Child Sponsors - The Spirit of Giving Selflessly

update on my sponsored children :)

2008-11-09T00:03:27Z

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I posted here but I've been continuing to write about my sponsored children in my own journal, and I thought I would share a few of the entries with you, just in case you're interested.

· Keyly's Special Gift
· Steven's Annual Photo and Ma.Fe's Special Gift
· More Annual Photos and Steven's Special Gift

Also, for Blog Action Day I wrote this entry, with a few links to sites where you can help others with just one click.

Let me know what you think! :)

Looking for information

2008-10-29T04:09:15Z

Ok, I'm kind of new at this & I'm looking for an organization where I can sponsor a child through. What I looking for is an organization that will use my mnthly contribution mostly for the sponsored child instead of the needs of said organization(fundraising, adminstrative costs,ect.). I want to go with a non-religious, non-political organization that will allow me to have as much of a relationship with my sponsored child through letters & sending photos & the like as possible, I know it might seem like a lot but I really don't know what to expect or where to find a comparison chart of any kind, the main thing I have noticed in searching the web is the majority of organizations have religious motives & that's not what I'm looking for.

Hey, everyone!

2008-09-23T21:52:20Z

Hi, all! I'm Karaya and I just started sponsoring a month ago. I decided to put this blog up today, but I didn't think it would have any sort of following. I didn't even know LJ had a community like this! I'm glad, though. It's nice to share the experience with so many people. I just wanted to let everyone know that I just put up my first post and if anyone wants to read, here's the link to follow.

http://karayadonates.livejournal.com/712.html

My new site

2008-09-06T08:27:12Z

I don't really post here anymore since I've created my own blog. If you're interested, you can check it out at:

http://www.buckrobin.com

it's a collection of my thoughts, opinions and personal observations on a wide variety of subjects, including my sponsorship of children with Children International.

Robin

Another Newbie's Introduction

2008-09-04T14:45:57Z

Hi!
I've just recently started sponsoring... In fact, I'm still waiting for the information packet to arrive.
This is my first time being a sponsor and I'm really glad I found a community for it ^-^

Name: Tessy
Age: 18
Location: Singapore
Sponsored any children: Yes, just recently started ^-^
Since: 2 days ago, the 2nd of Sept 08
Which Organisation: Compassion

The child I'm sponsoring lives in the Philippines. Her name is Veronilyn and she's 7 years old. I honestly can't wait 'till my packet arrives... I'm really looking forward to writing her a letter.

I'll definitely be bragging about Veronilyn once I learn more about her :p So, until then, I do hope to get some tips from those of you who have been sponsoring a child for longer than I have. Common questions of course, what do you usually write about in your letters? And how often does your children write back? And, this is a little embarassing, but is it too soon to visit a child if you've just started sponsoring her recently?

Thanks in advanced. Hope I'll fit right in in this community ^-^

An incredible opportunity, this would be (for all involved)..

2008-06-18T19:14:25Z

My link:

special gift photos

2008-04-08T21:04:50Z

I sponsor several children through Children International, and recently I've begun sending them each what CI calls a Special Gift, a little extra money that is used to buy the child and their family things they need. I thought I would share the photos I've received of the children and their new belongings. :)

The first Special Gift I sent went to Mercy, who is eleven years old and lives in Zambia. (Sorry the quality of the photos isn't that great, I'm not very good at scanning things I guess!)

Mercy received a new backpack, a new pair of shoes, and clothing. I think this is my favourite of the pictures, where she's showing off the backpack. :D

Next I sent a Special Gift to Kelvin, who is six years old and also lives in Zambia. His father is deceased, leaving his mother to raise three young children on just $7 a month. :( I'm glad that I'm able to help them.

Kelvin received clothing and a new pair of shoes, as well as food supplies and two blankets which the whole family will be able to share.

I'm not entirely sure who the women in this photo are. My guess is that one is Kelvin's mother and the other is a relative or perhaps even a Children International employee?

He's holding his new shoes in this photo. :)

And for anyone who's curious, because I know I was, in my experience it takes about two months from the time you make the donation to the time that you receive the report and the photos. :)

I hope everyone and their sponsored children are doing well! :)

Introduction.

2008-03-29T14:18:24Z

Hello!

I just started a sponsoship this month with two friends of mine, so I'm really a freshman at this business.

