Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM001213S
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00:01 Child Impact International is an organization
00:03 that gives hope and fosters permanent, 00:05 positive change in the lives of disadvantaged children 00:08 and their communities. 00:11 Countries include Zambia, Kenya, India, 00:16 Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. 00:20 Child Impact's investment 00:22 in the lives of more than 3,500 children 00:24 continues to yield infinite returns. 00:27 Outreach spans from child rescue operations 00:30 to providing an education and a home 00:32 for deaf and blind children and orphans. 00:35 Above all, Child Impact's sponsors 00:38 give hope to the ones who need it the most. 00:47 While most hope in motion programs 00:49 talk about the life changing benefits 00:51 for children that are sponsored. 00:52 In this episode, we will look at how sponsorship 00:55 affects the sponsor. 00:57 Giving might seem like a one way street 00:59 where the person who is receiving a gift 01:01 is the only one benefiting. 01:03 But as Christians, we know that is not the case. 01:06 Jesus said, "That it is more blessed 01:08 to give than to receive." 01:11 The blessings are many 01:12 and not limited to a positive feeling 01:14 because you are helping another person. 01:16 Child Impact is the organization 01:18 that helps it sponsors to enjoy more of the benefits of giving 01:21 by connecting the sponsor with the child 01:23 they are sponsoring, 01:25 even if they are half a world apart. 01:31 Child Impact is a very unique organization. 01:34 Yes, we're a sponsorship agency. 01:37 And yes, we sort of are the party 01:41 between the sponsor, 01:42 and the child, 01:44 but we actually give the sponsor a huge opportunity 01:47 to be involved with a child every morning, 01:51 that child is dependent on the sponsor, 01:53 their lives have been changed because of the sponsor. 01:58 So we have a unique opportunity 02:00 to be able to give the sponsor a way 02:03 that they can be involved 02:04 in the mission field every morning. 02:07 Seeing the child whose life is being changed 02:09 by your support is a benefit that few organizations provide. 02:13 Everyone who sponsors a child has a story 02:16 about what helped them to decide to sponsor a child. 02:19 For the Evensons, it all began on a mission trip. 02:22 Early when we were married, 02:24 Nick and I spent time over in India, 02:26 and we're working for a mission, 02:28 another mission organization for about six months. 02:31 And during that time there, I traveled a little bit, 02:34 Nick was traveling quite a bit more. 02:36 And one of the opportunities 02:38 we had was to be in one of the schools 02:40 where children were being sponsored 02:43 by Child Impact International 02:44 and receiving education there 02:46 as well as clothing, food, shelter. 02:49 And at that time, we were given the opportunity 02:51 to meet kids that still needed sponsors, 02:54 and had, we were able to meet and pick a kid 02:59 that we wanted to sponsor personally at that time. 03:02 So we got to meet him, I think played a little, 03:06 maybe a little cricket with him 03:07 and gave him a little bit of a gift. 03:09 And even though, since then, 03:11 the child that we're sponsoring has changed. 03:15 That's how we started and have decided to continue 03:17 to sponsor a child through Child Impact International. 03:20 Even though most people 03:21 aren't able to go to another country 03:23 and help in person, 03:24 they are still able to positively change 03:26 the life of a child through sponsorship. 03:32 Another benefit of sponsorship is that it's a great tool 03:35 to teach your children about being Christ like, 03:38 by thinking of other people. 03:42 We had, both had opportunities 03:44 to go on other mission projects, 03:46 where we visit orphanages 03:47 and, you know, had done some mission work 03:49 in other countries. 03:51 And for me, it really showed me that we are so blessed here 03:55 in America and have so much and just be able to give 03:58 just a small amount would have a huge impact 04:01 on these kids in other parts of the world 04:03 that weren't so fortunate. 04:04 And so when we're there in India, 04:07 I think for me, one of the hardest things 04:08 to see was when we just first arrived 04:11 and we're in the taxi, 04:12 going to the place where we'd be staying, 04:14 and kids would come up and be 04:16 begging and knocking on the windows 04:17 and they were just so many people 04:20 in poverty there. 