About 10 years ago, I decided to sponsor a child. I was part time employed and living at home. I had surplus cash and a comfortable lifestyle and wanted to share it with someone who really needed it. Enter Erick. Erick, at the time, was 8, living on the Kano Plains in Kenya and needed a sponsor. So Erick became my little mate in pink thongs on the other side of the world. We wrote letters to one another, I got regular school reports and photos and updates. It was a thoroughly rewarding experience for me and judging by his appreciative letters, also for him.
So fast forward to now, I got a call last week to tell me that Erick had reached self supporting age and would no longer be my sponsor child. I was with tears in my eyes that I began to write a letter to Erick wishing him all the best. The sponsor agency told me that they would send me the details of another child shortly and that my sponsorship would continue as normal.
So yesterday, I "met" my new sponsor child. Now I always thought it ironic that someone from somewhere as exotic as Kenya, had such a Western name, Erick (add the K for a bit of interest). My new sponsor child is a 13 year old girl from the same area as Erick. Her name is Sharon and she likes netball......
On a more serious note though, if you have the means to sponsor a child or so something similar (there are heaps of options these days) I highly recommend it. I know some people are sceptics and see it as "warm fuzzies" for white folk, but I truly believe in it and have learned a lot from Erick and hopefully also from Shaz!
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