Dear Sponsor,
Thank you so much for your heart for the children of Eldoret, Kenya! I hope you know you’re a part of something incredible! Over the last 15 years, God has raised up Open Arms Village to care for over 180 vulnerable children who now have a safe, loving family. Many of them are starting to graduate and become valuable community members and strong witnesses for the Lord.
I know you share my deep love for these precious children, and that’s why I’m excited to share some big news with you.
Our goal has always been the same: to provide the best care possible for the children God has entrusted to us. The past few years, with the help of all our staff and older children, we’ve reevaluated several of our programs to decide how we can serve them even better. As a result, we’re transitioning away from individual child sponsorship and towards a new sponsorship model that supports the entire Village.
We decided to improve our model for two key reasons:
Child Protection – In our increasingly digital age, protecting every child’s privacy and identity is a big priority. Because Open Arms Village is easy to locate, we want to put less personal information about our children on the internet. This includes their photos, names, ages, and other identifying details. We also want to give our children the opportunity to decide if, when, and how they share their own stories.
Wise Stewardship – In the last few years, Kenya has passed new legislation that encourages organizations like Open Arms to pursue reunification with a child’s biological family whenever safe and possible. These are positive, exciting changes! However, it is much more time-consuming and administratively complex for our staff in Kenya and abroad. Moving to this new model will significantly decrease the administrative costs associated with the one-on-one communication of child sponsorship, so together we can support more children
So, what does all of this mean for you? Your support will continue to provide food, clothing, medical care, education, safety, and a loving Kenyan family for a child at Open Arms Village. We simply will no longer be matching sponsors to a specific child. Instead, you are now a Champion of Hope for all the children who call Open Arms home! You will receive letters and communication from different children throughout the year, as well as exciting updates about life at the Village. The transition will happen gradually throughout the year and will be complete by January 2020.
If you have a close relationship with your sponsored child, I am happy to help you continue your connection with them. Please reach out to me by phone (503.296.9989) or email (laura@openarmsintl.org) to learn more.
I know big changes often bring up big questions. You’ll receive several emails from me with more information. I will also host a live webinar to share more details with you and open a time for questions and answers. But throughout the process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns! I would be happy to share more about the heart behind the transition.
Again, thank you for sharing our desire to love and protect these precious children!
Blessings,
Laura Kost | Champion for Children
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