This Sunday, August 30th, is our second Child Sponsorship Weekend at Liberty Church. Ben Rodgers, Executive President of Children’s Cup, will be speaking at all three communities and extending the opportunity to sponsor children in Swaziland. We encourage you to consider sponsoring a child and supporting this amazing organization.
Last year, Liberty Church rallied behind Children’s Cup and individuals in our church sponsored 150 children in Sauerstown, Zimbabwe. Jason Palazini of our Union Square community has shared his story of meeting Norman, his sponsor child.
“During last year’s Child Sponsorship Weekend, I chose to support a child living in Zimbabwe, despite my own financial hardship. I saw how many kids in Children’s Cup needed a sponsor, and I knew that I had to be a part of the answer. But with so many children in the program, it couldn’t be a spontaneous decision. I looked over the profiles before service, prayed over it, and returned after service to find exactly who I was supposed to support.
“The next year was spent giving little and gaining greatly. Not only was I able to help provide some of the resources that I was blessed with growing up, but I was able to write back and forth to Norman, getting to know him and how he wants to become a doctor so he can help his friends. I’ve lost count of how many pictures Norman has drawn for me of his family, friends, and soccer balls. Finding a letter from Norman in the mail after a long day always brings so much joy into my life.
“Few things matter more to me than people. I love people. And while the letters are incredible, they pale in comparison to meeting Norman in person. One of the best parts about Liberty Church’s partnership with Children’s Cup is our missions trips. Liberty is intentional in working with Children’s Cup to select children in their program who are in areas where Liberty is currently working or planning future missions trips. Last October, I was blessed with the opportunity to go to Zimbabwe with a team and meet Norman in person.
“The team and I had the privilege of serving the church and the surrounding community. We were invited into the homes of strangers to learn about them and pray over them and their families. We were able to visit the schools and serve lunch to the kids, including our individual sponsor children.
“The highlight of the entire experience was spending time with Norman at his school. The school had arranged for all of us to meet our sponsor children, share a lunch, give gifts, and enjoy a field day with them. Norman is shy and his first language is Ndebele so we needed speak through a translator until he was comfortable enough with me to attempt speaking in English. But as soon as he started, he couldn’t stop. We spent hours talking, playing soccer, running on the slip ’n’ slide, and enjoying the bouncy castle. We spent the most time ‘racing cars.’ (Norman loves racing and making engine sounds while pushing around a spare tire.)
“I’ve been in New York City for almost two years now—more than enough to experience the hardships that come with big city living, get caught up in the culture, and forget what it means to truly struggle. But my short time in Zimbabwe with Norman gave me such incredible perspective on what true joy in hardship is. Despite how few opportunities Norman’s country can afford him right now, he’s full of joy, hope, and dreams of giving back.
“This year, we’re partnering with Children’s Cup to help support their programs in Swaziland where two of our missionaries are currently serving. Supporting Norman has been one of the greatest learning experiences of my life, and I can’t wait for the opportunity to do it again!”
Since 2011, Liberty Church has partnered with Children’s Cup in their mission of bringing humanitarian and spiritual aid to areas devastated by war, natural disasters, disease, and the cycle of poverty. Children’s Cup’s long-term approach to transforming communities and their comprehensive care for orphans and vulnerable children brings the message that “Hope’s name is Jesus.”
We’re so excited to hear Ben Rodgers bring his faith and vision to our services this week and to see what incredible relationships come out of these sponsorships. What an impact we can have together on the children of Swaziland!
Two important factors to consider when sponsoring a child: this is both a financial commitment and a personal commitment. Not only do the children look forward to your monthly financial support that provides them food, clothing for school, education, medical needs, and discipleship, but they also look forward to your letters, photographs, and personal connection. Many of these children have never received a letter in the mail, so receiving your love and support means the world to them. And you can look forward to hearing from them too!
