Give the Gift of Child Sponsorship
It is the season of giving and we all have been bombarded by so much information. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Travel Tuesday! This year there is a trend toward more personal ways of giving. Gifts that are unique and highlight things that are important to you and to the person you are gifting.
The holiday season is all about giving to others and loving one another. It’s a time for showing those we love and care for, just how important they are to us.
Now that the season of giving is upon us, people near and far are compiling Christmas lists for Santa, or lists for Hanukkah (Chanukah). So many are brainstorming on what to buy for their loved ones and figuring out how they plan to celebrate.
Maybe this year is the perfect year to think about something different as a gift. Could this be the year to consider helping those who are in need during the holiday season?
Child sponsorship programs are an invaluable opportunity to express altruism in its purest form, by offering assistance to children who need it the most; giving the gift of hope to kids who could use some. At the same time – you will be relieved of having to worry if your gift will arrive in time!
What Are Child Sponsorship Programs?
A lot of people have a decent idea of what child sponsorship is, but there are many nuances and details that are important when considering if sponsoring a child is right for you or as a gift for a loved one. Don’t worry! That’s what we’re here to do today.
The name gives a lot away as a child sponsorship program is one that you can join if you want to sponsor a child. However, that’s only the beginning.
Sponsorship should not be all about just sending monthly donations to an organization and hoping that the charity puts your money toward the child you’re sponsoring. Rather, child sponsorship programs offered by reputable and honest organizations prioritize the bond between the child sponsors and the amazing children they’re helping. This one-on-one relationship can be as simple as a note or card a couple of times a year to much more.
What Happens When You Sponsor A Girl?
Don’t take our word – here are some stories from girls that grew up as part of the sponsorship program at Our Little Roses in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Jasmin, is a teacher and mother who is also working a master’s degree in special education. She grew up at Our Little Roses in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and was part of the sponsorship program. She shared some of her thoughts:
“Thanks to the sponsors, even when we were inside of a special box, having these people coming in and out gave us a sense of fantasy and extra happiness. My childhood was something amazing. I remember a special visit when I was 12 years old, I had just graduated 6th grade and my sponsor Patsy visited – it was so special… I always had that magic in here thanks to all of my sponsors.”
Child sponsorship programs through organizations like Our Little Roses cultivate an environment in which you will get to know, interact with, and learn all about the child you’re sponsoring.
“Sponsorship at Our Little Roses is very unique! Sponsors are a lifeline for our girls – truly their extended family. As a sponsor, you become part of a girl’s life and will receive pictures and updates of milestones as she grows. We encourage you to write letters and visit the home if you can. Sponsoring a girl ensures that we have the essential resources needed to provide a safe, loving home, access to education, and healthcare for the girls in our care.” – Wendy Bourgault, Executive Director, Our Little Roses Foreign Mission Society.
Katherine came to Our Little Roses at just three years old and stayed until she graduated college at 24. She is now living independently and working as a bilingual teacher. This is what she told us about her experience of having sponsors in her life:
“Growing up with sponsors is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me. Having someone supporting me from miles away makes me feel loved and cared for. The thing that surprises me the most is that I have sponsors that I have never met, but I feel like I’ve always known them and loved them. The love and support they have provided me is beyond words. I’m truly grateful for each one of them and they all have a big and special place in my heart.”
The sponsorship program at Our Little Roses has been working to help empower and transform the lives of children for over 35 years and is now multi-generational. Heather has a very special story to share:
“My name is Heather, I am a graduate of OLR. I came to the home when I was 9 years old and left the program after completing my college education.
OLR, with the support of all the sponsors, provided me with all the basic needs and gave me access to education, a family, and the invaluable opportunity to grow up in a happy and healthy environment during all the years I was under their care. I have always been very grateful to have had the chance to grow up in such a wonderful organization, and I am thankful for the work the home has done for me and all the girls who live and have lived there.
Ever since I graduated from the home, it has been my desire to give back, even if it is just a little.
