Why Child Sponsorship?

A Conversation with Greg Norwine, Director of GlobalFingerprints

I really enjoyed working with Greg and GlobalFingerprints to create When I Saw You / When You Saw Me. I recently talked with Greg because November is Orphan Awareness Month. I wanted you to hear more about child sponsorship + how it can play an important role in keeping kids with their families—no matter what challenges they’re facing.

How did GlobalFingerprints get its start?

I had the privilege of being part of a team that traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2004, during the height of the AIDS crisis, to explore how Evangelical Free Churches in that country were coping. One common theme when talking to pastors was the overwhelming number of AIDS orphans. Often extended family would take in the orphans, but since they lived at a subsistence level themselves, they found it difficult to adequately care for them or pay their school fees. The pastors wanted to help the orphans, but they also lacked resources. That trip was the impetus for launching a sponsorship program to help AIDS orphans in Congo, which eventually became known as GlobalFingerprints.

Where does GlobalFingerprints currently have sites? 

Today we have sites in Haiti, Panama, Cuba, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Myanmar, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

This weekend is Orphan Sunday. What are some ways that GlobalFingerprints comes alongside kids who have been orphaned? Are there ways that child sponsorship prevents kids from being orphaned or abandoned?

When a child is sponsored through GlobalFingerprints, a care worker, who is often a member of the local church, visits them in their home on a regular basis. They use a special tool that helps them assess the child’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. They then use sponsorship money to fill in the gaps. For example, they may find out the child is not going to school because the parents cannot afford to buy the child a uniform or pay the school fees. In that case, the care worker would use some of the sponsorship money to pay the school fee directly to the school.

 By helping families care for their children, we help keep children with their families. Many people are not aware that the overwhelming majority of children in orphanages have parents. Parents send their children to orphanages because they think they will receive better care and have the opportunity to get an education. However, decades of research have concluded that children do much better when they grow up in a family. So, we are committed to helping keep them there.

Is there a story you can share about the impact child sponsorship has had on a child and their family?

Mohsin grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His father died during Congo’s lengthy civil war. Mohsin and his family lived in poverty, so his mother enrolled him in GlobalFingerprints.

Before the start of his school year, Mohsin seriously fractured his leg, but his mother did not have the money for medical care. When Mohsin didn’t arrive at school, his GlobalFingerprints caseworker visited. Finding Mohsin in desperate need, she transported him to a Christian medical center for treatment.

Months later, Mohsin’s mother returned to her homeland to find her family. After seeing the love and care Mohsin received, she wanted him to stay and be raised by Christians in the Congo.

Christians adopted Mohsin. Now, he loves Jesus, is finishing school, and has plans to be a doctor. God used child sponsorship to transform his life.

If someone is interested in sponsoring a child, how can they do that? 

There are a couple of easy ways to learn more about child sponsorship and how to help transform the life of a child. You can visit GlobalFingerprints website or text SPONSOR 22999.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

So many of us want to make a difference in this world, but the problems seem so overwhelming. I want you to know you can truly make a difference in the life of one child. I have seen the difference sponsorship makes in the lives of these children. So, if you want to make an impact, start with one child.