child sponsorship: a lesson in love

8/8/2019 Child Sponsorship: A Lesson in Love

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ObjectivesThrough This lesson, parTicipanTs will:

» Explore the dierence between communities that are living in poverty and those that are thriving

» Learn about God’s command to love and care or one another.

» Explore what it means to sponsor a child and learn about the positive impacts o child sponsorship

Child Sponsorship:A Lesson in Love

P A G E 1 O F 1 2

This lesson helps the participants explore whatpoverty means and how they can make a dierence in

the lie o a child through sponsorship.

timE rEquirEd: 45-60 minutEs | intEndEd FOr GrAdEs 2-8

» Copies o Handout 1, “Country Cutouts”, ound on page 7, one or each participant

» Mustard or other small seeds, one or each participant

» Tape or glue

» Newsprint

» Marker

» Pens or pencils, one or each participant

» Copy o Resource 1, “Community Photos”, ound on page 12, you will need one copy o each

photo

Mater

ials

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P A G E 2 O F 2 2

» A Bible

» A copy o "The Sponsorship Dierence" slideshow which can be viewed and downloaded at

www.worldvisionresources.com just click on the “ree resources” icon and go to the “video” section.

» A computer with Internet (access to a projector i available) or viewing the slideshow

presentation and videos

» Copies o Resource 2, “Sponsorship Stories,” ound on page 13, one story or each group o our

to ve participants

» A large world map (large enough to place on a wall or viewing)

» "Sponsorship Rachael" video available at worldvisionresources.com

» A copy o Resource 3,"Thank You Sponsors!" ound on page 21.

» "Small Git, Big Dierence," video available at worldvisionresources.com. Just click on the "ree

resources" icon and go to the "video" section.

» Copies o Handout 2,"The Basics o Sponsorship" handout, ound on page 20, one or each

participant

Leader Preparation» You will need To cuT out the maps ound on the handout “Country Cutouts,” and

glue or tape a seed to each cutout.

» posT Two sheeTs o newsprint on the board or wall.

» download and preview videos rom worldvisionresources.com. Just click on the "ree

resources" icon and go to the "video" section.

Activity Steps

Begin The lesson by giving each participant one o the country cutouts you have prepared.Ask them to hold onto these during the presentation. Do not tell them why you have distributed the

cutout; simply let it remain a mystery or now.

lead a large group discussion inviting the participants to share what comes to mind

when they hear the word “poverty.” Note the responses on a sheet o newsprint.

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P A G E 3 O F 2 2

explain ThaT:

» Millions o people around the world do not have homes, enough nutritious ood, clean water,

a school where they can learn, or money to buy clothes and medicine.» 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day. These people are living in poverty, meaning that

they do not have enough money, and their communities do not have enough resources to live

healthy, ull lives.

nexT, show The parTicipanTs the photos rom the resource “Community Photos.”

You might consider passing the images around so the participants can get a closer look. Invite the

participants to share what dierences they see between the villages, noting their responses on a new

sheet o newsprint. Then ask the participants which community they would preer to live in, and

why? Allow or several responses.

read aloud what Jesus says in John 15:12, “My command is this: Love each other as I have

loved you.” Explain that this means that we are called to love and care or people with our words

and actions. Then lead a group discussion asking the ollowing questions:

» Did someone ever give you a present or do something really nice or you? Explain what

happened. How did it make you eel?

» When others do something nice or you, do you want to do something nice or them in return?

during The discussion, be sure to share the ollowing key points:» Jesus also says we are to be generous to the poor (Deuteronomy 15:11) and always remember

the poor (Galatians 2:10).

» God has blessed us with many things we can use to help others. We can be generous with our

riendship, our creativity, our money, and our time.

» One way to love the poor is to sponsor a child who is living in poverty.

» There are children around the world who are living in poverty and one way that we can help

them is through child sponsorship programs like the one oered by World Vision.

» Sponsoring a child is a long-term, serious commitment that your amily, class or church

undertakes. You decide to sponsor a boy or a girl rom one o the many countries in theworld where sponsorship is oered. When you become a sponsor, you will get a picture o

your child and inormation about him or her.

» Your monthly sponsorship contribution is used to help und programs in the community

where your sponsored child lives.

