In the year 2010, I made a tremendous step (for me, anyway) and adopted a child. I don’t need to worry about bringing up my child, or teaching her the difference from right or wrong. All I need to do, is to save RM50 a month. Wondering what I’m talking about?

I signed up to sponsor a child with World Vision Malaysia. The RM50 a month that you send in is not solely used for your child, it is also used to improve the village that your child stays in. For example, it might be used to help build a water system in the village, or build new houses, thereby improving the quality of life for the entire village, not just the child that you sponsor. This has something that I’ve been struggling with for awhile, on and off, but never felt able to commit to it. Recently, though, I realized how blessed I am in so many ways, and how many people there are that will never have as much as I do. If I can spend RM20+ on a lunch with colleagues, why can’t I abstain from a pricey lunch once in awhile and use the money for something better?

I finally felt ready to do it, so I signed up! You’re allowed to choose children living in a few different countries, but I selected the ‘Where the need is greatest’ option. Within a week, I received a mail from World Vision, containing info regarding the child sponsorship, as well as a picture of my child. I was assigned to an 11 month old baby in Indonesia, her father is a fisherman, her mother is unemployed, and she has 2 brothers and 2 sisters. I’m supposed to get periodic updates regarding her progress, but since she’s so young, I’m not expecting anything much! When she’s older, I’ll receive her report cards as well, to show her progress in school.

I feel oddly satisfied, knowing that I’m doing something to help somebody else. Yes, there have been people that asked me, ‘What makes you so sure that your child receives the money?’. Well, firstly, World Vision is a Christian organization. Then they asked, ‘So, because they’re Christians, does it mean that there are no corrupt Christians?’ Yes, I’m sure that there are also corrupt Christians, I’m sure there are corrupt people no matter what religion you are! But World Vision is a long established Christian international organization, if it was a scam, I’m sure that they would’ve been found out by now. World Vision also organizes trips to parts of the world where they provide child sponsorship, and you can actually sign up and visit your child. One of my friends has actually gone on one of these trips before and met the little girl that she sponsors. At the end of the day, it’s your intentions that are the most important thing.

If you’re interested in sponsoring a child, you can visit the World Vision Malaysia website.

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