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Child with gift from sponsor
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Even though Child Sponsorship supports needy students in five countries, approximately 75% of the annual funding is directed to over 1,000 students in Haiti, as well as over 100 sponsored schools. With this concentration of resources in one country, the Child Sponsorship Committee has been seeking administrative support for a couple of years to help steward the program in Haiti.
Recently, with oversight support from the World Relief Caribbean Committee and financial and spiritual resource support from the Apostolic Christian Church Servant Fund, the Child Sponsorship Committee has been able to offer an administrative leadership position to a couple from Smithville, Ohio.
Bro. Mike and Sis. Susie Walder have responded to God's call by accepting the role of Haiti Child Sponsorship Administrator. Bro. Mike and Sis. Susie, along with three of their four children (Grant - 17; Trinity - 14 and Grace - 7), will relocate to Cayes, Haiti in December 2013, and will begin their responsibilities in early 2014. Their oldest son, Evan - 20, is in college and will not move to Haiti.
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A typical Haitian classroom
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The primary role of the Haiti Child Sponsorship Administrator will be to work in partnership with Child Sponsorship's two Haitian Christian education partner organizations to ensure that a Christ-centered education is provided to all students in the program and that agreed-upon educational standards are met by all sponsored schools. The Haiti CS Administrator will also provide leadership in the overall operation of the programs and serve as a liaison to the ACWR Child Sponsorship Committee.
 Specifically, the Walders will be responsible for oversight and assignment of appropriate resources for the following primary activities of the Child Sponsorship program:
- Ensure that quality Christ-centered education standards are in place and operational.
- Execute specific projects like Bible story book distribution and the school lunch program.
- Reconcile accounts and ensure strong financial stewardship.
- Coordinate school visits to track attendance and reinforce spiritual participation.
- Improve the quality and frequency of correspondence from students to sponsors.
- Assist with development and direction of local management staff and talent with Child Sponsorship's two partner organization.
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Young students relaxing between classes
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Over the past few years, Bro. Mike and Sis. Susie have served in the ministry in the Smithville, Ohio Apostolic Christian Church. In this role, they not only ministered to the needs of the Smithville congregation, but also demonstrated a heart and willingness for community outreach to share the Gospel message with the lost. Over time, the call to serve intensified and the Walders felt a desire to move out of their comfort zone, and work for the Lord in a more challenging environment where souls are in desperate need of hearing the Gospel message.
In their own words, they expressed a desire to "share the Gospel with the world in word, deed and lifestyle. We cannot simply wait for people to ask us about our faith. We need to point them to the Savior."
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Learning the English alphabet
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In addition, Bro. Mike and Sis. Susie shared that they are interested in serving in Haiti wherever needed to be the arms and feet of Jesus. They desire to be about the Father's business and help children experience a brighter world through education, truly loving and caring for them by providing nutritious meals, clothing, medical assistance, spending time with them and teaching them. In addition, by making that love tangible to them, they hope that they will be more receptive to the love of the Savior.
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Friends enjoying school lunch
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As the Walders begin this new service for the Lord, the Child Sponsorship Committee and all of the sponsored students and schools in Haiti, please be prayerful for them and their family, that they can easily make the transition and begin to build strong personal relationships that will allow them to perform their new role and draw even more precious souls to Christ.
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