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P A G E 4 O F 2 2

» The money helps build a stronger community or your sponsored child.

» He or she may benet rom increased access to clean water, education, and healthcare, or his

or her parents may receive training to start a new business or grow better crops to provide ortheir amily.

» Whatever the projects are, your sponsorship will give hope to a child, and help him or her to

live a ull, healthy lie.

show The "The sponsorship difference" slideshow 2 reading the ollowing

caption with each slide.

» slide 1: educaTion – Many amilies around the world do not have enough money

to meet their daily needs, let alone send their children to school. So, children oten miss schoo

because parents cannot aord simple things like school ees or uniorms, or even pencils and

paper. And, children must oten stay home to help their parents work in the elds. Someamilies do not realize the importance o education, especially or girls. Depending on what

the amilies and community needs, the money sponsors send may help to raise awareness on

the importance o education, or help parents receive agricultural or business training so they

can earn more money and send their children to school. In some cases, the money may even

help provide school materials or improved school buildings or acilities.

» slide 2: healThcare – Many poor communities do not have a hospital or health

clinic. World Vision helps communities so they have access to medicine, places to go or

medical services.

» slide 3: food

– World Vision gives agricultural assistance to improve health and oodsecurity. Communities learn new arming techniques, start growing new crops, and are

educated about good nutrition. World Vision may also supply arming tools, seeds and

animals. Many children today do not have enough to eat, and many have died because

their bodies don’t get the necessary nutrition. World Vision helps make sure that children

do not go hungry. With help getting started, communities can grow enough ood and have

enough animals o their own to continue without World Vision’s help.

» slide 4: clean waTer – Clean water is important or our health and necessary

or activities like washing clothes, watering crops, and keeping clean, healthy bathrooms.

Many children and adults become very sick because they don’t have clean water to drink.

When people do not have water at home or there is no community well, they spend hours

each day walking to get water or their amily. To help, World Vision provides communitieswith what they need to build wells or clean water and improved sanitation.

» slide 5: and more… - When a child is sponsored through World Vision, the sponsor

and the child get to send each other letters like the one the boy is holding in the picture. The

sponsor also receives a photo o the child they are sponsoring and can send him or her their

own photo, too! World Vision also helps amilies make improvements in their home or take

out loans to start a business. Children and their amilies see Jesus in the commitment we

make to helping them. In some countries, World Vision cannot openly share its aith, but

many people come to know Jesus by our actions o love and service.

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P A G E 5 O F 2 2

divide The parTicipanTs into groups o our or ve. Provide each group with one o the

stories ound on resource 3 “Sponsorship Stories”. Invite the groups to read their assigned story.

afTer The small groups have had time to read their story, ask one person rom each

group to come to the ront o the room and give a brie summary o the story and show where the

child in the story lives by noting the location on the map.

explain To The parTicipanTs that in addition to helping their sponsored child through

monthly giving, they will have the opportunity to write letters to the child and build a relationship

with him or her.

show The "sponsorship rachael" video.

ask The parTicipanTs to raise their hand i they have ever received a letter in the mail. Call

on a ew o the participants and ask them to share who sent them the letter and how it made them

eel to receive a letter in the mail.

read aloud the sample letter.

discuss what the participants learned about the child.

ask The parTicipanTs what they would write to a boy or girl in a poor country. What

questions would they ask? What would they want to tell the child?

read The following scripTure to the children and explain the parable o the mustard

seed. They each should have the seed they received at the beginning o the lesson.

“He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom o heaven is like a mustard seed, which a mantook and planted in his feld. Though it is the smallest o all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is

the largest o garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds o the air come and perch in its

branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32.)

Explain that even with the smallest acts o kindness, God can perorm big miracles. Explain

how participants' amilies or the group’s small contribution every month will make a big

dierence in another child’s lie.

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P A G E 6 O F 2 2

show The "small gifT, Big difference" video.

