How Can I Help Children in Crisis?
There are children in crisis all over the world, many struggling with hunger, cold and lack of access to healthcare. One way GFA World helps these kids is our child sponsorship program, where just $35 a month helps provide essentials such as food, clean water, hygiene training, healthcare and education support. This program lifts impoverished families and communities in places such as Africa and Asia out of the cycle of poverty.[1]
Another way that GFA World helps children and their families, is through practical gift-giving. Local missionaries give income-generating gifts to families as well as practical gifts to meet basic needs. In doing so, parents are better able to provide consistent food, shelter and clothing for their family.
Rosina, for example, lived in a village high in the foothills of a mountain range, 3,000 meters in elevation. This meant cool weather year-round and brutally cold winters. The cold, dry air chapped the skin, lips and fingers of the villagers, and it dried out the membranes in their noses and throats, leaving them open to disease.[2]
When Rosina’s son suffered from pneumonia, she traveled four hours to the nearest hospital. Her husband had moved to a nearby village to find work and sent what money he could, but Rosina didn’t have much to spare, only enough to cover the basics for her family. Thankfully, Rosina’s son recovered from his sickness without medical bills dragging them further into poverty, but it was only a matter of time before the cold, dry air made him or his brother sick again.
Rosina’s rented house was drafty and poorly insulated. The plastic sheets used to cover the holes made little difference against the cold wind. The family relied on the kitchen stove dug into the floor of the house for heat, but the lack of insulation did a poor job of keeping the warm air inside. She kept her kids bundled up in thick jackets during the day, and they huddled together under worn-out blankets at night.
A GFA pastor of a nearby church saw her needs, and he arranged for Rosina and her family to receive a thick blanket at the next gift distribution. The blanket would help keep her and her children warm each night.
“My son was so happy,” Rosina said. “He said that really they care for us [who] gave us this blanket.”[3]
Consider making a difference by donating to GFA World for a practical gift or sponsoring a child. It doesn’t take much to extend the love of God and make a world of difference. Even a blanket, food, or someone taking the time to show love and care can change someone’s life for good, giving them hope for the future.
Learn more about providing hope for children
[1] “Sponsor a Child with GFA World.” GFA World. https://www.gfa.org/sponsorachild. Accessed November 7, 2022.
[2] “Simple Gift Offers Safety for Her Sons.” GFA World. https://www.gfa.org/news/articles/gfaworld-a-simple-gift/. November 2021.
[3] “Simple Gift Offers Safety for Her Sons.” GFA World. https://www.gfa.org/news/articles/gfaworld-a-simple-gift. November 2021.