Find out why your kid is yours.

Hello, SOVCO sponsors! Here is Gerald, who is sponsored by friends from my church. He has a catarract in one of his eyes, and last year soon after they began sponsoring him, he was able to have an operation, which has helped somewhat, but not completely. This picture was taken not long after the operation. Both of Gerald's parents have died, so he is living with his grandmother, who is 75 years old and caring for eight other children on her farm. One would be tempted to pity him, but Gerald is one smart cookie. He was number one in his class, and Tonny says, "our Gerald is very intelligent and every teacher is really appreciating the tireless efforts that he is putting forth to challenge other fellow children." Gerald likes science, math and English. He wants to be a pilot. At the recent Annual General Meeting, Gerald asked permission to recite a poem that he had written in Acholi. He did this in front of all the guardians and special guests, like head teachers and even a minister of education. John, our friend who sponsors Gerald, suffers from Parkinson's disease. He's had countless surgeries and adjustments of medication and the deep brain stimulator in his head, and right now has a gash on his head that makes him look like someone you might feel pretty sorry for, too. But John, like Gerald, does not resort to self-pity. He still sings in our church choir, and when he starts to fall over, one of the tenors pulls him upright, and he keeps right on singing. He goes walking with his wife Carolyn, and always shows up for events at church. Until recently he maintained a hiking path through his woods and loved hunting for mushrooms in the spring. It's getting harder and harder for him, but, like Gerald, he presses on, doing as much as he can. I believe that God has matched each sponsor and child; that there is something shared about each pair. What is it about your child? It's time to write letters again, and hopefully over time, you and your child will find your common ground. Think of that when you write. You may want to consider sending a nice card this time, and in your message somehow express one essential thing about yourself.