The holidays can be a beautiful time for family. But at the same time, holiday seasons can be extremely difficult for families living in poverty.
As followers of Christ, we are called to serve and love. There’s no better way for a family to celebrate Christmas than by helping another family, living out God’s call to care for the “least of these.”
Through Compassion, you can sponsor a family for Christmas this season by choosing to support a child living in extreme poverty. Keep reading to learn how to sponsor a family for Christmas. ”
Christmas for Families in Poverty
When parents are unable to purchase gifts from a child’s Christmas wish list or host that special holiday meal, it’s often children who feel that sadness the most deeply.
The reality for many families in poverty is that year round, there are not enough resources for food or clothes. Parents experience the pain of being unable to meet their children’s most basic, day-to-day needs. They are so focused on survival that they have little left to celebrate the holidays, let alone buy their families gifts.
Knowing that this season can be hard for others, many people participate in adopt-a-family programs or partner with organizations like the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots or social services to help local families during the holidays.
At Compassion International, a nonprofit that partners with churches around the world to serve low-income families, we offer you a different way to “sponsor” a family for Christmas — one that goes far beyond holiday gifts and gift cards!
We believe that every child and every family deserves the opportunity to celebrate the gift of Jesus at Christmas and all year round.
This holiday season, you and your entire family could live out the meaning of Christmas by caring for a child in poverty through sponsorship.
The love and support you and your family share with that child spreads to all their family members. By giving the gift of sponsorship, you also gift joy and hope to each family member in that child’s life!
Why Should You Sponsor a Family for Christmas
Sponsoring a child is not the same as adopting a family for Christmas — it actually reaches much farther than you’d imagine! Helping a child has important ripple effects to many around them.
Each child in our sponsorship program is cared for physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Each child:
- Receives nutritious food and snacks at the Compassion center
- Can visit the doctor when they are sick
- Receive emergency support and household items during disasters
- Have a church family who will pray for them when times get hard
We also support the parents of registered children through our local church partners. Many churches offer vocational training for parents, and they often come alongside parents to help them start small businesses.
All this care is an amazing gift to a family, especially to parents living in poverty. They can rest assured that their child is loved and cared for. Parents in poverty must worry constantly about how they’ll provide for their children. Compassion helps support families by taking this weight off parents and offering them a support system.
Families feel this impact more during the holidays. When parents otherwise might not have enough to feed their children, much less buy them Christmas gifts, Compassion’s local church partners work to ensure that families are cared for and able to celebrate.
Each child in the sponsorship program receives a Christmas gift and has the chance to attend holiday programs organized by our church partners. Can you imagine the relief a parent would feel knowing their child has a gift to open, a new toy to play with or their first new pair of shoes?
This life-changing support system all starts when you sponsor a child. Families of Compassion-assisted children can feel the tangible love of Jesus and the care of the church and sponsors. These are gifts that go far beyond the holidays!
When you sponsor a child, you help that child and their family:
Sponsoring a Family Through Compassion
Compassion’s unique approach to child development is to raise healthy children who are able to reach their full, God-given potential.
Children who are healthy physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually can help their families and communities in extraordinary ways. Research has found that former Compassion-sponsored children are more likely to be leaders in their communities and churches!
So rather than just sponsoring a family through the holidays, sponsor a child through an environment that is:
- Christ-centered, so every child has the opportunity to hear the gospel.
- Child-focused, so activities bring out the best in each child.
- Church-driven, as we partner with churches, parents and communities to teach, train and mentor children.
First, choose a child you would like to sponsor. You can choose based on the child’s birthday or choose a child from our longest waiting list. There’s no wrong choice—every child deserves to be loved and cared for!
Once you select your child, we’ll gather some information from you to finalize your sponsorship. After we finalize your sponsorship, we’ll send you a welcome packet complete with photos of your child..
Throughout your sponsorship journey, you can send life-changing encouragement to your child and their family through letters and photographs. Plus, we offer sponsors the chance to send tax-deductible gifts and cards that share the love and hope of Jesus — especially during the holidays.
You’ll experience the gratification of knowing you’re not only touching the life of one child but also touching a family and perhaps an entire community that desperately needs the skills and contributions of your Compassion child.
Celebrate the gift of Jesus by giving a child and their entire family the gift of sponsorship. Sponsor a child today!