A first week with 14 sponsors!

I am sure that, if you read my blog, you realize we had a complaint in the first day of our campaign in Kelowna. It turns we actually have to wait for people to stop at our booth. Yes it has been hard, but I have an incredible team full of energy, positive attitude and high expectations!

Greg and Lynn after sponsoring their child

During our second day we had an amazing gentleman stoping at our booth. Melissa and Katrina talked to him about the sponsorship program and the importance of helping the children we have at our booth. Greg, the nice gentleman, promised both of them that he was going to come back with his wife later during the day and sponsor a child. Indeed, he fulfilled his promise. I was fortunate to be there and meet Greg and his wife, Lynn. It was a heart warming experience to talk to such a nice couple; they really want to make a difference on their sponsor child's life. Greg and Lynn ended up requesting to sponsor a girl from the Dominican Republic, thinking of visiting their sponsor girl in the future.

When I worked for World Vision El Salvador I was responsible for leading groups of canadian sponsors into the rural communities of El Salvador to visit their sponsor children. I got to be part of so many special gatherings. Some of them filled with tears, others with laugh, others with complete amazement from both sides (the child and the sponsor). For a child and their family, meeting their sponsor is a life time experience, something that will stay with them forever. To finally have in front of you the person (or people) that has believed in you in such a way that are willing to support your dreams and hopes is a breathtaking experience.

We will continue this week on the fight, believing there is awesome people like Greg and Lynn (and the other 13 people who sponsored this week) who will stop at our booth and let their hearts be moved by the needs of so many children. We will be there everyday with our hopes and heads held high, waiting for the next person who will make a decision to change a child's life.

The Lantern Project.
-Javier Cuellar-