I wanted to this a long time before, but I'm just a poor student and so I'm really happy that my friends wanted to share this with me. :D

Name: Bella
Age: 19
Nationality/Location: Germany
Sponsored any children?: It's my first.
Since: Uhm, now. :)
Which organisation: World Vision
Do you write to your kid? No, not yet, I just received my welcome package.

My sponsored child:

Name: Chrissy
Country: Malawi
Date of Birth: 09.09.1999 (how cool is that?)
Chrissy lives with her parents, a brother and a sister. She likes jumping games and at home she has to clean the dishes.
And let me tell you, she's sooo cute!

So, have you guys any tips for me? What did you write in your first letter? Does anyone have experiences with World Vision? Thanx! :D

My sponsored children

2008-02-08T17:04:35Z

Hello,

My name is Cynthia, I just joined this community. I've been with LJ for a while but started sponsorship a few months back, when I saw a commercial for it on TV. I had seen it a few times before, and had considered it, and finally made the decision then. I live in Canada, Quebec, Montreal and am 27. I sponsor two children from Columbia.

This is Aleidis Maria. She is 7 and lives with her mother. Her father, sadly, abandoned the family. She has a younger brother who is 6, called Juan. Her favorite school subject is art and she is talented at sports, playing volleyball. Her family gets $50 a month. She helps out at home with sweeping and general housework chores.

This is Colin. He is 5 and lives with both his parents. He has a younger brother of 2, called Breiner, an older sister of 7, called Maryulyn, and an older brother of 11, called Jordan. His favorite subjects in school are grammar and mathematics, and his hobbies are playing with cars and toys. He likes dancing. His family's monthly income is $128. He doesn't have any chores because he is too young.

I have not yet written to them because frankly, I don't really know where to start. Any tips in that regard would be appreciated. ^_^

Aside from that, I was wondering if anyone else here lives in Canada? If so, have you been able to get a tax deductible for your donations to Children International? I've always wondered if there was a way to do it.

So I thought I would just browse the pictures...

2008-02-06T21:31:05Z

But this little one stole my heart.

Now I have two sponsored girls from Ecuador through Children International. Fabiola, 9, and Lilibeth here who is 4. I studied in Ecuador in 2006 and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Lilibeth stood out because a) she's adorable, and b) her mother is raising her and her siblings on her own. I'm happy to know there are organizations out there that are able to help them.

Just wanted to share the news, and to warn you to not look at pictures unless you want to sponsor a new child :)

Hope all of your children are doing well, feel free to share an update!

Take care,
Gloria

holiday presents! :)

2007-12-07T04:45:59Z

I sponsor four children through Children International, and today I received the letter telling me what they'll be receiving for Christmas. :D So I thought I would share it with all of you. <3

(Words not in italics are mine.)

Dear Miss ----,

Christmas is a magical time of the year. It's an opportunity to celebrate with family and loved ones and share the joy of the season. I want to thank you for also celebrating the holiday with your sponsored children with your generous gift of $30.00.

Without our program, many children won't have even a small present in honor of the occasion. Just think of the joy that the children will experience when they receive a gift just for them. That's why I'm thrilled that you have chosen to help provide your sponsored children and all the children in our program with a present.

Each year, we ask mothers of sponsored children to help select gifts that will be used and truly appreciated. I'm pleased to share with you what we have selected this year:

Steven (he's four years old, lives in Colombia and he's adorable!) is receiving a backpack and an educational game. A new backpack will help make learning fun while giving kids a place to store homework or other important papers. The educational game will be a special treat and provide hours of entertainment and fun. (Oh man I just think that's awesome. An awesome present. <3 )

Keyly (she's nine years old, lives in Honduras, and I've sponsored her the longest - two whole years :) ) is receiving a denim skirt and a shirt. Great for everyday wear or special occasions, this brand new outfit will boost girls' self-confidence while fulfilling a need for clothes. Children in our program rarely receive new clothing, so this gift will be a special treat. (Keyly had her birthday last month, for which she got a shirt and a pair of pants. I hope she enjoys these presents!)

Ma. Fe (she's ten years old, lives in the Philippines, and is pretty well more talented than I'll ever be) is receiving a foam mat that can be rolled up for easy storage. It's not unusual for children in the Philippines to sleep on the floor, so this practical gift will likely be used each night. As children get ready to enjoy a comfortable night's rest, they are sure to think of you and your generosity. (It sounds like a really good present!)

