17 Jan Why I Love Child Sponsorship
Departing tomorrow for India on a six week, 26,467 mile trip, Capturing Grace for ministries in India, Nepal, Bali, Singapore, and Thailand.
Nine years ago, I boarded Emirates flight EK 209 from Dallas to India to meet the little boy that my daughter Christina had sponsored through Compassion International, from the time Christina was 18 and Sathish was 8 until Christina’s passing at 27 and Sathish was 17.
Tomorrow I depart for India once again on Emirates flight EK 204 to attend Satish’s wedding 8,497 miles away in Chennai, India. Sathish was so kind to include me in one of the most important days of his life, the day he commits his life to the love of his life, sweet Sowmya.
You cannot imagine how proud Carol and I are of 27-year-old Sathish for the decisions he has made in life and for the kindness that he has shown us ever since we met on January 29th, 2015.
When Sathish and I met nine years ago, shortly after Christina’s passing, we hugged each other and just cried. We were both aware that our lives were supernaturally connected through Christina’s unconditional love. Christina lived her life with the kind of love that changes lives, and I am so grateful today for the legacy of love that Christina has left behind.
In 2004, while attending Samford University in Birmingham Alabama, sweet 18-year-old Christina listened to her heart at a Compassion-sponsored event and decided to sponsor 8-year-old Sathish in Chennai, India. There was no way at that time for Christina to know the impact her decision would have on me and young Sathish, who she exchanged letters with for nine years. What began as child sponsorship for Christina has turned into a beautiful, lifelong relationship for Sathish and my family, as well as the impetus for Carol and I to start the ministry of Capturing Grace.
As a result of Christina’s actions, my Capturing Grace journey has taken me through over 50 countries while photographing for over 100 ministries. Photography is my passion, but it is simply the doorway through which God allows me to share the love of Jesus through the story of Trust, Faith and Change that he has laid on my heart.
Recently, a global ministry shared that until they heard Christina’s story, they had not started a child sponsorship program. Now, as a result of hearing the impact Christina made on the life of a young man in India, they started a sponsorship program that now impacts the lives of over 500 children every day.
Most of us will never know here on earth the impact of our decisions — little did Christina know twenty years ago what the ripple effect would be from her listening to her heart and taking action.
I am so excited for my departure to India tomorrow from New York. There will be so many stories to share over the next six weeks, and I am looking forward to having you along!
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