To conclude The lesson, lead a prayer in which the participants have the opportunityto pray aloud as well. Pray that God would give us the ability and willingness to be generous to the

poor and remember them in our actions and thoughts. Pray that God would provide sponsors or

the children who are waiting and bless children and amilies living in poverty around the world.

urge The parTicipanTs to continue to pray or the children who live in the country they

received at the beginning o the lesson. Also ask them to pray that God would do big things with the

little seeds o generosity that we plant.

disTriBuTe The handouT "The Basics of sponsorship" to participants orthem to share with their parents or group.

Copyright © 2010 by World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-

9716, [email protected]. All rights reserved.

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P A G E 7 O F 2 2

haNdout 1

Country Cutouts

chad eThiopia

kenYa malawi



P A G E 8 O F 2 2

niger rwanda

swaziland uganda



P A G E 9 O F 2 2

zamBia Bangladesh

china india



P A G E 1 0 O F 2 2

philippines alBania

romania Bolivia



P A G E 1 1 O F 2 2

Brazil haiTi

mexico peru

Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2010 World Vision, Inc.



P A G E 1 2 O F 2 2

resource 1

Community Photos




P A G E 1 3 O F 2 2

resource 2

Sponsorship Storiesanila’s Two moThers

Every morning beore she leaves or school

and every night beore bedtime, Anila reads

the letters rom her sponsor. Anila is a quiet

girl who doesn’t say much, but her shyness

and timidity vanishes when she writes to her

sponsor, with whom she has ound someone

who cares, loves and believes in her.

“In the beginning, I couldn’t believe that those

letters were or me. I wondered, ‘How could

someone rom so ar away care and love me?’”

Anila said. “It was as i my sponsor knew me or a

long time,” she added, her eyes beaming with joy.

Anila, 11, lives in Qukes commune, about two hours southeast o Tirana, the capital o Albania.

The Librazhd area development program, through which Anila is sponsored, is in Qukes.

Growing up in poverty in rural Albania, in a male dominated society, the odds are low that someone

other than her mother would encourage Anila to pursue her dreams and compliment her talents.

However, sponsorship has brought new hope or Anila and her siblings; they now have a riend who

believes in them.

Anila has had regular correspondence with her sponsor or more than a year. She has received 14

letters so ar which she has memorized by heart. The letters rom her sponsor are the window to a

whole new world; they are the source o her encouragement and strength. They have made Anila

more determined to pursue her goals. Though she has to venture out walking the village roads

that are covered in snow most o the winter, Anila attends school aithully because she now has a

dream.

“When I grow up, I want to be an English teacher,” said Anila.

“When she received her rst letter, my daughter was truly puzzled that someone rom so ar away

could write so lovingly to her. Now, they have developed a great relationship with each other, andmy daughter loves to write to her sponsor,” said Anila’s mother, Mirjeta.

Anila is so ond and proud o her riend that she wants to share her letters with everyone who visits.

The letters are truly beautiul. They are lled with love, concern and encouragement or the little girl.



P A G E 1 4 O F 2 2

Anila’s eyes shine with joy as she starts reading one o the letters, "My dear beautiul daughter …"

the letter starts, …"I am amazed at how beautiul your writing is, you should continue writing, I

am sure you can be a talented writer…," continued the letter. Letter ater letter the relationship has

become so strong that Anila no longer reers to her sponsor as a riend but as her Korean mother.

“I have two sisters and a brother,” she said, reerring to the son o her sponsor. “And I have two

mothers, my mother here in Albania and my Korean mother,” she continued.

“In the beginning it was hard to get used to the idea that my daughter would call someone else

halway across the world, mother, but then seeing the love her sponsor elt or Anila and seeing the

joy and encouragement my daughter got with each letter, I eel more comortable,” said Mirjeta.

“My biggest dream now is to meet my Korean mom, her husband and my little brother,” said Anila

“In all o her letters, my Korean mom, tells me that she loves me, and she always encourages me,”

said Anila. “I love my sponsor very, very much, too.”

Anila’s sponsor’s generosity goes beyond encouragement and love shared through letters. Anila’s

amily has also received small gits and sometimes additional monetary support, helping the amily

through dicult times.

“I am so grateul or all that the sponsor has done or us,” said Mirjeta. “All o the school supplies

or Anila and her sisters I purchased with the money sent rom her sponsor. That’s a great help or

us,” she continued.

