THANK YOU FOR A 15K MAY
What if we can change the world by empowering one young leader at a time?
At Children of Promise, we’ve always believed every child deserves the chance to dream, grow, and discover their God-given purpose. Through the 15,000-leader campaign last month, we took that vision even further by cultivating young leaders across the globe who are ready to bring hope and transformation to their communities. After all…
“When you sponsor a child you can change a life, but when you empower a leader, you can change a city.”
Thank you for planting seeds for 100 new children to enter our program and for us to celebrate the incredible milestone of 15,000 leaders in our history! Your generosity will outlive all of us as it ripples out into the future of these communities.
One of the most common questions we are asked is what makes Children of Promise unique? Our answer has always been, “local leaders.” Did you know that we only launch new programs in countries where we’ve been invited to by local leadership? Furthermore, the local leaders are the ones who lead and oversee the program for the betterment of their communities. This is what healthy development looks like. However, there are always side effects to a locally shaped model.
THE SIDE EFFECTS
When you choose to empower locals to be the heroes of the story, the makeup of the ministry changes. Byproducts of agency, ownership, contextualization, and innovation far outpace what a team of Americans could produce because our local teams know their own culture better than we ever could.
Furthermore, the local ecosystem of every Children of Promise site becomes fertile for leadership development. They almost can’t help themselves! As children in our program grow strong and healthy, educated and cared for, they are doing it in an environment of mentorship. They are inextricably linked to their leaders who are themselves linked to the church.
This is the ecosystem that empowers kids like George.
George is a graduate of our program in Lusaka, Zambia. Like many children in this part of the world, George would have missed out on an education without the aid of the program. As our director Mailesi described him, “George is one of my brilliant young people.” This kind of encouragement is normal in our global programs and allows kids to dream for something better. Now in college, George is nearing completion of his law degree and uses his free time to empower the next generation of kids in the CofP program to work hard in school and to love the church and the community.
If you have traveled with us, you won’t be surprised by this story. We know thousands of Georges around the world who grow up, thrive, and then give back to the same community in which they were raised. It’s not surprising because it’s what was modeled for them their entire lives. A side effect of a locally shaped model is that the ecosystem is always strengthening itself.
15,000 KIDS LIKE GEORGE
Together, we are cultivating a new ecosystem in communities where many people never had time to dream. As Cristal, a graduate in The Dominican Republic stated, “the Children of Promise program was like a seed planted at just the right time.” This seed carried her through good times and bad and on to graduation from high school. Now, a college student and owner of a dessert business, Cristal regularly serves in the children’s ministry at church in order to give back and be an encouragement.
Like Cristal, the program helped Levi learn to be a catalyst for change for those in need. Growing up in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Levi never thought he would get an education or even leave his city. He shared with us, “The program entered my life like a light amidst many hardships, becoming a constant source of support, growth, and hope. It not only assisted me financially but also shaped my values, discipline, and sense of purpose.” Levi followed God’s leading in his life and is now a leader in the medical field, living in Barcelona, Spain. Working in radiology and nuclear medicine, Levi makes a difference every day in the lives of the hurting. Again, this is what the ecosystem does. Your generosity is the seed that God waters as our local leaders tend and cultivate. It’s an ecosystem of wholeness that for over 34 years is slowly changing our world.
A MUSTARD SEED THANK YOU
Faced with a constant barrage of bad news on our TVs we can easily become overwhelmed by the state of our world. The next time you feel this way, remind yourself you are a part of an incredible ecosystem of wholeness taking over our world. It may be quieter than the noise, it may move slowly, but don’t forget the size of a mustard seed. Although small, when cultivated, these tiny seeds can take over the whole garden.
Thanks for planting with us.
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