We’ve all seen the commercials asking you to become the sponsor of a starving child. Our hearts are heavy for these children as we see them barely clinging to life. We wish there was something we could do to change their situation and more times than I’d like to admit, I’ve turned my head, diverted my eyes or changed the channel. After a few moments, the guilt subsides and my life goes on as usual.
So do their lives.
The commercials end but the suffering goes on. Children all over the world are still hungry, still dying of preventable diseases, still drinking dirty water. My few moments of guilt do nothing to improve their situation.
I have always thought about sponsoring a child but I never felt like the time was right. I didn’t feel like I had enough money. My recent trip to Isla Roatan in Honduras opened my eyes to the struggle people face on a daily basis. A sixty-second commercial does not have the same impact on a person as being there. I realized that no matter how “broke” I convince myself that I am, my life is so fortunate and I should give to those less fortunate than myself.
Today, instead of feeling guilty about doing nothing, I sponsored a child in Honduras. I accomplished a goal but more importantly, I am helping in a small way to change someone else’s life for the better. I am helping give them an opportunity in life. Helping someone else is far more rewarding than scratching another goal off of my list.
I urge you to consider sponsoring a child of your own. It will be one of the most rewarding choices of your life.
Hundred Goals | Inspiration to Live Your Dream 
Congrats my friends on both checking something off your list and making the world a better place!
Rock on dude!
You’ll have to let me know if you receive an actual letter or picture from the kid. I always imagined they just picked a few cute ones and mass printed pictures to send out. I always wondered if your $ went to a single kid or if it is pooled for a group of kids to split…
I don’t expect anything from him anytime soon. He is not yet 2 years old, so it will be a while before reading and writing.
I believe some of the money is used within the community of the child which you sponsor in order to improve the overall living conditions for the entire community rather than just helping one individual family. I like that idea actually and it means that my dollars are reaching further than just one child.
I added a link to World Vision, which is the organization I chose to work with. Check them out and see what you think!
Sponsoring a child through a well run organization is a good deed indeed. World Vision is rated well at charitynavigator.org.
I too have seen those commercials that you mention but at this time, I chose to give to my local food bank instead. Many people are still unemployed ~ perhaps a family just down the street from you need some food to feed their kids…
Thanks for the link to Charity Navigator, I actually hadn’t heard of that site so I will check it out. Whether a person choses to give locally or globally is less of a concern for me than whether a person gives or not. I really appreciate the fact that people give within their community, I am a big supporter of Goodwill myself. You are right, people in our own communities, maybe even our neighbors, are hungry and need help.
It was not an easy choice to decide to sponsor a child internationally rather than domestically but I decided to sponsor internationally because there is less social support from communities and government agencies for people outside of the United States. Our system is far from perfect here but we do offer a great deal of support for people in need, like you mentioned, local food banks (which couldn’t exist without the support of people like you). These facilities may not (or simply don’t) exist in many third world countries. I felt like my $35 a month would do more good and create a greater impact and change elsewhere.
Not to mention that domestically I can donate my time, energy and sweat…and have a greater impact in doing so than giving a few dollars each month.
Thank you for your comments and I am glad there are all types of people, those who give locally and those who give globally, so that we can share the blessings of our lives with everyone.
What a great goal. So many of us have been blessed beyond what we realize while there are so many out there that are still left in need. I really like using Compassion International though they have a Christian slant.
Sometimes a small gesture can make a big difference in someone else’s life as well as your own.
Jeremy