“The support my daughter’s sponsor has given to us is not only helpul, but it is also a true sign o

their care or our amily,” added Mirjeta. “However, the biggest git or our amily would be i thesponsor comes to visit us; I know this will mean the world to my daughter.”

“I wish they knew what a great dierence they have made in our lives,” said Mirjeta.



P A G E 1 5 O F 2 2

school no longer JusTa dream

In a small, one-room hut tucked deep inside the

rolling Ethiopian highland mountains, 8-year-

old Abduraman Yasin reads rom one o his

school books. Reading is new or him but it

hardly shows. Hunched over his book, his index

nger slowly underlining each word as he reads,

he cautiously but proudly makes it through the

words one to ten.

Abduraman has already been to school and

back today, trekking one hour each way

through a winding path in the mountains. Hewakes up each morning at 5 to nish his chores

and begin the long walk to school. Abduraman does not seem to mind, though – his wish to go to

school came true this year.

“None o the children went to school beore. Abduraman was very sad that his riends went to

school and he was let at home,” recalls his mother, Sadya Mume. “I was not able to buy the books

or school. The only thing we could do was eed them.”

Food prices or the local staple grain, te, have doubled in the past year alone, orcing many

amilies to choose between eeding their children and paying or school ees. Exacerbating the price

o ood has been the ailure o rains in the past season. Currently, more than 4.2 million people in

Ethiopia are estimated to be in need o ood assistance. Abduraman’s amily, with little to no harvestrom their own elds this year, struggled with the same choice.

“We have a small plot or our amily but it’s not enough or us to eat,” laments Sadya. “There is not

enough income. I know the importance o school or my boys and my girl, but it was just the books

and pens I needed so that they could go.”

A recent assessment by World Vision showed that no more than 50 percent o the children in this

area have a chance to go to school. Girls are oten less likely to go to school, and even i they do,

their enrollment tends to decrease as the grade levels increase. Many girls are pulled rom school to

help at home with younger siblings, or stop their education because the long walks to school make

them vulnerable to abductions or sexual predators as they get older.

Twelve-year-old Matua, Abduraman’s older sister, had also never been to school. “When I saw my

riends going to school, I kept asking mysel, 'when will I get the chance?' I elt very lonely.”



P A G E 1 6 O F 2 2

Although World Vision’s program in this area o Ethiopia is only one year old, it has already had

a great impact on Abduraman’s amily and their ability to go to school. As one o 1,500 children

sponsored by World Vision in this area, Abduraman received school books and supplies so that he,

his older brother and sister could all start school together or the rst time this year.

“When he heard he could go to school, he started crying because he was so happy. We were all

crying,” says Sadya. “I was really worried and scared that maybe he would become a thie or a

criminal in the uture, but I am ree o that ear now.”

As he begins to put his books away, Abduraman, a small-ramed but excitable little boy, beams

when asked how he eels about school. “My avorite subject is science. I want to be a doctor,” he

exclaims. “Maybe I will treat you when you get older.” He laughs, amused by his own statement.

Matua giggles beside him.

World Vision is committed to Abduraman’s amily and plans to distribute seeds to the amily in

the coming months so that they can reclaim part o their lost harvest. Abduraman’s school has alsoreceived new benches and desks so that now the students do not have to sit on the foor anymore.

Moving outside, Matua sits under a tree and begins to sing to hersel. The sun’s rays shine through

the leaves o the tree that she’s sitting under while her brother plays with his riends. Their mother

looks on proudly, content that even though lie may still be dicult, her children can now build a

brighter uture or themselves.



P A G E 1 7 O F 2 2

a changed communiTYin malawi

Mory Zondiwe, 10, hails rom Masambuka

village in the area o Traditional Authority

Mwambo in Zomba district. Her village lies

some 20 miles to the north east o Zomba

City, the ormer capital city o Malawi. The

community currently benets rom World

Vision's Namachete Area Development

Program (ADP).

The young girl, currently in grade 4 at Sekwele

Primary School, located some 500 eet rom

her home, dreams o becoming a nurse in theuture. To keep her dreams alive, she works

very hard in class and concentrates on mathematics and English, her avorite subjects.

The second child born to Francis Luka Zondiwe, 35, and Aida Zondiwe, 28, Mory has our

siblings: Lydia, 12, Thokozani, 8, Catherine, 4, and Zephania, 1.

