God Parent Program
A Global Hope Godparent is someone who has made the decision to connect to an individual Global Hope child in each of three ways:
- Developing an individual relationship with a child through exchange of letters, and by receiving quarterly updates from the missionary staff of Global Hope or from the child themselves.
- Providing a steady stream of funding to support the needs of the child as the child grows. The amount you provide is up to you, so long as it is consistent.
- Regularly praying for your child, as you would for one of your own children.
As a Global Hope Godparent, your gifts, prayers, and letters help a child to develop normally, with a sense of being wanted and loved. Keep in mind that the children Global Hope works with have been abandoned by their parent(s), and are desperate for love. Your personal relationship commitment is very meaningful to them.
Will I be the only person sponsoring the child I’m helping?
That depends on the commitment you choose to make. Global Hope understands the nature of the commitment we are asking you to make and has set up three programs.
- Individual Sponsorship: The child you’re helping has just one sponsor: you. That’s why your prayers, letters, and support mean so much to your sponsored child. No other group or individual will also sponsor the child you help. The total cost of being an Global Hope Godparent for a single child is $350 per month, which completely covers all of the costs associated with raising that child in a loving environment, including food, clothes, housing, house-parent salaries, health-care, tuition, books, and an annual family vacation.
- Group Sponsorship: If you choose to sponsor a child as a family or a group (for example, a congregation, a youth group or a Sunday school class), the child you help will still be relating to your family or group as his or her only sponsor. Your group will identify an individual within the group to administer communication and facilitate support for the child you sponsor. The cost for being group Godparents is also $350 per month.
- Partial Sponsorship: If you choose to sponsor a child and support a portion of their necessities such as education, medical, clothing, or food, we will put together a group of individuals to pray for and communicate with the child you sponsor. You set the giving amount per month, and you will also have the opportunity to send letters to your child and receive quarterly updates on your child’s progress.
- Become a Global Hope God-Parent: If you are interested in becoming a Global Hope God-Parent please contact us at info@globalhope.org.
What happens to the child I’m helping if I cannot continue being a Godparent?
If you need to discontinue your support, we will immediately look for a new sponsor for your child and continue that child’s support without interruption.
If I sign up to become a Global Hope Godparent, how long will my support be required?
The Global Hope Godparent program usually offers you the opportunity to stay with a child for a number of years, and can continue through the time the child graduates from high school. You may wish to continue your sponsorship at that time to help with the expenses associated with learning a trade or attending college. The choice is yours. We hope that you will be able to continue as a Global Hope Godparent indefinitely, although we recognize that Godparents’ circumstances sometimes change. You may elect to stop being a Godparent at any time. Please understand that Global Hope children are sometimes taken back by their birth parents or adopted, so there are also circumstances where Global Hope will need to stop a Godparent relationship, of necessity. We will inform you as quickly as possible if any such circumstance affects the child you sponsor, and we’ll offer you the opportunity to support another child in need of your help.
About Communicating With My Godchild
How can I communicate with my Godchild?
Our team in Romania will direct the communication with your Godchild. Updates on the child will be sent quarterly. We will provide information about your Godchild, and will provide guidance on how to write letters. We encourage you to send your Godchild a personal, family, or group photograph and a short letter of introduction. Global Hope’s missionaries will translate your letter and deliver it to the child you support. You may write to your Godchild as often as you like. Writing letters to your helps the child develop a sense of well-being, and helps them grow in their reading and writing skills. The more you write to your Godchild, the more he or she will benefit from your relationship.
Will my Godchild write to me?
Depending on the age and capabilities of your Godchild, your child may write to you. Young children who have not learned to write or disabled children who cannot write will communicate to you through our missionary staff. Children who can write will be encouraged to answer as many of your letters as possible.
Should I pray for my Global Hope Godchild?
Absolutely! The most important thing you can do for your Godchild is pray for them. Please pray for your Godchild’s normal development, their self-confidence, their sense of well-being, their health and safety, the development of their faith lives, and their success in school. Your Godchild will probably be praying for you, too!
How often will Global Hope update me on my Godchild?
Global Hope will send you quarterly updates about your Godchild’s progress, and periodic newsletters. You’ll also have the opportunity to track the entire Global Hope community through our web page, www.GlobalHope.org . Through these tools, you will grow to understand the culture in Romania and the daily life of the children and the staff. We also encourage you to visit your Godchild on a Global Hope mission trip. You can find out more about Global Hope Mission opportunities by writing us at info@globalhope.org or calling 720-887-HOPE (4673).
May I send gifts to my Godchild?
Yes. Gifts are a good way to show your Godchild that you love them and care about them. You can give gifts at holidays and birthdays, or any other special occasion on which you would like to show your love. All of any monetary gift you send to a Godchild will be used on behalf of that child. Our missionaries in Romania will purchase gifts with the money you send, and give the gift to the child on behalf of the Godparent and make certain that these funds are used appropriately. So that none of our children are singled out for special treatment, we ask that Godparents keep these gifts between $10 and $25 each and limit their gift giving to twice a year.