04:22 And then just to think that, 04:24 you know, just a small amount from us 04:26 could make a huge impact 04:27 and provide Christian education for the kids there 04:30 was a really intriguing and very positive approach. 04:36 One of the things that I'm trying to teach my boys 04:37 is to always think about other people's needs 04:41 and think about pleasing 04:42 and making other people happy before themselves. 04:44 And at two and three and a half years old, 04:46 that's a really difficult concept. 04:49 But as they get older, 04:50 I see sponsoring a child in another part of the country 04:53 as a really important way to teach my boys, 04:55 "Hey boys, look, 04:56 we're not going to buy this toy for you today 04:59 because we're going to try and make other people happy." 05:01 And we have a child that 05:02 we sponsor halfway around the world, 05:04 and this is all about following God's calling for us 05:09 to serve other people, and try and please other people 05:11 make them happy before ourselves. 05:13 And so I think it's just going to be a great example 05:14 and a great teaching tool 05:16 to teach my boys how to follow God. 05:20 The words that parents say 05:21 to their children are very powerful, 05:23 but their actions are even more powerful. 05:26 Sponsorship is one of many teaching tools 05:28 that a parent can use to help their children 05:30 see the love of God working in their lives, 05:33 with the added benefit of forever changing the life 05:35 of a child overseas. 05:38 With Child Impact, you're able to see that change 05:41 on a more personal level. 05:43 Knowing that in a very tangible way, 05:46 you're helping someone and providing for 05:49 what they might need, 05:51 and it's not a gift to one of many, many organizations 05:55 where you might kind of know 05:56 that it's helping provide maybe food or medical supplies, 06:00 but it's knowing specifically 06:02 exactly which person you are assisting, 06:06 and also some feedback as well, 06:09 from that child, on occasion, 06:11 we'll get some colored hand drawn colored cards, 06:16 a report card, that includes a note from the teachers, 06:21 a photograph on occasion. 06:23 So we do know, very specifically 06:25 who it's going to and who it's helping, 06:27 The connection between sponsor and child 06:30 makes a huge difference. 06:32 You were able to see the child grow up, 06:34 and know that because of your help, 06:36 they're able to break the poverty cycle 06:38 for a better life. 06:40 And they're being taught about God. 06:44 There's so many mission fields in the world, 06:46 you know, the kid who lives just down the street from you, 06:48 that's a mission field. 06:49 Your own children, your own family, 06:51 that's a mission field. 06:53 But, you know, we were called 06:55 to go into all nations and make disciples. 06:57 And when you sponsor a child for a Christian education, 07:02 you know, it's more than just giving them education. 07:04 It's teaching them also about Christ, 07:06 and the plan of salvation. 07:08 And so, you know, it's going to benefit that child, 07:11 it's going to benefit that child's community, 07:13 and, you know, the money 07:16 that we spend every month to support this child, 07:19 it's an easy sacrifice for us, 07:21 but it makes just a world of difference in their lives. 07:24 One person whose world was changed 07:26 by sponsorship is Sinoy Sicar, 07:29 who was a sponsored child, and grew up now 07:31 to be a sponsorship supervisor in Bangladesh. 07:34 The impact that sponsorship had on him is still felt today. 07:38 When I was a student over here, 07:42 that time I thought, 07:44 if I saw my sponsor, 07:48 if I visited my sponsor, if I hug him, 07:52 then I will be feel better. 07:54 But I had no privilege to saw him. 07:58 And even I don't know now, 08:01 I don't know, who is she or who is he? 08:04 I don't know who is the person who helping me. 08:08 But I am very thankful to him or her 08:11 that he is or she supported me from my childhood, 08:15 to till my college level. 08:19 For their love and for their financial support, 08:22 I'm able to complete my college and I am able to reach my goal. 08:28 Sinoy's life has been forever changed, 08:30 thanks to one person's decision to sponsor him. 08:33 He is using that gift to help others, 08:35 which shows what God can do when we help others. 