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 already know, a child’s basic needs can be supplied for only $30 a month.  Yet we often receive calls and e-mails from sponsors who have one question: “Is there anything extra I can do for my sponsored child?”  Eventually, after many calls of this kind, we realized we needed to create a place where ...

Hannah Humston is turning 12 at the end of this month.  While most pre-12-year-old girls would be dreaming of birthday gifts, sleepovers, and anticipating their final year before becoming an “official” teenager, Hannah is doing something quite unusual for a girl her age. 

 
While glancing through the mail, Hannah came across a World Help envelope announcing the Showering Hope project to benefit World Help’s Hope of Life Baby Rescue Center in Guatemala.  For her birthday, she is planning to host a tea party in honor of the shower project, asking for donations towards the project instead of gifts.  On the last day of the month, (her actual birthday) she will use the collected “birthday gifts” to purchase items on the Target Baby Registry for the rescue center.  We caught up with Hannah and her mom, Debi, and had the opportunity to ask them a few questions:

 

Hannah, ...

This past weekend, millions around the world congregated to watch the World Cup Final match between Spain and the Netherlands.  Kampala, the capital city of Uganda was no different—bustling with excited fans who had gathered in homes, restaurants, hotels, and other venues to view the highly anticipated contest.  The excitement of the occasion quickly turned to fear and chaos when two of these locations were bombed by a Somali militant group linked to Al Qaida. More than 70 people were killed in these attacks. For the full news story, click here.

 

Here is a portion of the update we received from one of our in-country directors in Uganda:

 

“Kampala City was shaken by bombs planted by Islamic extremist based in Somalia. It was in two separate locations east of Kampala city. Please pray for the peace of Kampala and Uganda.”

 

We thank God for protecting our ...

Over the past few months, we have been writing updates about 9-year-old Margarita in Guatemala, who was raped and needed surgery to repair damage to her internal organs.  This tragic story touched the heart of a donor who was able to provide funds for Margarita to have the life-saving operation she desperately needed.

 

We are happy to report that on May 18 Margarita underwent a successful surgery in order to reconstruct her intestines and other internal organs that were damaged.

 

Thank you for praying for Margarita before and during her operation.  The procedure was successful and Margarita spent some time recuperating at the rescue center.  She is now finishing her recovery at home.

 

Please continue to pray for Margarita and her family.  She has been through a traumatizing ordeal that no human being, let alone child, should have to endure.  She will continue to need help to ...

Sponsoring a child in need is a small investment with an eternally significant impact. As a part of our sponsorship family, you play an integral role in the life of one child (or several) who otherwise may not experience the love and provision of Jesus Christ on a daily basis. Our child sponsorship programs around the world are uniquely designed to meet the needs of sponsored children in their respective communities.

But what happens in times of crisis? What happens when the landscape of an entire country changes in a few short hours, and its people are left surrounded by turmoil and devastation?

This is the story of Guatemala. In the wake of Tropical Storm Agatha, this country faces overwhelming challenges from all angles—from a lack of adequate shelter to destroyed crops and contaminated water sources. Currently, we have eight child sponsorship programs in Guatemala caring for over 1,700 children. These ...