I’m always amazed at the stories we hear from families in the sponsorship program.
One of the things we’ve heard several times which you can never be fully prepared for is “NOW I AM HUMAN.”
One story that stays with me is from a mother that said her life before was so difficult and she was so low that no one saw her or even regarded her as human.
She had no food, no home, NO HOPE. Each day she would do what she could to find food for her children and would end the day under a makeshift shelter she would make from enset leaves. The only thing between her family and the weather and hyenas was a shelter of leaves.
After one of her children was added to the sponsorship program things began to turn around. Today she has found HOPE! She has a home to live in with her family, her children are in school, her family has food and now she says “I AM HUMAN”!
We hear from caretakers (who could be a Mom, Dad, Uncle, Aunt, grandparent, older sibling or even neighbors) proudly say things like:
– now they are in school and learning
– now I have food for my children
– now we have animals
– now we have a home
and so on.
We seldom hear requests for anything from the families but when we do it is almost always from families not yet connected with a sponsor.
They ask “when will I have a sponsor, when will I get letters and photos like the others?” They understand that our program is more than a sponsorship program. While the funds and helps that the program bring are vital to the well-being and recovery of the family, an even higher value is placed on having someone care enough to pray for their child and their family even though they’ve never met.
During the April trip the team meet 39 children that have just entered the program! We spent a few minutes with each one and their caretakers and heard some hard things but we are eager to see the changes that will come!
We also then had the unexpected privilege of visiting the sponsored children in Hulla. Hulla was the first of the areas I visited with a team a few years back.
The children there made such an impact on me and I’ve never forgotten them so it was a really special surprise to see them again! To see them smiling, healthy and knowing they are in school and doing well was such a great blessing. They told us about the dreams they have – big dreams – they want to be doctors, teachers, engineers, and so on!
They expressed deep gratitude to their sponsors and to God. They understand that He is the ultimate source of our help and hope. Words can’t express how blessed we are to play a small part of the delivering hope to these families and how challenging it is to experience the sponsored kids’ faith.
Want to become part of the Hawassa Hope family?
Email us at info@hawassahope.org!