Since I met my husband André, he knew how important it was for me to stay in touch with the home and my wish to help and give back. The first Christmas after we got married, he surprised me with the sponsorship of a girl as a Christmas gift. That day we decided that this would be our Christmas gift for each other every year. It was the best gift he could have given me.
We hope that we will be able to support and sponsor Angelica for many years and if it is possible to support the home in other ways in the future.” – Heather (Hertz) Baur, Sponsor & OLRM Graduate – Germany
So, I’m sure you’d like more information on how you can give the gift of sponsorship with OLR!
How to Give the Gift of Sponsorship with OLR
We have covered the reality that when you become a sponsor through Our Little Roses, you become a part of empowering and transforming a girl’s quality of life, but that’s not all. You also simultaneously change your own life! Sponsoring a child is a life-changing decision in only the best of ways.
“Sponsorship is an invaluable opportunity for service. The financial commitment is the least part of being a sponsor. The greater joy is building a one-to-one relationship with a girl and watching (and helping) her grow into an educated and empowered young woman. It is a gift.” Larry Mazuchowski, Ambassadors Council Chair, New Sponsor – Tonawanda, NY
For no more than $2 per day, you’ll be giving a young girl in Honduras hope, which is irreplaceable, and you’ll feel so much joy in the process. There’s nothing more fulfilling than helping others recognize their potential, feel capable of pursuing their dreams, and have the chance to connect with people who believe in them.
It’s just like watching your friends or family members improve their lives for the better. After all, child sponsorship programs offer people the unmatched opportunity to cultivate a one-on-one relationship with the kids they sponsor, meaning you’ll get to learn about them and they’ll get to know you.
How Do Child Sponsorship Programs at OLR Work?
Here’s how our child sponsorship program works! Child sponsorship programs with Our Little Roses give girls in Honduras a chance that they otherwise would not have. In Honduras, generational poverty rates are high and a serious lack of abundance is prevalent all across the country.
With such a lack of opportunity, many communities experience an extreme cycle of poverty resulting in a high crime rate, instability, and desperation among those who live there. This situation causes oppression throughout Honduras, causing illness and making it difficult for parents to give their children the lives they dream of all because they don’t have access to the resources that make dreams come true.
In fact, many people in Honduras lack access to basic and essential needs. So essentially, child sponsorship programs make it possible for Honduran children in poverty to have access to clean water, nutritious food, shelter, clothing, medical care, school supplies, educational opportunities, and more; providing a soft landing space for them to actually be a child!!
That’s why the underlying element of child sponsorship programs is hope. In this season of Advent, which leads into Christmas, hope is so important to remember. Because of kind people like you, vulnerable children who benefit from child sponsorship programs are able to access necessities that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to, in addition to getting to know their sponsors and building relationships with people who are generously investing in them.
What to Expect as a Sponsor A Girl Through OLR Child Sponsorship Programs
With Our Little Roses, you can expect to become part of a child’s extended family. You can visit the girls and write them letters among other interactive opportunities. We also have a family-only page that all of our sponsors can participate in and view whenever they’d like to.
The page is a feature reserved for people who support girls at OLR. It’s yet another way we keep you connected with the girls you sponsor and ensure that you’re able to stay updated with their lives!
Child Sponsorship Programs at Our Little Roses
Have you decided to participate in the child sponsorship programs offered through Our Little Roses? If so, we cannot thank you enough for your kindness! The girls at OLR are endlessly appreciative of your support, and the impact that our sponsors have on the lives of the girls in Honduras is unmatched.
To get started with giving the gift of sponsorship with OLR, take a look at our resource page for more information. You will find everything you need to know about the Our Little Roses child sponsorship program and more!
When you give the gift of sponsorship, we’ll send a special certificate to you and the person you are honoring with this gift. All can be sent digitally so they’ll be sure to have it by Christmas. So reach out to us TODAY via our contact page! We’re happy to help you and guide you along the process of getting involved with our child sponsorship programs