When Karen looked out into the crowd of sponsored children on a recent trip to Guatemala, she immediately recognized Fabricio by his big, bright smile.
“He was so kind and friendly,” she said. “He just seemed so willing to give and receive love.”
Karen and her husband traveled to Guatemala with their church as part of a Village Transformation project, and while there, they had the chance to meet their sponsored child, Fabricio.
The Guatemala program made arrangements for sponsored children to be brought from their remote, rural village for some special one-on-one time with their sponsors, which included snacks, games, and gifts.
Karen and her husband knew Fabricio loves sports, so they brought him a Frisbee, a soccer ball, and a football.
“We taught him how to throw and catch the Frisbee,” Karen said. “He’s already a sports kid, and he loved it. The whole time we just threw the Frisbee with him, and he didn’t want to stop.”
Even though they didn’t speak Spanish, Karen and her husband felt a connection of love and friendship with Fabricio that transcended language. And before their trip was over, they received a surprise:
“Fabricio went home [after the party] and drew us an incredible picture,” Karen recalled. “It had three stick figures and above them in Spanish he wrote, ‘My godparents and me.’ He spent a lot of time on that picture. You could tell he worked very hard on it, and he was proud to give it to us. Every time I see it, I think about him.”
Choosing to become a sponsor allows you to build an incredible relationship that will transform a child’s future. And meeting your child in person only strengthens that bond.
Karen expressed how meeting Fabricio made her sponsorship experience so much more powerful and meaningful — it helped her understand how much of a difference she and her husband were making in his life.
“Going on the trip really opened my eyes to how little these people have and how much sponsorship really, truly helps,” Karen said. “If you don’t see it with your own eyes, it’s hard to imagine how much the children need the things your money gives them.”
She is grateful to know she is playing a part in helping Fabricio break the cycle of poverty.
“For me, sponsorship means that I’m helping Fabricio improve the quality of his life so he can look to the future,” Karen said.
Karen chose to Be the One to invest in Fabricio’s future. You can do the same today by becoming a child sponsor. Your monthly gift will provide your sponsored child with essentials such as food, medical care, and educational opportunities.
When you choose to Be the One to believe in a child’s future, you make an investment that will last a lifetime.
And — as Karen can testify — it’s a priceless experience you and your sponsored child will always cherish.