Ever sponsored a child? Did you enjoy it or find it a waste of your time and money?
I've just recently decided to sponsor a child through a non-religious, non-political organization. A little 2 year old girl named Kateri from Guatemala. I'm very excited about it, I've always wanted to do this since I was a little girl. I did a lot of research and found the little one that I can't wait to start sending letters and gifts to. If only I could afford to sponsor more. If only I could afford to adopt!
So what's your sponsor a child story?
Have you ever sponsored a child?
Have you ever sponsored a child?
It is better to have your mind opened by wonder
than closed by belief.
than closed by belief.
Have you ever sponsored a child?
I sp.onsored two little girls. One from El Salvador who was only two when I started to sponsor her and one from Haiti who was 8.
The first girl I sponsored for a number of years so I had lots of letters and drawings from her and could watch her grow in the yearly photographs I got, also when her mother became pregnant one year there was a bump the next a baby brother!
The other girl I didn't sponsor for so many years but started to sponsor her after visiting the Caribbean on a cruise and seeing the difference between the affluent islands and the very poor ones. I asked for a child the same age as my daughter at the time so she could compare her life with someone not so lucky.
The letters and photos we received meant a lot to us, my daughter still has framed photos of both girls in her bedroom.
When I had a huge drop in income I got to a point that I couldn't afford to do it any more which was a tough decision. However I know that the organisation I used passed both girls onto other sponsors and the way they did the sponsorship was by working with the whole community so that no-one misses out, you have a child to write to and send a Christmas gift to if you want but the whole village benefits from your money.
The first girl I sponsored for a number of years so I had lots of letters and drawings from her and could watch her grow in the yearly photographs I got, also when her mother became pregnant one year there was a bump the next a baby brother!
The other girl I didn't sponsor for so many years but started to sponsor her after visiting the Caribbean on a cruise and seeing the difference between the affluent islands and the very poor ones. I asked for a child the same age as my daughter at the time so she could compare her life with someone not so lucky.
The letters and photos we received meant a lot to us, my daughter still has framed photos of both girls in her bedroom.
When I had a huge drop in income I got to a point that I couldn't afford to do it any more which was a tough decision. However I know that the organisation I used passed both girls onto other sponsors and the way they did the sponsorship was by working with the whole community so that no-one misses out, you have a child to write to and send a Christmas gift to if you want but the whole village benefits from your money.
Originally Posted by spot
She is one fit bitch innit, that Immy
Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time
She is one fit bitch innit, that Immy
Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time
Have you ever sponsored a child?
What got to me, first, was reading that so many people want to do something to help others who are less fortunate but feel drowned in so much need. Can one person make a difference? The point of the message was that you could indeed change the whole world, for one child. And in doing that, maybe for one whole village...
Anyway, I watched a small girl from Haiti grow into a woman. Gifts over the years included a goat, chickens, a roll of material her mother could sew into clothes to sell in the village, stuff like that. I never visited her but we wrote regularly. I know at very least she is healthy, can read and write, and has skills she can use in her community and to help her own children.
I have another small girl in Kenya now.
Anyway, I watched a small girl from Haiti grow into a woman. Gifts over the years included a goat, chickens, a roll of material her mother could sew into clothes to sell in the village, stuff like that. I never visited her but we wrote regularly. I know at very least she is healthy, can read and write, and has skills she can use in her community and to help her own children.
I have another small girl in Kenya now.
"Life is too short to ski with ugly men"
Have you ever sponsored a child?
Yes, I sponsored several of my own and never felt it was a waste of time or money, despite the difficult teen age years. They turned out to be quite mature thinking and acting adults that makes me proud and happy.
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chonsigirl
- Posts: 33633
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 8:28 am
Have you ever sponsored a child?
My adopted brother and sister were once sponsered children, my parents went to Korea and brought them home in the early 1960s forever, as part of the family.
I have sponsored several children over the years-I always select a girl from India. They write to me, and I write them back and send packages on holidays. It is a nice thing to do, to help others.
I have sponsored several children over the years-I always select a girl from India. They write to me, and I write them back and send packages on holidays. It is a nice thing to do, to help others.
Have you ever sponsored a child?
I love the replies!! If gone through the right organization, sponsoring a child can be a very rewarding experience for all people involved. Sometimes heartbreaking too.
Imladris-- The organization I used doesn't give the money directly to the children, but rather to the community the child lives in to better it as whole. I looked into other places that gave the money directly to the use of the child in particular, but found it more appropriate for the money to be used in a community effort, like your sponsorship. Sorry to hear your financial situation meant you needed to make that tough decision, but like you said, the help you gave really did make a difference.
AussiePam-- Love your reply. I often feel there is so much need out there, in different countries and the one I live in. How can one person like me do anything about it? You're right. Whatever help we do give makes a difference for at least one person, and that's huge!
