Apostolic Christian HarvestCall -- Proclaim Christ and Serve Others

How is a starfish like a sponsored child?

Many of you have heard the "starfish" story (see below). This story reflects the essence of Child Sponsorship. While there are millions of children who live in poverty and can't afford an education, you can make a difference, one child at a time.

Photo credit: Arthur Chapman via Compfight

Our efforts are NOT in vain

A girl was walking along a beach where thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to a starfish, she would pick it up and throw it back into the ocean. People watched with amusement. She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, "Little girl, why are you doing this? You can't save all these starfish. You can't begin to make a difference!" The girl seemed crushed, but after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, "Well, I made a difference to that one!"

HarvestCall's child sponsorship program currently serves over 1,700 students in five countries: Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico and Zambia. As you can imagine, there are many more needs than sponsors - there is an endless number of children who need to be saved, just like the starfish. While an education gives them an opportunity to become productive adults, a Christ-centered education may be their only chance to hear the gospel message, literally saving them from eternal destruction.

Child sponsorship works

As reported in Christianity Today a few years ago, an economist from a major university conducted a comprehensive study to determine if child sponsorship actually made a difference. After evaluating data on over 10,000 former sponsored children from six countries, the findings demonstrated that child sponsorship works.

Sponsored children were:

27-40% more likely to complete secondary school
50-80% more likely to complete a university education
14-18% more likely to obtain a salaried job
35% more likely to obtain a white-collar job

The study also found evidence that sponsored children are more likely to serve as community and church leaders.

How to sponsor a child (or a school)

Go Online

You now have the ability to select a child and start your sponsorship entirely online at harvestcall.org. Just choose the country you want and browse photos and biographies of available children.

Call

If you have questions or need to have someone talk you through the sponsorship options, please call the Child Sponsorship office at 309.266.6080.

Use the Brochure

The brochure rack at your local church should include Child Sponsorship brochures, which have a pre-addressed, tear-off reply card, which you mail in to start your sponsorship.

SPONSOR NOW

And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. Luke 9:48

I'd like to thank each of you who have "received" a sponsored child in the name of Christ; it is our prayer that many of these dear children will not only obtain an education but also become "great" by hearing and believing the glorious gospel and receive the power to become the sons and daughters of God! (John 1:12)

In Christian Love,