By Kathryn Szabo on August 15, 2014 in Sponsor Impact, Stories

Sarah is no stranger to the child sponsorship program at Food for the Hungry (FH). An enthusiastic sponsor, she also works at FH in the child sponsorship department. Growing up, Sarah’s family emphasized the importance of a vibrant relationship with Jesus and an education. Food for the Hungry has the same priorities.

“They (FH) teach my sponsored child (and every other sponsored child) about God’s love and provide an education,” says Sarah. “FH gives my sponsored child every tool he will need throughout the rest of his life, and I’m so honored to be a part of it.”

She and her husband chose to sponsor Ren, a little boy in the Philippines. Sarah’s family is Filipino, her parents moved to the United States to pursue better education and to start their own family. Sarah says she chose Ren because, “as a first generation Asian-American, I grew up listening to stories about my parents’ lives in the Philippines. They always told me about how fortunate I was to grow up in the United States because of the hardship and the poverty that so many Filipinos have to endure.”

Sarah is proud of her heritage and wants to contribute to the world in a meaningful way. However, for many people, it’s difficult to know how to make a difference, especially in a world with such overwhelming need.

Child sponsorship provides a way to take action. Sarah says, “As one person, I can’t make a whole lot of difference for the Philippines as a whole, but I can make a difference in Ren’s life.”

Sarah and her husband were drawn to sponsorship because Food for the Hungry joins community leaders to help revive hope in vulnerable areas of the world. Recently hit by numerous tsunamis, the Philippines is no exception.

After experiencing hardships, children need words of hope. Child sponsors sending words of encouragement in letters help children, like Ren, to feel that they have potential, are valued and loved.

Sarah also likes that she and Ren can share their cultures with each other. “Ren calls me Ate Sarah, which essentially translates to ‘older sister’ in Tagalog,” says Sarah. “I like to write him back using whatever Tagalog phrases I can come up with.”

Ren and Sarah’s correspondence attracted her mother and other family members’ attention, even inspiring a cousin to sponsor another child in the Philippines. Her time as a sponsor has brought her joy and impacted her life and Ren’s—and those of her family.

“It has been so rewarding for me to form this relationship with Ren and watch the Lord reach my whole family as well,” said Sarah.

Sarah and her husband have decided to sponsor another child, a little girl in Nicaragua. They are looking forward to learning about Nicaraguan life and culture through the eyes of their sponsored child.

Sarah’s story is inspiring. If you have felt the weight of all that is going on in the world, take heart. And take action. By sponsoring a child, you are helping to improve a child’s life.

You are also establishing a significant relationship that has the potential to inspire your own family and community. Like Sarah and Ren, the bond you can forge can bring joy, hope and a brighter future.