<Oliver>

When I first started sponsoring a child through Coptic Orphans in 2002, all I did was send my monthly contributions. In the beginning I thought that Coptic Orphans was just another charity, just giving out food and clothes. Then everything changed.
I originally lived in Australia, but a few years back I settled in the UK with my wife to pursue my career and to travel. With every career advancement, we sponsored more children as our way of sharing God’s blessings. But I didn’t have an attachment to any of the children, and it wasn’t until I got to the UK that I even started to read the letters that the children were writing to me.

As I went back and read the original letters, I realized that my children were upset with me for not responding to their letters. It struck me that these kids are not about the money; they really yearned for a personal relationship. From then on I knew I had to get more involved, so I decided to go to Egypt to visit the children. It was a phenomenal experience.

First of all, I realized I had not really understood how my money was being used. It was going to much more than just food and clothing. I learned that that every sponsored child had to be literate and stay in school to stay in the program. I learned how the volunteer Rep sits down with each child and his or her family, and sets individual goals and follows up with them. They get tutoring, they attend workshops, they go on field trips. What I saw on the ground in Egypt—how the little amount I was giving was being used to make such a huge difference— it changed the way I looked at my own life.

When I came home, I was numb for a while. Everything around me, all the things I worried about—the kind of car I’m going to buy, my next promotion—it was nothing compared to what these kids struggled for. You quickly realize that we place these superficial burdens in our lives that have been conjured up in our heads. These children, they don’t do that. They are so much happier and thankful, despite the very little that they have, and I would say closer to God than I was. That was the wake-up call for me.

Since the visit, I’m much more involved with the children. The letters I read went from “I like this,” and “I like that” to “I wish you could come back and visit. I’m doing much better in school.” And now I write back. My wife and I both sponsor children and we consider them part of our extended family. I can be that person to encourage him, or coach him through difficult periods, or celebrate special occasions, even if we’re in different countries.

With Easter coming up, I’m thinking about ways to get more involved. Besides sending gifts, I wanted to share my story and hope that everyone who reads it will get more involved with helping the children, not just with their money, but with their hearts. I want to encourage more people to become part of the extended family of a child in Egypt by becoming a sponsor. If each of us does just one thing this Easter for a child in Egypt, then not a single child there would feel alone.

One Sponsor's Journey: Oliver Abadeer