Child Sponsorship: What One Family Didn’t Expect

Carol was there the day her daughter and son-in-law received a very special letter in the mail. She was there to witness genuine excitement wash over them as they proudly held up the envelope that said, “A letter from your sponsored child.”

Carol watched their faces light up as they held a picture of their sponsored child for the first time . . . the little boy they had chosen to invest in . . . the little boy they somehow loved already. And although Carol didn’t realize it at the time, that moment was the beginning of a life-changing journey.

Carol and her husband Larry had been foster parents for years, and when each of their children had grown up and moved away from home, they began looking for new ways to invest in the lives of other children. It wasn’t long before the transformative power of sponsorship started to make its way into their reality.

“We saw and felt the progress my daughter’s boy achieved through World Help,” Carol explained. “We wanted to sponsor . . . but were hesitant and leery about which organization to support. The most important part for us was that they would teach and support Christian values and the Bible.”

After seeing the impact sponsorship was making in the life her daughter’s sponsored child, Carol became convinced that sponsorship was the next step for their family . . . a new way to fulfill their passion to invest in the lives of vulnerable children.

As brand new sponsors, Carol and her husband weren’t quite sure what to expect, but they never dreamed how much they would come to know and love their sponsored children.

“In the first pictures we received, their eyes were so sad. But as each year has passed, we have gotten to know them through their letters, and they have gotten to know us. We are at the point now, even though I have never spoken to them in person, I feel I truly know them personally.”

Through time, continued investment, and faithful prayer, they have built meaningful relationships with their six sponsored children from India, Uganda, and Myanmar . . . cultivating a genuine love that transcends the distance between them.

“I truly have fallen in love with each and every one of my World Help children. I frankly am surprised at how intimate and personal our relationships have become. I am so very thankful that God placed each one of them in our hearts. I cannot imagine not having them in my life.”

“If there are people wondering if this is for them, I can attest to the fact that when I see a letter from the girls, I am so excited to hear from them and the news they have for me. Each letter is filled with what they are doing, what their dreams are, and how God has touched their lives. I truly feel World Help is touching the hearts and lives of the children God has given them.” 

When asked, “Why Sponsor?” Carol’s answer was simple . . .

“Each and everyone of us are parents of all God’s children.”