Mercy (she's eight years old, lives in Zambia, and her family makes only ~$23US a month oh my gosh) is receiving a brand new blanket. Made of soft and comfy material, this gift will ensure children stay warm during Zambia's surprisingly cooler nights. This gift can also provide extra padding, helping ensure a comfortable night's sleep. (The information I have about Mercy's family says that she sleeps on "the floor with a mat," so I hope that this present helps. I was pleasantly surprised that they told me what she'll receive; I only started sponsoring her really recently, after I made the Christmas donation. ^^; )

Once again, thank you for helping your sponsored children celebrate the season. It is sure to be a memorable one.

Sincerely,
Jim Cook
President

Awesome. :D I love learning what presents they'll get. I hope they all enjoy them, I hope they're really useful. <3

At the same time as I sent that donation, I sent $25 for Miracles on Hold, which is a fund that helps Children International ship donated items to the countries that they serve. I received a separate letter in response to that:

Dear Miss ----,

Thank you so much for responding to our need to ship donated items overseas! Your generous gift of $25.00 will allow us to provide $525.00 worth of new clothing, medicine, books and household goods to the children and families we serve.

Because we want to make the most of your contributions, we're always looking for ways to provide additional support. When we acquire new items that have been donated by companies and corporations, we're able to give children and their families top-quality items that we might not otherwise have been able to afford.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support -- to help all the children in our program receive the assistance they need and deserve.

Thank you again, Miss ----. I'm so glad we have friends like you.

Sincerely,
Jim Cook
President

Wow! I never imagined that $25 could move hundreds of dollars of items, so I was happy to hear that. :)

And I would love to hear what your sponsored children are receiving for Christmas, if you're willing to share. :D

Gifts from the World

2007-11-05T19:02:47Z

The charity organization that I sponsor a Kenyan child through holds an annual eBay auction of items from around the world. Everything from wall hangings, to jewelry, to baby clothes, to purses, to games, to an African Safari for 2!!

All proceeds go to education programs in China and Kenya, which they are working tirelessly on all the time. The child I sponsor is actually a student in Nairobi at this wonderful school.. I could go, but I ramble enough as it is.. lol

(Sidenote: Some you may remember my initial post about a little girl named Sarah.. I can't remember if I updated on the situation, but she has unfortunately left the school, thus ending my sponsorship.. I now sponsor a 4 year old boy named Victor, who has chronic bronchitis... he's so precious and he's just recently been put on some medicine my sponsorship money paid for and I'm hoping to get him some more medical attention as he needs it.. :)

Anyway, as far as I know, this auction is available to any and all.
If anyone would be interested in bidding on some of these very unique items, you can find more information and the eBay link at: Angel Covers

If you know someone who might be interested, please pass on the information. :)

(Also posted to my own journal)

Please help child!!!

2007-10-16T13:40:43Z

Hello everybody!

Sorry for disturbing you, but situation is really serious

Daniel was born on the 28th of January 2007 in Kalinin hospital in Donetsk (Ukraine), weight 2950 gr. Everything was splendid.

On March Daniel was sent to Regional Baby Hospital in Donetsk. On suspicion on athresia of bilious-removing ways – a disease which does not give the bile to leave outward and leads to cirrhosis of liver. Doctors hanged the diagnosis three times! Having been in hospital more than two months, the doctors put final diagnosis – internal athresia of bilious-removing ways.

By the way Daniel is the first baby in Makeevka who will be done the transplantation of liver. This operation is very expensive and we must to get this money. After operation it is necessary to give to Daniel 3 preparations, one of them costs $2 000 Euro, rest a little cheaper. If everything will be all right, 2 preparations will be taken away in a year. But the most expensive will be prescribe up to the end of Daniel`s life! It is a great sum of money. So I ask you to help him. Every person who helps to save baby can be proud of his life!

Seven monthed Daniel was prepared to liver transplantation which would be taken place on the 12 of September. Daniel`s grandmother had to be his donor. But at the last moment – already – on operating table – became clear that old woman couldn`t be a donor. It was discover undesirable changes in tissue of liver.

Now the baby has only one chance: the operation on abroad. The operation is very expensive $125.000 Euro. The family sharply needs for financial help on high-priced treatment. Without operation child hardly live more than a year. There is no time. But stable baby`s state cannot be more than 2 months.

Among one newborn of 10-30 thousands appears on world with athresia of bilious-removing ways. Only operation can help them. Otherwise they die.

