When we arrived at Rinky’s home on foot, her mother, with the widest smile, stooped to run her fingers across my feet, then raised her hand to her lips and kissed. This is a Hindu way of paying tribute to an honored guest. She didn’t understand that we were honored to meet her – experience her generosity, hospitality and a little shade for an hour.
Three years ago she suffered severe burns to her hand and foot – she’s missing fingers and toes from the accident. The original medical care she received was shoddy. The hospital that dressed her wounds is known to cram four patients in a bed and her cast was so poorly fitted that bugs made their home in it and bit her and further complicated her injuries. Her treatments are ongoing and she takes medicine for the pain. She can’t work outside of her home because of her disability but her husband works hard enough for two.
He pedals a Rickshaw. Yes, he pedals it – Even in temperatures over 100 degrees in the summer months. He rents the rickshaw and hires himself out as a taxi service. This earns him about $25 to $30 in profit most months. But spending $22 a month on rent for a home slightly larger than a king sized bed, and who knows what on medicine, it’s not enough to take care of his wife and two daughters.
That’s where the Sparkes family from the UK comes in.
They sponsor one of his girls: Rinky, a twelve year-old with her mother’s smile. And by “sponsor” I don’t mean they write a check to Compassion every month. I mean they have a real relationship with Rinky and her family. They’ve worked hard at it. The evidence of that relationship is kept in a safe place, a large plastic bag inside a suitcase up high, away from the water that covers their floor when it rains.
Rinky excitedly opened the case, pulled out the bag and pulled out the treasures the Sparkes family has sent her over the last four years: Letters full of encouraging words like “We love you and your family, beautiful girl and we pray for you every day.” Pictures of the Sparkes children and dog. A picture of a badger attached to a short lesson on what animals live in the Sparkes’ neighborhood. Birthday cards. A bookmark. Two completely intact pages of glittery Christmas stickers too precious to Rinky for her to even consider using them.
I watched her father’s face carefully during this show and tell. I wondered how I’d feel knowing a stranger was doing with their leftovers what I couldn’t do for my daughter at my best. Shame? Embarrassment?
But all I saw was joy and gratitude as Rinky held a new shirt to her chest and Becky, Keely and Melissa oohed and ahhed. “Beautiful!” It was just one of many gifts purchased by Compassion staff with the $25 in birthday money sent by the Sparkes family.
After Melissa prayed for this family and thanked God for the Sparkes family, we took a few pictures to help us never forget Rinky’s home.
I left convinced all over again that child sponsorship is not about an exchange of funds but about an exchange of hope through a relationship. Or it can be. It should be.
Unfortunately, many sponsors don’t have a relationship with their child. So, if you sponsor a child please please please write them often. Tell them you love them. Read their letters to your children. Put their pictures on your refrigerator. Pray for them every time you open it. Send them pictures of your pets, your Christmas tree, whatever. Be more than a check. These families need more than your money. They need you. They need frequent souvenirs of your love for them, your belief in God, your hope for their future. These are the treasures of sponsored children.
If you don’t yet sponsor a child or you have room on your fridge for second, third or fourth, please start your relationship with a child like Rinky today.
For audio from our visit to Rinky’s house, and more incredible pictures, visit Keely’s blog.
Awesome photos!!
And “Mother”… what an unforgettable smile!! Love her!
THAT’s how it should be! Sponsors out there, invest more than money in your kids! They treasure your words and need your encouragement. Be more than a name they know and thank.
Understand that it’s a reality and not a collection of sad pictures that causes your heart to bend. Be a reality of the existence of the hope of Jesus Christ!
I wish I could be in India now, too.
shaun – this post i’m showing my kids. they write our sponsor kids, but i’m not sure they realize just how important it is. thanks for the great post.
Awesome post. The last letter I got from our sponsored child in Burkina Faso, she called us Mama & Papa! It’s hard to believe how much we mean to them!
I just though to ask this now. Will this group be visiting any CSPs? I sponsor the one in Rhema and I would *love* to know what’s going on there!
Thanks for this, Shaun…I need to write my Compassion kids again soon.
Stay safe!
Mary
Thanks, Shaun. I sponsor two boys – one from the Dominican Republic and another in Kenya… but I so rarely write them. I knew… KNEW that I should write more often. I received a letter recently from the boy in DR asking why I don’t write or send pictures. /cry
I know it means so much to them, and each time YOU – yes you – go on a trip and post about it, I am reminded. I wrote them yesterday using Compassion’s website, because it’s so easy. I need to get some pictures off to them, since it has been a while. I need… _I_ need to do this. For them, and for me. Because I _know_ it makes a difference.
Thanks for your posts. They are always encouraging.
I am one of the faithful givers who rarely write. Not because I don’t want to, but because I can’t. My life is so spread out and scattered with moving frequently, my husband serving in the military, and small children. I struggle to even keep in good contact with some of my best friends and take care of my home and my own children. There will be seasons of my life where I can write more often and do more, but for now all I can do is make sure that at least a child or two is getting an education and pray for them. Not perfect. Better than nothing.
love that first picture of the smiling lady. and the colors in all these photos! so bright… like a child’s future with Compassion
oh wow. I am SOOOOO thankful that I have been following all of you on this trip. I have always felt like sending the birthday gift money and the large family gift money at Christmas time was what was important.
I’m slapping my head. I *know* better.
I’m writing my girl today. And hopefully sponsoring another before you leave. Do you have anyone special that you would love to see sponsored? My husband and I are trying to decide what age child to sponsor. I’ve heard it’s a good idea to sponsor older kids, before it’s too late… Any thoughts?
first, thanks for how your reports this week are bringing back many memories from my trip to India in 2007.
second, thanks for the reminder that the connection my wife and I have with Sidia (via WorldVision) in Mozambique and Anupama (via Compassion) is more than simply providing financial assistance.
how we would love to meet both of “our” girls.
Wow she does have a beautiful smile. This encourages me in all I do for my sponsor child. Thank you so much.
Rinky’s mother has the most beautiful smile… the boys send it reminded them of a double scoop of ice cream. It is very contagious too… I smiled the whole time reading.
- it was great seeing Becky too.
Good writing, good pictures, good reminders, good people, good God
What an amazing post this is. Their smiles tell stories beyond our belief and amazement. I can’t tell you how many blogs I have come across all supporting Compassion and sometimes I feel that I am being taken to these sites for a reason. My husband and I have been toying around with the idea of turning off our satellite and now I think I may know why that has been bugging me so much!
Thank you for sharing this story and the wonderful pictures!
Many Blessings,
Tyra Spain
looks great, (***not to be critical here***) but I found that the more flash I used while outside on sunny days the less shadows I got on my subjects… love, peace and curry
We are fairly new sponsors and have been struggling with what to write etc. My thought had pretty much been that the money was the important part, but you have convinced me that the relationship is of equal importance. Thanks for the encouragement.
The message that the relationship is just as (if not more important) than the money is so crucial. Thanks to your stories, Shaun, I try to impress that truth on every Compassion sponsor I meet.
I am LOVING the stories from this trip.
Becky – I know how hard it can be to write. But even if you emailed a letter the same size as the blog post you just wrote, your child would be thrilled. I will be praying that God gives you the time to develop that relationship with your kids.