fbpx

DONATE

THE FORWARD EDGE Blog

Child Sponsorship
Mission Trips
Resources
Stories
All
Child Sponsorship
child sponsorship

How to Write a Letter to Your Sponsored Child

One of the greatest joys a child receives is a letter from his or her sponsor. Sponsored children usually save all of the letters they receive and read them over and over again, they are such a source of encouragement and love for them. Writing to your sponsored child is so important, but it might sometimes be a little difficult to think of things to write–especially at first, when you’re just getting to know them. The following are some letter-writing tips that might help. You can also use this GREAT acronym to guide you. G — Greeting R — Remember

Read More »
child sponsorship

New Uganda Children’s Program

We are so excited to be starting 2019 off with the addition of a brand new Forward Edge ministry location. Our newest Child Sponsorship program, Light A Candle, serves 400 children in some of the most difficult areas of Kampala, Uganda. Kampala comprises 3.5 million people within the city limits, including 57 slum areas where the poorest of the poor reside. Of those living within these slums, 50% are children under the age of 15. Slum life is one of abject poverty, poor sanitation and exposure to high crime. Most families have little to no income and have to try

Read More »
child sponsorship

Small Notes, Big Impact

Someone Thought of Me? Did you know that a simple note can change the trajectory of a child’s life? It’s true! For children living in poverty, life is challenging and filled with hardships. They may feel overlooked, forgotten, and alone. But when they receive a note, it shows that they are not alone and that they matter. To be known, thought of, and prayed for is immeasurable. It can give them a sense of purpose and worth, and it can help them to believe in themselves and their dreams.   When someone takes the time to reach out to a

Read More »
child sponsorship

Sponsoring a Child During COVID-19

During these times when most of us are ‘social distancing’ and ‘sheltering in place’, we probably have much more time on our hands and yet are unable to be in touch with many of those on our minds. This is especially true of our sponsored children. We know they and their families are experiencing the same difficulties we are, and possibly more, depending on where they live in the world. All our sponsorship programs have been affected due to the Coronavirus pandemic. As schools are closed and churches are not meeting, our normal weekly program activities have been greatly altered.

Read More »
child sponsorship

Why Didn’t I Cry?

By Melanie Kruse Off On a Mission Trip  I’ve never been on a mission trip like this. This was the first time we served with Forward Edge and the first time our two daughters had joined us, but that’s not what made it different. On this trip I didn’t cry.   My husband and I had both been on mission trips before with other organizations, often with many tears involved. As we boarded the plane for Oaxaca, Mexico, I anticipated feeling emotions similar to those I’d experienced on past trips.  The next morning was filled with joy as we finally met

Read More »
child sponsorship

How to Be a Child Advocate

What is Child Advocacy and how do I do it? “Child Advocacy”… such an official sounding term, isn’t it? Miriam Webster defines advocacy as “the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal”, and when broken down that way, it’s a pretty simple concept. Many of us are child advocates in our daily lives and perhaps not even aware of it. If you’re a parent who is involved in supporting or promoting your child’s education or extra-curricular activities, that is advocacy. If you teach Sunday school or help in your church’s nursery, that is advocacy. If you contribute financially

Read More »
child sponsorship

Nubia’s Story: The Power of Love

Love has a way of radically transforming lives. At Forward Edge, we place our focus on helping children trapped in poverty reach their full, God-given potential (Ephesians 2:10) by meeting their basic needs (food, safe water, health care) and empowering them with quality education, vocational training, and spiritual discipleship. This holistic model helps vulnerable children receive the care they often desperately need. What is the result? They begin to thrive.   However, while food, water and education are crucial in breaking the cycle of poverty, love is what penetrates the heart and creates lasting change in the lives of the children

Read More »
child sponsorship

Am I Making a Difference?