Lon-- I'm assuming you mean your biological children. Great to hear they are successful adults. Unfortunately, I will probably never have my own children and adoption is a little ways in the future. Sponsorship is one way for me to fulfill my maternal needs at this point and know that I'm helping in an area of extreme poverty. I volunteer to help children in this country (the US) and wanted to help in another as well.
chonsigirl-- What a wonderful story about your brother and sister. I've always admired people who open their homes to children (or anyone!) to give them a chance at a better future.
Thanks all for your great stories. I was really hoping for some positive responses. :-6
Imladris-- The organization I used doesn't give the money directly to the children, but rather to the community the child lives in to better it as whole. I looked into other places that gave the money directly to the use of the child in particular, but found it more appropriate for the money to be used in a community effort, like your sponsorship. Sorry to hear your financial situation meant you needed to make that tough decision, but like you said, the help you gave really did make a difference.
AussiePam-- Love your reply. I often feel there is so much need out there, in different countries and the one I live in. How can one person like me do anything about it? You're right. Whatever help we do give makes a difference for at least one person, and that's huge!
Lon-- I'm assuming you mean your biological children. Great to hear they are successful adults. Unfortunately, I will probably never have my own children and adoption is a little ways in the future. Sponsorship is one way for me to fulfill my maternal needs at this point and know that I'm helping in an area of extreme poverty. I volunteer to help children in this country (the US) and wanted to help in another as well.
chonsigirl-- What a wonderful story about your brother and sister. I've always admired people who open their homes to children (or anyone!) to give them a chance at a better future.
Thanks all for your great stories. I was really hoping for some positive responses. :-6
It is better to have your mind opened by wonder
than closed by belief.
than closed by belief.
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RedGlitter
- Posts: 15777
- Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:51 am
Have you ever sponsored a child?
Laneybug, this is a great thread. And it's really nice to read about everyone's sponsored children. 
I have thought about it for years but have just never made the move, I guess. I have helped bring up kids in my family when they really had no one else and I've been a mentor for a girl (now a woman of 26) since she was sixteen. I try to help kids in my own way but after reading these replies, I might consider being a sponsor. Good thread.
I have thought about it for years but have just never made the move, I guess. I have helped bring up kids in my family when they really had no one else and I've been a mentor for a girl (now a woman of 26) since she was sixteen. I try to help kids in my own way but after reading these replies, I might consider being a sponsor. Good thread.
Have you ever sponsored a child?
Thank you, Red. I've never mentored a child in my community, but have always wanted to. It must be one of the most rewarding experiences.
I'm really happy for all the great replies. I was a little uncertain about my decision, simply because it was new and I didn't really know what to expect. But after hearing all the good stories, I really feel that what my heart was telling me to do was the right thing.
As for anyone thinking about sponsoring... my advice is to find the organization that will give as much of your money as possible to the child or the community of the child that you sponsor.
I've never mentored a child in my community, but have always wanted to. It must be one of the most rewarding experiences.I'm really happy for all the great replies. I was a little uncertain about my decision, simply because it was new and I didn't really know what to expect. But after hearing all the good stories, I really feel that what my heart was telling me to do was the right thing.
As for anyone thinking about sponsoring... my advice is to find the organization that will give as much of your money as possible to the child or the community of the child that you sponsor.
It is better to have your mind opened by wonder
than closed by belief.
than closed by belief.
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Indian Princess
- Posts: 1953
- Joined: Fri Nov 03, 2006 4:55 pm
Have you ever sponsored a child?
My son is 16, when he was from 11 to 12 we sponsored a child, we loved that feeling it gave us.
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pantsonfire321@aol.com
- Posts: 2920
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 8:26 am
Have you ever sponsored a child?
Yes, a little African Girl we've sponsered for the last four years . She now 10 . We've sent letters and had some back and drawings which were wonderful :-6 . I would love to sponser another child maybe from India but i want to do a little bit of research first . :-6
Can go from 0 - to bitch in 3.0 seconds .
Smile people :yh_bigsmi
yep, this bitch bites back .
Smile people :yh_bigsmi
yep, this bitch bites back .
Have you ever sponsored a child?
I have not sponsored a child, but we did adopt a little girl.
Have you ever sponsored a child?
We have sponsored a boy in Zimbabwe for many years and find it very rewarding - seeing both his development and that of the village he lives in.
My wife also sponsored a Cambodian girl through school - the daughter of a family she met whilst backpacking.
Our eldest daughter and son in law came up with a lovely request for a present this Christmas - they asked us to donate some goats to a village in their name and showed us the website where we could arrange it.
My wife also sponsored a Cambodian girl through school - the daughter of a family she met whilst backpacking.
Our eldest daughter and son in law came up with a lovely request for a present this Christmas - they asked us to donate some goats to a village in their name and showed us the website where we could arrange it.