“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord.
“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.
– Isaiah 54:1-3 –
I didn’t expect these to be the scripture verses that God had for me. I am blessed with a wonderful, godly husband who loves me quite dearly. Like most people when we got married, I expected we would have children in a few years. We trusted God in this situation – but that wasn’t our path. We didn’t have children and we weren’t led to adoption as His plan for us. I am a caretaker by nature but didn’t have children of my own to care for.
I know I am not alone in not having that desire for my own children fulfilled, but it was a bit perplexing. But I realized something was changing in my heart – there was fire igniting in me to fight for children who didn’t have anyone to fight for them, for children who needed help and hope and Jesus. Then God gave me these verses reminding me that He had children for me to love and care for – for me, these children weren’t next door but in different lands where they needed the refreshing living water of Christ.
This burden was general until my first day visiting Trigo y Miel, Forward Edge’s program in Oaxaca, Mexico. We were challenged by our Facilitator, Jeff Thompson, to ‘make a friend’, get to know one person at Trigo while you visited. I was willing to try to connect with someone but knowing my high school Spanish was more than rusty, I wasn’t sure how it would work.
Then we arrived at Trigo – all the children were so welcoming and excited to meet us. It was wonderful! We completed our portion of the VBS which was not the most inspirational moment (we have learned a lot since then), but afterwards we got to interact with the children. With the help of our translator, I spoke with a few of the girls about family and school. I talked with one of the girls, Maria, about her favorite subjects, her dreams for the future, her family and the Trigo y Miel program. She was such a sweet soul – it was such a blessing.
During the rest of the week, I saw her regularly at meals and activities. Our team was working a lot that week, but we were always blessed by the time with the children.
When I returned home, I knew I wanted to sponsor Maria. Jeff explained that each child needs three sponsors at $38 each or one at $114 per month to be fully sponsored. After spending a week seeing all the amazing support and care that Maria (and all the children) receive from Victor, Lety and the whole Trigo team, I decided to fully sponsor her so her future would be secure – that fire in my heart wouldn’t be satisfied with less than a full commitment.
Since that time, I have had the joy of visiting Maria and her family during four annual mission trips to Oaxaca. What a blessing it was to sit in her home with her mom and brother, just having a conversation! Through letters and photos, I get to share in her life and growth.
She is now enrolled in Siloe, Trigo’s private Christian school, instead of a public school that she attended in the past. She and her mother were both baptized in 2023. Maria sings on the Worship Team, and their team recently participated in a local 24-hour worship event.
For Maria, she gets nutritious meals, quality education, safe drinking water, medical check-ups, spiritual discipleship, mentoring, small gifts for birthdays and Christmas, and the confidence that she has been chosen…she is seen…she has someone praying for her…she is known and loved.
Through sponsorship, I get the joy of supporting, encouraging, and praying for this wonderful young woman. It is such a simple, yet powerful way to support the global Church of Christ – helping a child grow and discover God’s purpose of her life.
As the Director of Development at Forward Edge, I have the privilege and joy of helping support our Program Directors and staff around the world as they share the love of Jesus to their communities. All the children in our programs are dear to my heart, but it is especially personal with Maria, Silvestre and Mariam as we now sponsor all of them.
So, as Isaiah 54 says, I will sing and enlarge my tent for there are more children to love….
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
“Every Saturday, my heart was filled with joy,” says Elvin, reflecting on the love and care he found at Cornerstone Kosova. Growing up in the harsh realities of Kosova, Elvin once faced a life full of hardship. But through the community’s love and the teachings of Jesus, his life was transformed. Now 15, Elvin’s journey of hope continues, and he’s sharing that same love with others.
What does it look like to follow Jesus in a culture where most of your community—and even your own family—follows a different faith? In Kosova, where Ramadan is a time of fasting and nightly celebration, young believers often feel the tension deeply.
This blog, written by our Kosova program directors Nora and Metush, shares the powerful story of Ymer—a boy learning to hold onto Jesus in the middle of cultural and spiritual pressure.
Have you come across Sell a Home, Save a Child and wondered what it is? Abbreviated SAHSAC, Sell a Home, Save a Child is a funding program for Forward Edge International. The premise is simple: sell homes and save children. Real Estate professionals can partner with Sell a Home, Save
19 yrs. old
Entered the program: September 2023
Elvin lives with his mother, who works as a nurse, and two brothers. His father, a fireman, is married to another woman, and he doesn't see Elvin or his brothers often. He has half-siblings that he also doesn't interact with. It is a complicated and sad situation for Elvin and his brothers. Both parents support the family but they have had to move often which has been difficult for them.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