Ever wonder if you’re really making an impact in the life of the child you sponsor? The very fact that your child knows you chose them shows them they are special and that they matter. They know they’re important to you and also to God, you may even be an answer to their prayers. Impacting Generations with Holistic Care You’re providing holistic care for your child. This includes education, nutritious meals, spiritual mentorship, health care, tutoring and school tuition, health care, and safe drinking water! You’re also making an impact on their family. Parents have peace of mind because of

Read More »
child sponsorship

This is What Success Looks Like

A special message from our Program Directors in Mexico, Victor and Lety Velasco: Hola and Feliz Navidad from Forward Edge and our program down here in Oaxaca, Mexico. We want to tell you a story of the impact you’re making. One of the first families to join our program 10 years ago was The Santiago Lugo family. The parents had little education, they were very poor, and all six children were going hungry. We began to provide them all with nutritious food, doctor visits, safe water to drink, spiritual discipleship, and our daily homework club for the children. We were

Read More »
child sponsorship

Berenice’s Letter

A special message from one of our sponsored children in Oaxaca, Mexico: Receive an affectionate greeting all of you. I would like to tell you a little bit about my life in Trigo y Miel Program. My name is Berenice Santiago Lugo. I have 5 siblings. Audre, Uriel, Joselyn, Dulce and Samuel, and my parents, Silvia Lugo Altamirano and Felipe Santiago Rodríguez, we are 8 members in my family. In 2011 I had the immense blessing of being part of this beautiful family “Trigo y Miel”. I was 12 years old, at that time I was in the last year

Read More »

5 Tips for Writing Your Child Consistently

I just returned from a mission trip to our child sponsorship program in El Cobre, Cuba and spent several days with not only my sponsored child but some of yours as well! What a joy to see them face to face, hug them, and to share some quality time. One of the things that I was really struck by on this visit was the huge importance children place on communication from their sponsors. I already knew this to be true but what I witnessed brought it home once again. We visited some of the children in their homes and brought

Read More »
child sponsorship

10 Ideas for Choosing a Child to Sponsor

Choosing to sponsor a child is a big leap of faith. Once you have taken the first step of saying “yes” to sponsorship and helping vulnerable children, the next step can be joyful…and overwhelming! It can be difficult to know where to start that’s why we’ve put together a list of 10 ideas to help you choose. 1. Decide based on how long they’ve waited Choose a child based on how long they’ve been waiting for a sponsor. Anyone who has longed for something knows this proverb to be true: hope deferred makes the heart sick. Many of the children

Read More »
child sponsorship

Why Can’t I Instant Message My Sponsored Child?

1.86 billion people log into their Facebook account at least once a month–that’s almost 1/4 of the total global population! This number doesn’t even include other outlets like Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. People in developing countries are no exception to this global trend, and chances are, the child you sponsor has a social media account too.  Social media today is one of the main ways people build relationships with each other. As a child sponsor, or a mission team member who’s thinking about sponsoring a child, you probably have the desire to build a lasting relationship with a child in need, and

Read More »
child sponsorship

4 Tips to Grow Closer to Your Sponsored Child

As a child sponsor for over 3 decades, and now as the Child Sponsorship Administrator for Forward Edge, I am often asked (and challenged myself) about how to best communicate with a sponsored child. In almost all cases, the children we sponsor live in other countries. We do live in a technologically advanced age with a myriad of electronic options and apps designed for communication, but for logistical reasons (and safety precautions) these methods are rarely viable or suitable for sponsor/child contact. Ultimately, the best way to communicate with our kids is through good old-fashioned letters (and e-mail, thank goodness).

Read More »

Transform a Child's Life Through Sponsorship

Miredita (hello), my name is Ardian

  • location

    Kosovo

  • 10 yrs. old

    03-31-2013

Entered the program: September 2023

Ardian lives with his parents, and 3 siblings in a small village. They recently moved from an old stone house they shared with their aunts, uncles and grandparents to a small two-room house that their relatives built for them. Their living conditions are poor. Ardian’s mother is the main provider for the family and is a hardworker, cultivating a garden and raising a couple of goats and chickens to provide food for them. Ardian’s father is disabled and cannot work. They live on 100 euros per month of governmental assistance, which covers the costs for water and electricity for 2 weeks. Affording to keep their children in school is very challenging.

Ardian's sister, Edona, is also in the Corner Stone program.

 

Sponsorship Level What's this?

Three $38 sponsorships are needed to cover the complete holistic care of one child. Cover one, two, or three sponsorships.