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Child Sponsorship4 min read

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Two babies born on Christmas Day

Melissa Schultz
Dec 16, 2016

On Christmas Day, Christians around the world look back in celebration of Christ’s birth and His gift of salvation.

But during Advent — the four weeks leading up to Christmas — Christians look ahead in expectation of Christ’s second coming. Advent season is a time of expectation, longing, and even suffering.

In order to fully long for Christ’s return, we must enter into the pain of our fallen world. We must recognize that everything is not yet as it should be.

Jesus’ coming as a baby was significant. As both God and man, He understood the sufferings of being human but was divinely embodied as the promise of salvation.

Over 2,000 years ago in the town of Bethlehem, nine months of expectation culminated as Mary held her firstborn son — Emmanuel, the Light of the world. For the nation of Israel, centuries of longing and patience had finally come to fruition.

On a warm evening in the Philippines, centuries later, another child was born on Christmas Day. His name is Marc, and he is part of World Help’s Child Sponsorship Program.

Two babies, born centuries apart. One a Savior, and one the child of a fisherman. Both loved by God.

As I reflect on Christ’s birth, I can’t help but think about children around the world who are born on Christmas Day … but without any of the hope that came with Jesus’ birth.

They may share a birthday with the King, but the outlook for their life is already bleak — their difficult backgrounds and poor communities provide few opportunities for a life outside of poverty.

But no matter who they are or where they are from, God loves each one. When Jesus came to earth, He came to save each and every baby born after Him — children like Marc.

Today, through sponsorship, Marc receives nutritious food, educational assistance, emotional support, and most importantly, he has the opportunity to hear the Gospel and learn about Jesus Christ.

As we praise God for His first coming and long for His return, we can invest in someone who God values and loves — a child in need of a sponsor.

We honor Christ’s coming to earth as a child by loving another boy or girl around the world.

We recognize the pain and suffering a sponsored child may have experienced by doing something to help him or her hear the Gospel and thrive until Christ’s return.

We can play a key role in one life by investing in a hopeful future … in spite of the pain of living in a sinful world.

God uses children to change the world.

Every child has the potential to do an eternal work for Christ on this earth. Many just need the support of someone like you.

Today, because of his dedicated sponsor, Marc has hope that one day he will reach his dream of becoming a doctor.

Christ’s birth meant hope, joy, and peace for a sinful world.

This Advent, let’s give hope to a child through sponsorship.

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