In April Jasmine and I were Compassion Volunteers at an Anita Renfroe event at a nearby church. Our job was to give out information about children waiting for sponsors.
Jasmine and I both sponsor children through Compassion International. Actually, I have two through Compassion and one through World Vision. So I didn't really plan to sign up to sponsor a 4th child. But then I realized they have older children now. Instead of a sponsorship ending when a child turns 18, it ends when they complete school. I kept looking at the photos of three different young men. I can't say I felt any great conviction to sponsor one, but decided it would be cool to give an older child a chance. So I chose one of the boy's cards and filled it out to be his sponsor.
Afterward I realized it was the first time I hadn't chosen by birth date. My World Vision child has the same birthday as a foster child we wanted to adopt but were unable to. Then after the twins came home, I started sponsoring two children whose birth dates are within ten days of theirs. In years past I sponsored children the ages our children were at the time. I knew all three of the young men photos I had been looking at were born in 1999, but I never looked at the date. So I pulled my newly sponsored child's picture back out of my bag and looked at the birthday. The day I chose him was his 19th birthday!! How cool is that? Of course he wouldn't have found out for several weeks that he has a sponsor. I wished he could have known that day and perhaps considered it a special birthday gift.
But today I got a letter in the mail telling me that he hasn't been taking part in the Compassion program in his area, so he has been dropped from sponsorship. I know he has been trying to save money to go on to the university, so I am not sure why he hasn't been at the program.
They said they will send me the packet of another child who needs a sponsor, but I think I'll wait. I need to feel some sort of connection.
But I hope that at least in the few months I've sponsored him, he has felt like someone has cared about him and his future, and I still wish him all the best.
Do any of you reading this sponsor a child? Age and country?