By Chuck (Sharing Compassion)
I am a child sponsor and now an Advocate for Compassion. It was not always that way. It took looking into my sponsored child's eyes to see what my mission should be. My wife and I have sponsored Linda in Honduras for the last several years. We felt we were doing a "good thing." Our monthly support was automatically deducted from our account and we wrote letters once in a while. Not a lot of effort or energy on our part but we felt we were helping.
In June of 2006 we were contacted about taking a Sponsor Tour to Honduras and meeting our child. We of course wanted to go and thought it would be neat to meet the child we were sponsoring. Maybe our visit would be "inspirational and encouraging" to her. I sit here now thinking God must have been laughing at that one.
In March of 2007 we took our tour to Honduras. If you ever have the chance to go on a sponsor tour or actually any short-term mission trip take the opportunity and listen for the Spirit to speak to you. On our Sponsor tour we visited several of the projects where Compassion works. We saw the love and care that the children receive while at the project. We did home visits and saw the poverty and the horrible conditions that the children lived in. We have so much and they have so little.
We also had the opportunity to hear and learn about Compassion's programs and their ministry. Our hearts were broken but the best was yet to come. The day came to meet our child and we were to attend an outing at a water park that these children would never be able to attend. The children arrived and each was called individually for each sponsor.
When our child's name was called she stepped forward and my life was forever changed. Here was the child that we sponsored, who lived in total poverty, and she was dressed up in probably the one nice outfit she had. She was in what we would consider her Easter finest complete with a beautiful hat. She timidly came forward and took one look at my wife and I and burst into tears. I know she was overwhelmed at actually meeting her sponsors. However at that moment and for the rest of the day every time I looked into her eyes I saw the love that she had for us and for what we (and God) were doing in her life.
I saw the difference we were making and the importance of sponsorship and child development. I came back from Honduras with a changed heart (and another sponsored child). I finally understood the global picture and what we were called to do. I decided to become an advocate for the "least of these." The next time I look into Linda's eyes I want her to know that it was her that made the difference.
http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm?referer=72414