felt a pull to her since I work at a charter school with a predominantly immigrant Muslim population and she had a name that reminded me of one of the kids that I work with.
This whole process has been within the last few days, but already I am excited to see how God is going to use this experience. I would love to meet her face to face.
I would also be willing to go on a trip with SRT to Seoguis.
Thank you for sharing your heart Raechel!
-Jen
I am currently sponsoring a child in India, through my childhood church's mission program there. My sponsorship helps to pay for her school uniform and shoes, and books and supplies for the school and helps to pay the teachers' salaries. The program does not provide a lot of communication with my child, but I get to send her a birthday card and a Christmas card every year. Our church has done three trips now to India to meet the children in the orphanage and those attending the school we sponsor, but I have not been able to go yet because of finances and work schedules. I am hoping that someday I will be able to go.
All of your posts Raechel, tugged at my heartstrings. It was very difficult to sit here, in my air-conditioned home with plenty to eat, and contemplate children not getting what they need to grow properly. My husband says that sometimes I can be too empathetic, and he's right. I want to help everyone, but I can't, so I do what I can. I don't have the money right now to sponsor a child through FH, but I will be sponsoring another Indian student, helping them to learn and hopefully to escape the poverty they live with all around them.
Thank you for your posts, I have enjoyed them immensely. I hope that one day I may help a child through FH as well. (And yes, if SRT every did a trip to Sugois, I would be interested. No promises, but I would look into it)
-megan
I have considered sponsoring many times. But for me, I’m on disability, my check is less than $650 a month. I want to help in the worst way, it is just a matter of economics for us. I pray for the children, I pray for my husband, I pray that this world can come together in the name of God, his mission, his desire for love to reach the ends of every country to stop hunger, stop warring, stop the hatred, stop, just simply stop and start loving one another the way God loves us.
I am disabled because we had Arsenic in our well. Yes, here in the state if Georgia, Arsenic! It has destroyed my digestive system. Killed our dog, destroyed our lives as we knew it. God did not bring me through all if this for nothing. I’m still seeking my new normal. I think adjustments, on all sides has to be prayed about and sort out all the emotions that go with it. It is not easy to do. I’ve been sorting for 2 years now. But God is good, his hand is all over this world. I can not question him, I can only ask for patience and guidance to keep moving forward. I hope this helps you sort things out, even just a little. Hope Williams.
I have the same feeling of returning home after a mission trip. My husband I just came back from a week long trip in Uganda with an organization called Sozo Children out of Birmingham. I am still processing things and I have been home for almost 3 weeks now. I dream about all the kids I met and when I'll go back again. All the kids with Sozo are sponsored at the moment (there are 65)–so it's hard for me to relate in that sense of things. But, I know I will be processing all the experiences I had, from not being able to drink the tap water, to telling a girl in the slum that she can't come with me when it was my time to leave for the day. Praying has helped me greatly, but I know God is not done with me yet, nor is He is done with all the kids in all these different countries. I will be praying for you!