Please help Daniel not to die, he really needs it!!!

You can find all information (documents, photos of Daniel, bank accounts, contact information of his parents) here: http://help-daniel.org.ua/

sending a package

2007-10-06T22:47:28Z

Hi sponsors!

Have any of you sent large packages to your children? I know through Children International, if you want to send anything beyond stickers or other flat things, you have to send a package directly to your child's host site. How did this work out for you?

I'm assuming you can insure the package for its journey in the US, but once it leaves you just have to cross your fingers, right? I want to send something special to my sponsor child for Christmas, but I'm a little scared of it not arriving. Any advice? How long did it take for your package to arrive?

Thanks guys :)

hello, child sponsors! :)

2007-09-21T03:38:50Z

Hi, everyone! I noticed there haven't been any posts in this community for a while, so I just thought I'd ask how everyone is doing, and of course how your sponsored children are doing. :)

I sponsor two girls through Children International. I've been Keyly's sponsor for two years now; she lives in Honduras and will turn nine on November 29, so today I bought a little birthday card to send to her. :) She's currently learning how to read and write, and her mother (who has written all the letters I've received so far) says that Keyly hopes to write the next letter they send to me. I'm looking forward to it! :) Ma. Fe K. is ten years old, lives in the Philippines, and I only started sponsoring her this month, so I don't know very much about her yet.

So, any news from your sponsored children? :D

Another introduction :)

2007-04-08T00:21:54Z

I joined this community on the day I first sponsored my child, but since I didn't have much info I decieded to postpone my introduction for a litlte bit, and now I have free time so here I am:

Name: Maria
Age: 18
Nationality/Location: San Diego, CA
Status: Single
Sponsored any children?: Yes; a two year old boy from Ecuador.

Name: Jesus David
Country: Ecuador, Guayaquil
Age: 2 (Born 12/18/2004)
Lives with both parents
He has five sisters, and one brother.
His favorite pastime are playing with toys and cars and his talents are dancing. :)
He doesn't go to school or has chores since he's too young.
His monthly family's income is 17 dollars. :(

Since: March 26th, 07
Which organisation: Children International
Do you write to your kid? So far, I've sent an introductory e-mail to him and his family - I'm thinking of what to write and taking pictures to send him for my next letter. :)

Isn't he a cutie?! I've been wanting to sponsor a child for years - I always watched the commercials, and my uncle used to sponsor a boy from Africa.

I got my welcoming kit a couple of days ago, and I'm very excited. I've heard nothing but good things about children international, and I can't wait till I get a letter from his family. My sister also sponsored a 8 year old girl from Mexico after I told her about Children International.

Children International

2007-04-02T21:22:04Z

For those of you who sponsor through Children International, how long did it take for you to receive the letter from the project director of your child's area? Does it come at the same time as the first letter from your child?

Haha, can you tell I'm impatient? I think I'm just going to send my letter out now.

Speaking of which, how often do you write to your sponsor child? The information I got says you should try to limit your letters to two a year, but I'm assuming/hoping that people send and receive them more often than that, no?

cheers,
Gloria

new!

2007-03-27T02:25:27Z

Name: Gloria
Age: 21
Nationality/Location: USA - Buffalo, NY
Status: Single
Sponsored any children?: Fabiola from Quito, Ecuador. She is eight :)
Since: yesterday!
Which Organization: Children International
Do you write to your kid?: Not yet, I am anxiously awaiting more information

I'm so excited with my decision to sponsor a child! I chose Ecuador because I studied abroad there last year and felt like it was a nice way to give back to the country. Fabiola stood out to me because of her bright smile :)

Congrats to all the sponsors out there, I look forward to reading about all of your sponsor children!

Sponsorthon!

2007-02-17T20:12:48Z

Have any of you who sponsor through Children International seen the new Sponsorthon option?! I think it's a brilliant idea! :) It doesn't cost anything at all! I don't even think you have to sponsor a child through Children International to participate in their Sponsorthon! Have a look at my page, I've edited the text a bit and such, but it'll give you an idea of what the page would be like.

Click!

And if you are thinking of sponsoring a child or another child through Children International, be sure to click from my page so I can keep track of the difference we can make together! :)

For more information about the Sponsorthon and to get your own Sponsorthon page, Click here!

