How are children accepted into the program?
Under normal circumstances, we receive applications during the first 2 weeks of November for children interested in entering the program when the new school year starts in January. We receive many more applications than we have room for, so the subsequent selection process chooses the children with the greatest need. Of course, there are many extraordinary circumstances, such as emergency court referrals or victims of natural or family disasters, in which case the children may be accepted throughout the year.
What does it cost to care for the children?
Our direct cost is US$2.00 per day (US$60 per month) for each child who lives with his/her own family, and US$3.50 per day (US$105 per month) for each child who lives with a Project foster family. With the latter, US$60 a month goes directly to the foster family.
What services do children receive?
The program helps children year-round. As you can imagine, our expenses are much higher between November and March, when we are paying for Christmas and new school year expenses for each child. In addition, children with a Project foster family receive everything that a child needs, including all living expenses. The same is true for a child who lives with his/her natural family, except we share the responsibility with the natural family. In addition, children receive from money for school enrollment fees, uniforms and shoes, and supplies. They receive new clothing at the start of the year, and new and used clothing twice a year (and when there is a special need). They receive medical care, daily academic tutoring, personal counseling, and family crisis intervention as needed. Furthermore, the children who live with their natural families can also earn an additional amount, which supplements, or even surpasses, their living, academic, transportation, and pocket money, based on a unique scholarship program we’ve developed. This scholarship program rewards children for academic excellence, while giving the family a vested interest in the academic progress of the child.
At what age do children need to leave the program?
Children leave the program when they have completed their education. We encourage the children to continue studying, and promise to help them through college if they wish.
What happens if a child drops out of school?
A child who drops out of school during the school year is not automatically dropped from the program. To the contrary, we believe that this is when the children need us the most, we focus extra attention on discovering the root of the problem, and we help them to resolve whatever problem they may have. Even if they drop out of school for a year, we continue to stand by the child, and to make him or her feel welcome in the program. We also strongly encourage them to go back to school the following year. It is only when an adolescent doesn’t want to return to school for a second year, that we then remove them from the program. If they should decide at a later time to return to school, we automatically accept the child back in the program.
What happens if an adolescent girl becomes pregnant?
This has happened a couple of times. In each occasion, the girl continued in the program, we arranged the best medical care possible, helped the girl through her pregnancy, arranged counseling, and strongly encouraged the girl to return to school after giving birth.
How do we determine which child receives a sponsor?
There are a number of considerations that we take into account when we match a sponsor to a child. These include the specific requests of the sponsor, the length of time that a child has been in the program, the interests and stability of the child (i.e., if they’ll be able to carry on a long-term sponsor relationship), and the needs of a child.
Is there any particular form that a potential sponsor needs to fill out?
None. While we’ll certainly send out a number of different invitations, a sponsorship arrangement can be easily established with a phone call, or by a note card sent to our Bismarck address.
What does it mean to “sponsor a child”?
By sponsoring a child through our program, you are forming a personalized relationship with the project. This child becomes our ambassador to you, and to you this boy or girl becomes the personification of all it is that we are trying to do among the third world poor.
Do my monthly donations go directly and exclusively to my sponsored child?
No, we can’t manage 2800 different accounts, so we use the “soup pot” concept. All gifts received from everywhere go into the “soup pot”, and from there we “ladle out” what is needed to pay the bills of each child according to their needs at the time. This is similar to all families and programs that we know of.
How about if I send a specified gift, such as for a birthday, Christmas, or “just because” gift?
That’s different, and in that case we DO manage 2800 individual accounts. Every penny of any gift that you send in as a specified gift goes directly to the child for whom that gift was specified. You’ll receive a thank you for the child for that specific gift.
Can a child have more than one sponsor?
Possibly, though most new children have just one sponsor. We currently have 2800 children in the program, and 944 sponsors. Occasionally a new sponsor will request to sponsor a specific child that they met personally, or request a specific age and gender child from a specific living situation. Or a sponsor may stop being a sponsor for a while, and then return years later requesting to sponsor the same child they sponsored before.
Does my child actually receive my letters?
Absolutely. Your child will receive both your original letter and a translated copy of your message.
How often can I write to my child?
As often as you like. There is no schedule, and we give the children your translated letter as soon as we receive and translate it. Of course, we do not require you to write personal letters if you do not wish.
How often will my child write to me?
We require your child to write at least twice a year. It’s very likely, however, that your child will write to you more often, especially on holidays, and if the two of you begin a regular sincere correspondence.
Does my sponsored child personally write the letters that I receive?
Absolutely. Their prose, their phrasing, their thoughts, and their message come directly from them to you. We help out only “by holding the pen” only if your sponsored child is too young, and doesn’t know how to read or write.
What should I write to my child about?
You received a summary of your child’s history to the extent that we know it. Ask your child about parts of it; favorite sports, his or her part-time summer job, the agriculture here, the country, his/her village. Also, your child is very interested in knowing about you. What is life like where you live? Children? Pets? Your job? Your hometown? In addition, the children love to receive photos of their sponsors.
Anything I should avoid writing about?
We recommend you avoid issues that you yourself would not wish to discuss, i.e. a child’s witnessing a massacre in his or her village, etc., as well as emphasizing expense luxury items that might make your child resentful of a culture or class difference. Please do not suggest that your child come visit you in the United States, as it would be almost impossible to arrange a visa.
How long should my letters be?
Since we nee d to translate your letters, please try to keep them to one page. This is also an ideal length for your child to read.
Where should I send my letters?
All letters should be sent to The GOD’S CHILD Project in Bismarck, ND. All letters are forwarded to us here in the Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados in Guatemala once a week. Packages, on the other hand, are discouraged since those are sent only when there is a visitor traveling this way, which could potentially be several weeks. You can mail your letters to:
(Your child’s name)
The GOD’S CHILD Project
PO Box 1573
Bismarck, ND 58502-1573
