Meet Senesie...

The most powerful way you can fight poverty...

I spoke yesterday about praying and thinking of ways to keep kids from ever becoming orphans in the first place. Wanna know a tangible way to get involved and make a huge difference in the life of a child? Seriously it's the best $35 you'll spend a month! Sponsorship programs help keep families intact, they keep children from going hungry and they provide education for the children involved. 

I started sponsoring Senesie through www.worldvision.org after seeing his picture on a table several years ago a youth conference. He was only about 5 years old at the time. His birthday is November 22, 2000 and he is from Sierra Leone. He lives with his aunt, 2 brothers, and 2 sisters. Where he lives, houses are made of mud, bricks and thatch roofs. His favorite animal is a goat and Christmas is his favorite time of the year. He likes to play soccer. In the picture above are some clothes and things he was able to get because of the money we sent for his birthday last fall. 

What are the benefits of child sponsorship? Access to life saving basics like: Healthcare, clean water, education, economic development, nutritious food and Christian commitment. Child sponsorship helps to build stronger communities where children can grow and thrive. This work is done by partnering with members of the community to address both the immediate and long-term needs of families. 

I get pictures and letters from Senesie pretty regularly. I am so thankful for the happiness and true joy that he has brought to Ryan and I, so much more than the $35 we send for the sponsorship each month. 

One time he wrote me and said how thankful he was for being sponsored because it is helping him to achieve his dreams and helping him find his strength. He hopes that we will meet one day. I hope so too ;) 

I was reading another moms blog recently and each of her children helped pick a child to sponsor who is their same age. Such a great idea! The benefits from doing this are pretty obvious. It teaches them compassion and is a tangible and easy way for kids to experience giving. It helps children understand the global picture. It introduces them to another culture and gives them the opportunity to build a relationship with a child their same age on the other side of the world. I think the process also teaches children that everyone is important and has a story worth hearing. When I was a little girl my family sponsored a girl named Manisha from India through Compassion International. I am so thankful to my parents for doing this because it gave me perspective and opened my eyes to the true issues of poverty. 

If you have been looking for a way to get involved check out www.worldvision.org or www.compassion.org