Having problems

2007-01-16T02:45:44Z

I sponsor through compassion, and am having a small problem. Xorse, the girl I sponsor in Ghana, writes me often. Well, she draws me pictures often. I'll respond back asking what the picture is of, how she's doing, what she's been up to, what kind of games she plays, all that stuff. The response? A quote from the Bible asking me for prayers. I'm all about that, that's why I did compassion, but that is NOT a 9 year olds writing, and there definitely isn't even an acknowledgement of my letters. Is this normal? Because I hate it!

poetry

2006-12-21T08:41:04Z

I wrote this while looking through old pictures of my oldest sponsor child, Birtukan.

sponsorship in four stages

I want to know You,
Little Girl with the braids
and the happy smile
drowning in clothes too big
a world too small

who are You now,
Little Girl with the same
happy smile
standing where I long to stand
[maybe beside you?]

You've grown so tall,
Little Girl still smiling,
sending happy letters
and Hand Drawn pictures
of flowers and flags
like little pieces of you

my heart Breaks for You,
Little Girl, no longer smiling
no longer Little
but heartBroken,
writing to say your mother Died
[please pray for me]
[I Love her Too much]

intro!

2006-12-03T23:37:48Z

I just saw this on someones, figured I'd add my own.

Name: Nina
Age: 19
Nationality/Location: Mutt, Lakeland, FL
Status: Single, college student
Sponsored any children?: Xorse from Ghana
Since: September I believe
Which Organisation: Compassion
Do you write to your kid?: Yep, already got a letter back from her!

Compassion

2006-12-03T23:33:13Z

Hey all! My names Nina, I'm 19 from Fla. I recently (around August) sponsored a 9 year old girl from Ghana through Compassion. This might be premature worrying, but I just got a letter back from "her" and I'm kinda worried because.... well in my letter to her I asked her what kind of games she likes to play, her favorite colors and all that jazz. EVERYTHING that I got back from her was like "God has blessed you, please pray for me as I will be praying for you" and stuff.... not one of my questions was answered. She did however draw me a picture on the back, so that seemed genuinely from her haha. Anyways, I was just wondering if any of ya'll have had those problems. Also I'd really like to be more involved... she likes to draw, or color and I'd really like to send her stuff to do that, but they only let me send what will fit in one of their envelopes :( Anyone know how to sneak around that? Allrighty well I hope ya'll have an awesom Sunday :)

My Child

2006-11-24T03:34:57Z

Hi all... you may remember my post from a few days ago. Well, based on opinions/reviews and my own experience contacting the various organizations, I decided to sponsor a child through Orphan Sponsorship International (OSI). My child is a girl, Anusha, age 12 (she'll be 13 in December) from Sri Lanka. The program has been very helpful so far and I like flexibility and interaction that OSI gives you. I have written my girl, and hopefully will be hearing back soon. One nice thing is that for her birthday, OSI uses a small portion of the money which is considered "flexible" (the other part goes for her food and board at the orphange) towards a birthday cake for the whole orphange and a gift to her from me. :) Under the cut is her picture, she looks like a real sweetheart. :) Happy Thanksgiving to all (not just those in the USA!) and we are all very lucky to have the means to sponsor these wonderful kids.

childsponsors @ 2006-11-20T22:41:00

2006-11-21T03:41:24Z

Hi there,

Forgive me... this might be a stupid question or even something covered ealier or disallowed.
If so, please delete it.

I'd really like to eventually help support someone through one of the organizations available.
However, though it may sounds selfish, I'd like to actually be more active in the person's life than just 'hoping' whatever funds/gifts/letters I sent arrived directly to them.

Therefore, I've been wondering what options there are for a sponsor.

I'd actually like to be able to see the impact and be able to write actual physical letters back and forth instead of something computer-based that's written by someone else...which has always made me prickle and felt somewhat mechanical/hollow/fake. Just a personal opinion...or maybe I've gotten more cautious after hearing many scams. ( I don't know if that's possible because of a need to shield the sponcered from bizarre occurances or offenders or even a lack of reading/writing in impoverished groups that one can choose from. )

Perhaps there are programs for US sponcered peoples, so the language barrier isn't there?
So you can have your sponsored person confirm that you're making a difference, or know what more needs to be done to assist.

Maybe I'm just completely off my mark here and none or most of the above is impossible?
I've never undertaken a sponsorship before ( thus my ignorance ) but my interest and hope to do my part has been long in the running.

Thank you.