Many of us have seen profile photos of children in sponsorship programs; they are often solemn, sad and sometimes down-right angry looking. I know I have thought at times, “Wow, that poor child must be so unhappy!” But then I come across a video from the same organization in which the children are playing and laughing, and I scratch my head wondering what the difference is.
I recently had the opportunity to visit our children’s sponsorship program in Vernet, Haiti. In advance of the trip, one of the tasks I was preparing to tackle was taking updated photos of the children. Because I had experienced this aforementioned phenomenon with our program kids, I was a little daunted by the thought, but also determined to get cheerful photos if I had to stand on my head (not really–but you get the point) to do it.
While pondering how to go about this, I remembered a conversation I had with a friend. I was remarking that even though we try to model smiling for the kids and say things like “show your teeth”, we often end up with toothy grimaces instead of genuine smiles. She then shared something I had never thought of: Many children don’t understand the concept of smiling (especially on cue) because they don’t know what that looks like on them. The next thing she said caused the light bulb to go on–”Children often don’t know what they look like because they have never even seen themselves in a mirror.” I knew then what I would do!
When I met our Haiti kids I was elated by how full of joy they seemed–and I was encouraged that I could capture that in my photos. Over the course of the next two days I started playing and making silly faces at and with them. I smiled A LOT, stuck out my tongue, rolled my eyes and invited them to do the same. We just had fun. Then I whipped out my cell phone and started taking photos and showing them what they looked like–they couldn’t get enough, and soon my phone was more popular than I was.
All of this was going to culminate in a lesson and activity I would lead the next day which I hoped would help my cause. The topic was being made in the image of God–and while it was a great biblical teaching in its own right, I had an underlying motive. During the course of the lesson we played the mirror game, I did a funny skit with a mirror, and we finished with a craft in which each child made a mirror of their own. We looked at ourselves, made funny faces, smiled big smiles and thanked God for making each of us unique and in His image.
Then, (wait for it…) it was picture time! I would love to say that after all that practice every child smiled, but some didn’t–at least not without a little cajoling. However, the majority of the kids smiled easily straight-away, and I was thrilled; I could see the image of God in each of their sweet faces.
This exercise was a good reminder to me that there is usually more behind what we see on the surface, and sometimes it takes looking from another’s perspective to discover the truth. The reality may often be more innocent than we judged it to be, and can be transformed by a little understanding and encouragement.
Ymer grew up feeling invisible, his dreams of education dimmed by discrimination and discouragement. But a spark of hope emerged when he joined tutoring classes, where a simple moment of recognition changed everything. With newfound confidence, letters of encouragement, and the support of a sponsor, Ymer discovered his worth and the power of believing in himself.
The past two years have been particularly hard for children in Uganda. Schools remained shut through most of the pandemic. Light a Candle, our program there, worked tirelessly to help these children succeed in their education despite the seemingly impossible situation. Despite school closures, children have remained committed to pursuing
Discover the heart behind every word of Forward Edge’s mission and vision. Learn how each phrase points to God’s call, guides our work around the world, and reflects our commitment to transforming lives through Christ-centered, holistic care.
We are so excited to be starting 2019 off with the addition of a brand new Forward Edge ministry location. Our newest Child Sponsorship program, Light A Candle, serves 400 children in some of the most difficult areas of Kampala, Uganda. Kampala comprises 3.5 million people within the city limits,
9 yrs. old
Entered the program: October 2025
Santiago lives with his parents and his younger sister, Daniela (also in the program) in a small one-room house with a kitchen and a bathroom.
Santiago was born with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) and he is unable to walk, speak, or feed himself. His mother must devote most of her time and attention to his care. Santiago’s parents met when they were in middle school. His father was in the United States when Santiago was born in 2017 but then came back to their village. Life is very difficult for this family.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