Mory and her parents live in a small house with our rooms. The house has three windows, and

its ventilation is very poor. The walls o the house are built with molded bricks, and its roo is

thatched with grass. Its foor is coated with black clay rom the river bank.

Most o the people in the village do not own wall clocks. Most o the time they are awakened by

the crows rom roosters.

“I make sure that I pray every morning when I am waking up,” Mory explains

Ater oering her little prayer, Mory does her chores which include sweeping outside the house,

drawing water, and sometimes preparing breakast. “Being a girl, it is my responsibility to make

sure that the yard surrounding our house is always clean. I have a little broom which I normally

use to sweep the ground, and this broom is made rom a collection o thicket rom the bush.”

“Unlike in the past, when we used to travel long distances in search o clean water, nowadays, we

just stroll to the nearby community taps,” explains Mory. World Vision has drilled a number o

boreholes or communities within Namachete ADP.

Ater drawing water rom the tap, Mory takes a warm bath and eat her breakast which usually

includes porridge. “The porridge is cooked rom maize four locally known as ‘mgaiwa.’

“Our classes start at hal past seven in the morning but beore that, all pupils and teachers meet

at the school’s open ground where we pray, sing choruses, and the national anthem. The school’s

head teacher then bries us on major events happening that day.”



P A G E 1 8 O F 2 2

Through the sponsorship program, Mory has been receiving gits rom World Vision including

exercise books, pens, and pencils. She is also uses the desks that the organization donated to her

school a couple o years ago.

On her way home rom school, Mory etches some grass to eed her ve goats. In 2006, Mory

was among 200 children rom villages within Namachete ADP who received goats rom World

Vision.

“I received one goat and the number has increased to ve. As a amily we agreed not to slaughter

the goats or sale until the time I reach high school. My school ees will be realized rom these

goats,” explains an excited young girl.

Mory’s mother has joined her riends who, established a home economics group through World

Vision, and are involved in sewing and cooking.

“We call ourselves Chisekwele Women's Group. We meet three times in a week. Members o thegroup help each other with modern skills o cooking, sewing, and preserving ood,” explains

Aida, whose group’s membership has increased rom 15 to 36 since its inception in 2003. Seeing

their commitment, World Vision decided to provide some training and equipment to the women.

“Through this group, nutrition in our homes has tremendously improved. As I am talking to you,

I am able to make things that I perceived to be dicult; or example, jam, coee, milk, scones,

and chips made rom processed cassava,” says Aida.

During her ree time, Mory joins Luna, her best riend, and some girls rom the nearby houses.

They play with a ball that they made rom plastic papers and ropes.

The amily normally goes to sleep at 8 p.m. night ater having a Bible study or preaching o theWord o God. They make sure that all belongings, including goats, are locked up saely at night.



P A G E 1 9 O F 2 2

mY sponso r praYs for m e

Irina’s home shakes with the pouring rain andstrong wind, but she does not seem to mind.

Such heavy rain is common at this time o

the year. What could be considered a deluge

elsewhere is normal weather or Irina. She lives

at home with her parents and her 26-year-old

brother. On week day mornings, she attends

school, and in the aternoons, she plays with

her dog Diana, her company on those rainy

days.

Irina lives in the Commune o Alto Bio Bio, a

mountain community o scattered dwellingsand tiny villages with no more than 7,000

inhabitants, most o whom are indigenous Mapuche people. Irina and her amily are “settlers”

as the Mapuche call the non-indigenous Chileans who live in the area. Irina’s home is a wooden

house built by her ather and is located in Ralco, a small village where the settlers o the valley

concentrate.

A shy girl, Irina has no problem talking about the things she likes. At home, she goes around with

a small handbag where she keeps the letters and pictures o Aunt Nancy, as she calls her sponsor.

“She writes to me and she tells me that she has nine children and a dog called Eddy,” says Irina

happily. What ascinates Irina about her sponsor is her love o animals – Nancy raises birds to set

them ree.

“My sponsor tells me that she always prays or me, this is why I love her so much, and I would

like to meet her some day.”

