All art chics, or suspected, at least.
Sponsored through ChildFund, these relationships are dynamic and constantly growing, with frequent mail and photos. I adore them all and feel lucky- this is how sponsorship is supposed to be!
And now, in no particular order…
Honduras, 6 years old
I have never been so immediately welcomed and loved by a sponsor family as with this child- they made me one of their own, and our relationship is close and loving. I’m so lucky. I mean, just wow. Shown with mom, I sometimes feel like a Victorian lady, writing the letters, “Darling Ada, Sweet Dariela…”
Bolivia, 14 years old
An aspiring chef, she’s a good student, detail oriented, & very diligent in the pursuit of her dream. When she’s not studying away she’s in the kitchen, playing with sauces, experimenting with food. I really think she’s going to make it, I really do. It’s very exciting.
Ecuador, 14 years old
An aspiring pastry chef, she’s incredibly imaginative, tactile and artistic, engaging in things like clay sculpting and flower arranging. She’s got the gifts it takes to become great at pastry, but it won’t be easy, currently there are significant challenges arising, which we are navigating the best we can, but I believe in this girl and her dreams- she’s going to be okay, this a bump in the road.
Guatemala, 4 years old
The sponsorship was such a slow burn the first few years, very quiet, not a lot happening, but wow, when it bloomed, it really bloomed! A few years in and I’m being showered with super cool photos, gotten letters from everyone in the family, and often get photo’s that include the wider family or pics of the farm. Sofia’s older brother, Dylan, who I quietly consider a “bonus kid”, and try to include as much as I can, is dear to my heart, as well— What a treat! Also, I’ve turned the family into book hounds, >insert evil laughter here< Muahahahahaha!!!!!
Sri Lanka, 9 years old
She’s an incredibly gifted visual artist, at the top of her class in school and her home life is stable & loving. Mom writes caring, thoughtful letters and we often discuss philosophy & gardening- she has a beautiful garden, so we share these interests. I feel lucky to be this families sponsor, it is a privilege to be a part of their lives. Sayuni is one of my gentle sponsorships- yes, of course the family faces challenges, but it’s a soft landing, an escape. If you’ve ever work with multiple kids, I think you get it.
Sri Lanka, 10 years old
Shanudi is like chalk to Sayuni’s cheese- wild and unruly, driving her mother to despair trying to control her. Her home life is wretched, although it has improved as of late, thank god. I’ve recently gotten a few photos of her genuinely smiling, after years of sponsorship. A breakthrough? Beats me. She is very talented artistically, but not really allowed to develop that side of herself. I correspond with her mother, who is a classic “dragon mom”, the father seems unkind, the brother taking after the father. This sponsorship tests the limits of how help can be given. I don’t really know how much good I’m doing, or even if I’m the right sponsor for her, but I keep going anyways and choose to believe in the power of hope.
India, 11 years old
This kid has got the art bug, bad— She just want’s to create. She’s also achingly sweet with an open heart I treat with great care. I love her enthusiasm for life, it is incredibly refreshing. She reminds me of what it was like to be young.
India, 13 years old
Yasu was my first ChildFund sponsorship, it was because of her I was willing to give up the super slick user interfaces of the other organizations platforms. She’s a chameleon with her art, currently, exploring, evolving, which in turn makes her a bit of a mystery. Which way will she go? She’s drawn to textiles, to clothing design, but I expect she’ll choose a very practical career path, but will her art continue? Stay tuned to find out!
Bolivia, 5 years old
Everytime I get a photo of Luz sending me a wave, my heart turns into a puddle of goo at her feet. She is a ray of light in my life, with an interesting mom, Maxima, who’s a knitter of great skill- Luz wears her creations often. I love sponsoring in Bolivia— mailings get there fast, even the physical ones, they’re generous with photos, letters, art and their hearts. It’s just all around a great place to sponsor, if you’re going through ChildFund this region is, for lack of a better word, easy. I can’t recommend it enough.
Uganda, 4 years old
Shown here with dad, Justine, I like this photo because she looks so wiggly LoL in the background is the cow, Nessa, and the goat— the first goat, to clarify, Dad has been very busy growing the farm, its bigger now. Affectionately nicknamed The Bean, she’s the youngest of three daughters, all marvelous. This families transformation over the last few years could be an advertisement for child sponsorship, it is so stark, so dramatic, and so beautiful. It is such a pleasure to be a part of this families trajectory and see the differences just a little support can make. Dad is great with money and values education for his daughters above everything else, and he’s determined to make sure his children’s lives have more opportunity than his did. He works -hard- , has a deep faith, and seems kind. Mad respect for this man, truly. Sponsoring in Child Fund Uganda is great, by the way— they are fast, responsive, helpful, invested, and only a little money goes a long way. I cannot sing their praises enough.
Kenya, 7 years old
This little one is my newest sponsorship, we are just getting started. There was just something about her that spoke to me. I don’t know her well, yet, we are still feeling each other out, but it turns out she likes art (yes! Score!) and she seems to be having some forward motion in her life now, with regular school attendance, new uniforms, and a mom who is starting to embrace the sponsorship process. She also has a gaggle of sisters and one baby brother, the newest addition to the family.
This is why I’m always broke. But who cares? These kids give me way more than I give them, especially in these troubled times, absolutely. Having said that I am, in Sponsor parlance, “oversponsored” — meaning I’m in deep, squeezing my budget, and generally feeling the weight of my commitments. But again, who cares? Life is so hard right now, sponsorship gives me a happy place to retreat to, other lives to look in on, ways to help that are incredibly fulfilling. But yeah, definitely oversponsored!!! 💰👀😮
In time, as I figure out the site, I’ll start pages for each kid, to try and make them easy to follow and cheer for. But for now, this will have to do. Thanks for checking in on The Crew!
Hugabugga 