Will You?

It is report card time again! Not for school- much too early for that, but for World Vision. This time Shivam sent me a card that could be made into some sort of origami paper decoration that I have yet to figure out.

It's actually kind of funny because I get the feeling that he doesn't really like being made to write or draw on these progress reports. In fact, in his picture this year he seems a little upset at the fact that he was made to take one. He's frowning at the camera- which I think is hysterical. For some reason I just picture him being hauled into his hut by the World Vision regional assistant and being made to endure a few minutes of tedious questions and told to draw something 'nice' for his American sponsor all while hearing and missing the playing that was probably going on outside. Maybe because I have seen that look so many times before from students.

Nevertheless, he is doing well. His health is satisfactory and through the combined giving of myself and those who are sponsoring other children in his village, his community just received a Solar Lamp system to provide lighting in the evening. It is amazing to think that there are people in our world who live so different than what we have always known and are used to.

As I was reading over his card I noticed that his family has grown. He has a new sister. Immediately I began to think how I might be able to up my donation to help his family with this new addition. Once I contacted World Vision, I learned that although I could provide more help to his family, I could instead take a look into their data base of children who had been 'passed over' for sponsorship within the same village. In doing so, my giving would still benefited the same overall community but also provide relief for another family.

I couldn't get passed the first picture. For some reason, there is just something about looking into the eyes of a little child knowing that they have been 'passed over' before that I cannot get away from. I couldn't go any further... I had to pic the first little face I saw. His name is Hasib and he is nine.

There are so many children in our world that are suffering and without adequate living conditions. I cannot think of a better way to teach our own children about giving than to sponsor a child somewhere in our world. Just think of the lessons they would learn: the opportunity to correspond with a child who is less fortunate; to know that their giving is making a difference; to know that they are blessed to be American and have all that they do.

Tupelo Children's Mansion; World Vision; Compassion International- these are all organizations that sponsor children who are less fortunate than others. If you are looking for an organization within the U.S. I would recommend Tupelo- a place for orphaned, misplaced, or unwanted children. I would strongly recommend an organization that goes into other parts of the world as well. What a lesson in responsibility to humanity an organization like World Vision is (which is a great one to belong to). Both World Vision and Compassion are Christian based organizations and do tremendous good.

I believe wholeheartedly in supporting your local church and God's kingdom. Your local church only reaches so far, if you have the ability why not do more? Why not support something that reaches into places that, for political reasons, the church cannot reach to? And if you have children you get a life lesson for free.

When I first signed up to sponsor Shivam he was not yet in school because his family could not afford to send him. Today he is in school and in his recent progress report he tells me that this year he has learned to read. Maybe one day he will pick up a Hindi bible and read truth. You never know.

Will you stop thinking about it, stop contemplating it, stop wondering if you could afford $30 a month and do it? Sponsor a child- if not for them, then do it for you- and if not for you, then do it for your own children.

Meet Shivam

Tonight I thought I would take a moment and introduce you to Shivam.

Shivam is from India and he was born on February 22, 2003. I received a copy of his report card today as well as a current copy of his health check up and the status of his family. I support Shivam and his family each month through a Christian organization called World Vision.

I send Shivam birthday cards, stickers, letters, and once we even exchanged palm prints. All of our communication is done through a World Vision translator who visits him once a month and helps keep me informed on various conditions surrounding Shivam and his family. Whenever something arrives from World Vision, it is the FIRST thing I open!

Shivam has told me that his favorite hobby is ‘playing.’ He thinks the best thing about him is that he is honest. I have also learned from him (and the translator said the same) that he is very talkative… so I guess he really is honest… but most five year-olds are talkative… at least when they want to be!

Shivam Ishvardeen: August 2008

For families with children, I don't think there can be a better lesson in learning about the importance of missions giving beside supporting a child or giving to a Missionary family that is willing to allow their children to correspond with others. Receiving mail from a child in another country was an eye opening experience for me as a child as it would be for any.

Maybe you can do a little something extra? As an Apostolic whose church is so important, it can be easy to hide behind the church by telling ourselves that we ‘support’ it, and we don’t have to support anything else. Supporting your church is necessary; however, I believe supporting other things can be just as biblical and healthy.

Perhaps there is a Christian organization that seems to exemplify a burden you have? Maybe it’s a secular group that does a great deal with humanitarian issues? Whatever the group or cause may be, as long as you are not robbing your church, giving of your time or finances can be very rewarding as well as an invaluable teaching tool.

Don’t be the type of Christian who is ‘moved’ by what you hear, see, and know: thinking that someone else who is more fortunate can ‘do.’