Do you ever wonder how your gifts make a difference? Whether it is a financial or material gift, the gift of quality time, or the implementation of your talents and abilities, we all want to know that our gifts, (tangible or intangible) are actually intersecting with something that matters. Oftentimes, we are left to wondering and never knowing—and that’s how life is—but from time to time we are surprised by the opportunity to taste and see the fruits of our labor.  Those times are sweet for the soul. As many of you who are sponsors...

Water equals life. It is just an ordinary part of our ever day life, and yet it holds the key to life or death for millions around the world. The impact that clean and dirty water can have on children is unbelievable. I recently received a message from a friend and partner in Haiti. Brittany works with Danita’s Children’s Home and has experienced firsthand the need for clean water in their community. She has told me stories of babies and young children that suffer and die from dehydration, malnutrition, and pneumonia, all because they lack...

Today is World Malaria Day. A day designated by the World Health Organization to recognize the ongoing efforts around the world for malaria prevention and treatment. Globally, 3.3 billion people are at risk for contracting malaria, most of which reside in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. Most are children. Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease, characterized by flu-like symptoms including fever and headache. As the illness escalates, however, it is aggressive enough to induce coma, and later, death. In support of the Millennium Development...

A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places “If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people’s sins, if you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—firm muscles, strong bones. You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You’ll...

“Why are my child’s letters so impersonal?” Communication between a sponsor and a child is an important part of the sponsorship experience. While it is always a joyous occasion to receive something from your sponsored child, it may be difficult at times to understand why there isn’t a greater connection. You may sometimes wonder, “Why are my child’s letters so impersonal?” or, “Why don’t they mention the gifts I send or answer my questions?” Personal, cultural, and economic differences make every day interaction...