08:39 The sponsors often only able to see the effect of the child 08:42 that they are sponsoring, but even that is powerful. 08:45 You know, when we talk of child's sponsorship, 08:46 there are different types of child's sponsorship. 08:48 But the key outcome, the key purpose, 08:51 and the benefit of having a child sponsored by a person, 08:55 by an individual, a family, 08:57 is that you develop a relationship. 08:59 All children, all people need relationships. 09:03 And sponsoring a child gives people, 09:07 individuals or families or groups 09:10 the opportunity to develop this relationship, 09:13 the beauty of children is you see them developing. 09:18 And over the long term, 09:19 you can see this child going from kindergarten 09:22 to university, if that's what they choose to do, 09:25 and to see that development is awesome. 09:29 It is the one, the most transforming thing 09:32 you could see in life. 09:33 So being a sponsor gives the person and the child 09:38 the opportunity for this connection. 09:40 It's an eternal connection 09:42 because you transformed the life of this person. 09:45 And with me, I'm so privileged to come and see 09:48 some of the transformations taking place, 09:50 see the children and I've been involved for many years 09:53 and I've seen them grow up from kindergarten 09:56 through to university or technical college or finish, 09:59 get work, get employed, 10:02 get married and have children themselves. 10:04 That is amazing. 10:06 So that's the connection. 10:07 That's the relationship. 10:09 That's the joy that we get from sponsoring kids. 10:15 There's nothing like seeing a life of a child 10:17 be transformed because of you. 10:19 Because of you, that child has an education, 10:21 food, and an environment 10:23 where they can learn of God's love for them. 10:27 When you sponsor a child 10:29 through Child Impact International, 10:30 you do more than change the life of the child, 10:33 you also help to support mission schools. 10:35 But that sponsorship 10:37 is not only impacting on the life of the child, 10:39 it's making a huge difference 10:42 to These church mission schools, 10:44 because the funds go direct from us 10:46 to that mission school. 10:48 And some of these mission schools are struggling, 10:51 because they only, they are located in poor areas. 10:54 So the work that we do is very exciting 10:57 because we act as the person 11:00 that links the donor direct to the mission field. 11:04 And we are a very unique role because over 90% of the funds 11:09 that we send in a country go direct to the mission schools. 11:13 The impact of your sponsorship 11:15 is more than you will ever know in this life. 11:18 Thank you to all of the sponsors and donors 11:21 who are changing lives in this world 11:23 and for the world that is to come. 11:32 Even before my wife and I had biological children, 11:35 we decided to sponsor two children in India. 11:39 It seemed hard to believe 11:40 that such a small amount of money 11:42 can make such a dramatic difference 11:43 in the life of a child. 11:45 But it does. 11:47 My name is Tom Evans, 11:48 CEO of Child Impact International. 11:51 God has used Child Impact 11:52 to change the lives of thousands of children. 11:56 Sponsors have made this possible. 11:58 For less than a dollar a day, 12:00 children can receive an education 12:01 in the third world countries 12:03 where Child Impact operates. 12:05 As mentioned in the video, 12:06 one of the most beautiful things 12:07 about sponsorship 12:09 is that it impacts both the sponsor and the child. 12:12 Sponsorship is personal. 12:14 You build a relationship with the child and the sponsor, 12:17 and that relationship lasts a lifetime. 12:20 This relationship is so important 12:21 because it assures the child that they're not alone. 12:25 Maybe you've been thinking about sponsoring a child 12:27 with Child Impact. 12:29 We would love to hear from you. 12:30 You can select a child on our website 12:32 at childimpact.org 12:35 or by calling our office at 423-910-0667. 12:40 If you aren't quite ready for that commitment, 12:41 I'd invite you to consider our unsponsored child fund. 12:45 This fund helps provide for students 12:47 who are not yet sponsored, 12:48 but are attending the schools 12:50 and are part of the Child Impact family. 12:52 Thank you for the difference 12:53 you're making through sponsorship. |
Revised 2021-11-29