The following is a reflection from Ashley, a Church Partner Liaison for VisionTrust.
This past July, I had the privilege of leading a short-term mission team from Lakepoint Church to serve at the VisionTrust Maranatha Learning Center in Peru. On short-term trips, I love standing back and watching how the team members interact with the children and staff.
As I observed the smiles, the laughs, and the hugs shared between team members and the children, I thought about all the folks stateside who support from afar. I thought about the many sponsors who aren’t ever able to visit their child in person, but so faithfully support the child they’re paired with through monthly gifts, prayer, and letters.
From time to time, I’ve asked myself, “What does sponsorship mean to a child who has never met her sponsor?”
While each child’s heart is unique, I got a glimpse of what child sponsorship meant to two sisters when they each handed me letters they’d written to their sponsors.
Reflections from a sponsored child:
Hello dear sponsor, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I am very grateful. May God bless you and your whole family in your work and your health. I love you a lot. I will always carry you and your family in my heart. I would like you to help me by praying for my father who is not walking in the way of God. When I’m bigger, I want to be a missionary. Greetings to all.
Hello sponsor. Thank you for the gifts you sent me. I’m happy to see your picture. I’m excited, and it makes me so happy that my face is now healing. I’d like to meet you in person. I love you so much. You will always be in my heart. God bless you.
The impact of sponsorship:
Neither of these children know their sponsor personally, but as I read the letters to translate them, my heart melted. These two little letters reaffirmed the incredible value of child sponsorship.
For a child to carry in her heart that she is special and loved, often in the midst of unfathomable pain, suffering and hardship–that is a gift beyond compare. I thank God for the families that support these young girls and for the thousands of other sponsor families that support VisionTrust children around the world.
Together, we’re affirming to these children that they are treasured, not only by their sponsor, but ultimately by their heavenly Father. Child sponsorship represents Christ’s call to store up treasure in heaven. By investing in the lives of children, they can grow up to live for God and love others!
“Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” -Matthew 6:20-21
Our Mission at VisionTrust is to develop orphaned and neglected children into mature Christians equipped to live in their own culture. We do this by enabling Christian nationals to meet the physical, educational, emotional, and spiritual needs of these children.
We serve at-risk children in developing nations across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Many of these children are victims of child labor, sex trafficking, and malnutrition. All of our programs around the world seek to holistically care for children in their unique situation.
We could not bring hope without you! We want you to get to know these precious children and the worlds they grow up in. Our goal is to combat the injustice and poverty in our world together. We cannot do it alone.
You can join thousands of people who are passionately committed to changing the lives of more than 18,000 children worldwide. Will you take that first step to get involved with Vision Trust today?
On MissionFinder, we have over 1,000 ministries offering opportunities like this to serve at home and around the world. Does your church or organization need help organizing mission trips? Check out our partner site, MissionMinder.com. Their easy to use software will help you manage all the details for your short-term mission trips and team members online. Unlimited Trips. Unlimited team members. Easy online fundraising pages. Try it free for 30 days. Learn more here.