Irina attends ourth grade in the primary school o Ralco, where the majority o children are

sponsored through World Vision. Since she has been sponsored, the project has given her all the

necessary school stationary to attend classes and she has been participating in the activities World

Vision organizes in the schools o this area. These activities include early stimulation courses,

workshops on prevention o amily violence and activities aimed at keeping and rescuing the

cultural identity o the Mapuche people.

The rain does not stop in Alto Bio Bio and Irina, once more, is reading the letters that her sponsorhas sent her. Her avorites are the ones “o the doggie” – which contains news o Eddy, the dog.

These letters show wear and tear because they are read over and over. Irina carries them with her

at all times and reads them whenever she wants and never looses the hope o meeting her aunt

Nancy some day.




P A G E 2 0 O F 2 2

resource 3

‘Thank You Sponsors!’Karen, 5, and her mother want to thank her sponsors or sending a special git or the girl. So,

they sent a thank-you letter, written in Spanish by Karen’s mother. When the sponsors send

money, as an additional donation, it is invested in the most urgent needs o the sponsored child.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kelley:

My Name is Karen Natalia, I am 5-years-old, and I’m in kindergarten.

I live with my mother, Maria Sacramento. My mom sells make-up and cleans houses.

I like playing with dolls. I also like studying. Now, I know counting rom one to ten in English.

When I grow up, I’d like to be a doctor, because I like helping people.

On Saturdays, I go to Seedbeds o Peace [a learning space supported by World Vision], where I

learn how to draw. The puppet shows teach me that God is good and He lives in my heart. On

Sundays, I go to the Christian church with my mom.

Thanks or the special git you sent me [through World Vision], with this money, my mother and I

bought ood and clothes.

I also received the school kit and the hygiene kit rom World Vision.

Mr. and Mrs. Kelley, I love you very much and I’m sending hugs and kisses!

Lots o Love,

Karen Natalia

Permission to reproduce is granted. 20© 10 World Vision, Inc.



P A G E 2 1 O F 2 2

haNdout 2

The Basics o Sponsorship» whaT is sponsorship?

More than 1 billion people live on less than a dollar a day. These children and amilies are all too

amiliar with poverty. It has robbed them o hope and threatens to steal their uture.

By helping a child living in such extreme poverty, we can enable them to experience the ullness o

lie God oers. Join World Vision and sponsors all over the world as we seek to bring compassion

and justice to the world’s poorest people.

As a child sponsor, you are connected with one special child who will know your name, write to

you and eel your tender love and prayers. Your monthly sponsorship git will provide a child

with access to things such as:

» Clean water

» Nutritious ood

» Health care

» Educational opportunities

» Spiritual nurture

» how To sponsor a child

» Visit worldvisionresources.com to begin sponsoring a child today!




About World Vision

world vision is a Christian humanitarian organizationdedicated to working with children, amilies, and their communities

worldwide to reach their ull potential by tackling the causes o

poverty and injustice. Motivated by our aith in Jesus Christ, World

Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration o

God’s unconditional love or all people. We see a world where each

child experiences “ullness o lie” as described in John 10:10. And we

know this can be achieved only by addressing the problems o poverty

and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how World Vision is unique:

We bring 60 years o experience in three key areas needed to help

children and amilies thrive: emergency relie, long-term development,

and advocacy. And we bring all o our skills across many areas o

expertise to each community we work in, enabling us to care orchildren’s physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Partnering with World Vision provides tangible ways to honor

God and put aith into action. By working, we can make a lasting

dierence in the lives o children and amilies who are struggling to

overcome poverty. To nd out more about how you can help, visit

www.worldvision.org.

About World Vision Resourcesending gloBal poverTY and injustice begins with education:

understanding the magnitude and causes o poverty, its impact on

human dignity, and our connection to those in need around the world.

World Vision Resources is the publishing ministry o World Vision.

World Vision Resources educates Christians about global poverty,

inspires them to respond, and equips them with innovative resources

to make a dierence in the world.

r more inormation about our

resources, contact:

World Vision Resources

Mail Stop 321

P.O. Box 9716

Federal Way, WA 98063-9716

Fax: 253-815-3340

[email protected]

ww.worldvisionresources.com

child sponsorship: a lesson in love

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