Serving as Sponsorship Coordinator since 2007, I am often
asked: what does sponsorship mean? Ah .. it could mean many things depending on
the circumstances. In the case of our Swaziland partnership, sponsorship has a
financial aspect (monthly contributions) as well as a very personal aspect
which includes letter writing (at least once every few months), praying “regularly”
and the most personal of all – the opportunity to visit the Care Point and
actually meet your sponsored child (aka, special friend).
Collectively, this means RELATIONSHIP and this is the focus
of the sponsorship program.
One of the most cherished moments and, in my humble opinion,
the best part of being Sponsorship Coordinator, is when I have the privilege of
witnessing the meeting between special friends. It is as if the gates to heaven
have opened and the angels are rejoicing. God is smiling on us!
Imagine a child you have been supporting in a far away land
that you write to occasionally and pray for consistently. You see the monthly
reminder on your bank statement. But do you ever really think you might be able to throw
your arms around them and tell them that you love them? I’ve seen it happen and
have done it myself. It is unspeakable joy!
I get the true honor of just saying hello from one special
friend to another, of relaying messages of passing out hugs and of delivering such
special cards. The mere fact that we have now visited this community six years
in a row has allowed us to truly watch these beautiful children grow.
And it all contributes to our goal of establishing and
facilitating relationship. And as another saying here goes, in Africa the
currency is relationship.
Dannele A.
