INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FRIENDSHIP PHOTO STORIES

When Sponsors and Children Meet

Although every sponsor-child friendship is different, sponsorship isn’t exclusive to sponsors—it’s remarkable enough to share with loved ones.

Some sponsors have crossed bustling streets or taken long bus rides to meet someone very special–their sponsored child. Check out how this is an experience no sponsor (or their family!) forgets.

Dancing in the street

Hyeon-gyeong traveled to Mongolia to meet her sponsored child, Del. In a letter to Del after the visit, she shared how much the meeting meant to her:

“On the day I finally met you, I ran towards you with a smile. Seeing you grow up bright and healthy made me feel proud and happy. I'm so proud of you. Thank you so much for giving me these precious memories.”

Photo: Hyeon-gyeong (right) and Del (left) dance together in the street.

One unforgettable day

Josée found it a great privilege to visit her sponsored child and community in Peru, in person. Although shy at first, Josée’s sponsored child opened up as the day grew and they got to spend some quality time together.

“There are no words to express how happy I am to be able to visit,” says Josée. It was an unforgettable day, absolutely. I will never forget this day.”

Photo: Josée (right, green scarf) with her sponsored child (front, pink and white shirt) and and sponsored child’s mother (left, pink sweater).

Big dreamers

At just 7, Addyson ran a half marathon and raised more than $20,000 to help kids in Kenya get access to clean water. And it was all because she became inspired by Maurine, a girl in Kenya who like many in the community, didn’t have clean water.

Three years later, Addyson and her family traveled to Kenya to visit their sponsored children, and the two girls finally met! The pair clicked straight away, walking hand-in-hand as Maurine showed Addyson around her community and where she used to collect water before World Vision’s interventions.

Photo: Addyson (left) and Maurine (right) during their time together in Kenya.

New moves

When a group of sponsors travelled to Cambodia to meet the children they had been writing to for years, it was no time for a quiet catch up—it was time for a celebration! The kids had sponsors on their feet in no time, dancing and taking fun photos.

“We really learned a lot from this trip,” says one sponsor. “Knowing their needs allows us to work together to help give these children brighter futures.”

Photo: Two sponsors pose for a fun photo with a group of sponsored children in Cambodia.

A gift to remember

For Bryan, visiting the two sponsored children he and his family (including his daughter, Addyson, featured earlier) support in Kenya was a gift in more ways than one. They got the chance to experience the daily life and culture of the community and see the impact of sponsorship.

As a special reminder of the amazing day, Bryan was gifted with a traditional Maasai blanket.

Photo: Bryan and one of his sponsored children, Lucy.

Elevating friendships, face-to-face

If you’ve ever wondered about what it could be like to meet your sponsored child in person, there you have it! We hope you enjoyed these inspiring stories of friendship and connection between sponsors, their families, and sponsored children.

Be encouraged! The bond you share with your sponsored child is vital to keeping your friendship stronger than ever and worth sharing with your loved ones, too.