FREQUANTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long should my child sponsorship last?
Our Child Sponsorship Program offers you the opportunity to stay with a child forever, usually through the school year in which the child reaches the age of 18 (varies by our country) we may stop staying with him or her at home or at school but the difference with our ministry we are focused on helping them build long-lasting relationship with their sponsor parents you may continue life with your child.
While we hope that you will be able to continue your support of your sponsored child until he or she completes the program and beyond, we recognize that circumstances sometimes change. You may discontinue your child sponsorship at any time. But we are praying for every sponsor to always be able to be there for their child
How much does it cost to sponsor a child?
If you choose to sponsor a child, the cost is only $30 per month or $420 per year.
May I send gifts to my child?
Yes. We encourage you to give additional monetary gifts for special occasions like Easter, Christmas, birthday, to address specific needs, or simply as an act of love. These gifts are another effective way for you to reinforce your care and commitment to your sponsored child.
Local orphanage work or teacher purchase gifts on your behalf and make certain that these funds are used appropriately under the oversight of our director.
You may also send a gift to your sponsored child's family. With your monetary gift, our ministry staff will buy items your sponsored child's family needs, such as new beds, livestock and food supplies. We will work closely with the family to determine the greatest need and then purchase items accordingly.
Will I be the only person sponsoring the child I'm helping?
Yes. 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. Even if you choose to sponsor a child as a family or a group (for example, 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. No other group or individual will also sponsor the child you help.
What do I do if I am considering canceling my child sponsorship?
To inquire about canceling your child sponsorship, please call our contact center at (+256789456996) or email: openheartnpv@gmail.com . You may discontinue your sponsorship at any time.
Why does it cost less to sponsor a child through Open Heart than similar child sponsorship organizations?
We are a holistic child development ministry that focuses on the full development of the child with no middleman. Because of that, we release children from poverty, not merely sustain them through it. Many organizations focus on only one aspect of poverty so we are working from the grassroot with no paid staff we make sure that all sponsorship goes to the sponsored child alone no fees and since our partner charity in the USA pays all transaction fees for the child sponsored we charge zero on helping a child to stay in school.
We also recognize that the children we serve have unique needs and unique gifts. Therefore, we work at the grassroots level to identify and meet the specific needs of the world's poorest children through church partnership. In doing so, we address the spiritual, economic, social and physical aspects of poverty so that children may become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.
In addressing the many needs of children by partnering with the local church, we also rely heavily on the relational aspect of child sponsorship. We encourage you to have a close relationship with your sponsored children through consistent correspondence and communication, as well as personal visits. This separates us from other organizations.
Child focused – We are committed to making a difference in each child's life. Local staff is personally acquainted with each child to minister to his or her unique needs. We believe in ministering to individual children because they will be the ones to better their communities and nations in the future.
Christ centered – We commit to honor Jesus Christ in all that we do. Every child who participates in a Compassion program is given the opportunity to learn about Jesus Christ and discover how to develop a lifelong relationship with God.
What specific benefits will the child I sponsor receive?
The child you sponsor will receive opportunities and services that most of the world's poorest children never see. These opportunities and services include:
The opportunity to receive an education:
In some cases, this means providing the cost of school fees, clothing and supplies. In other cases, it means providing tutoring, help with homework, encouragement and, if necessary, participation in a literacy program outside the classroom. Your sponsorship will allow one special child to stay in school longer if formal schooling is an option and get the most out of his or her education.
The opportunity to be healthy:
The health of the child you sponsor will be monitored and care will be provided as needed. Children are taught about hygiene and how to maintain personal health. In addition, and according to their needs, many of the children we assist receive supplementary food.
The opportunity to develop self-confidence and social skills:
The child you sponsor will be part of a church-based program where Christian adults offer love, guidance, personal attention, guided recreation and safety.
The opportunity to hear the gospel and learn about Jesus:
Most important, your sponsorship provides the child you sponsor with regular Bible training and encouragement through a local church committed to Christ and the children in its community.
How important is prayer in Open Heart sponsorship?
Prayer is a critical. Your sponsored child is in need and vulnerable.
Your prayers for the health, safety, education and spiritual development of your child are critical. Sponsored children are greatly encouraged when they hear that their sponsors are praying for them.
Remember that the child you sponsor will likely pray for you, too. Often, a sponsored child's family and church join in prayer with the child on behalf of a sponsor. As you share your own family and personal concerns with the child you support, you'll probably discover that he or she is consistently praying for you.
Must I hold and practice specific Christian beliefs to sponsor a child through Open Heart?
We do not require you to sign a statement of faith or a statement regarding your religious beliefs and practices. We do, however, seek sponsors who are aligned with our ministry approach and philosophy.
We are a Christian ministry looking for the development of children in poverty. We carry out our programs by partnering with our local church who share our vision for ministry and conduct Christian outreach to local children and families.
What is a Open Heart sponsor?
A sponsor is someone like you who has made the decision to personally invest in the life of a child in need. As a sponsor, you enable your sponsored child to participate in a church-based program that offers life-changing benefits including help with:
education
health care
social skills development
Christian training
And more than this, you can help your sponsored child develop a sense of confidence and self-worth with the love you express through letters and prayers
As a sponsor, you are assured that there is a real connection between you and the specific child you support. The child you sponsor will know your name, write to you and benefit directly from your monthly sponsorship.
Your relationship with your sponsored child makes you a very important person who has a significant role in his or her development. You stand alongside parents, pastors, teachers, family and friends who are taking an active role in encouraging and developing the child.
As a sponsor, how else can I learn about the child I am helping?
In addition to letters from your sponsored child, we will send you periodic updates about your child's progress and newsletters about situations in your child's country that affect child development and our program there. You'll have a better understanding of your sponsored child's culture and life. It's quite likely that your vision of God's kingdom will expand. You may even decide to
How can I communicate with the child I sponsor?
Once you've become a sponsor we encourage you to send your sponsored child a personal or family photograph and a short letter of introduction. Our field staff will translate your letter and deliver it to the child you support. Sponsored children typically keep their sponsors' photos and letters in their homes as treasured possessions.
You may write to the child you sponsor as often as you like. When you write, your sponsored child will benefit from knowing that someone in addition to his or her family really cares. Your words of encouragement will make a big difference to your child.
Correspondence between sponsors and the children they support is truly developmental. The more you write the child you sponsor, the more he or she will reap the benefits of your relationship
Will my child write to me?
Your child will write to you at least twice a year — and up to six times per year depending on the frequency of your letters. A teacher or staff person will help children who have yet to learn how to read and write.
As you share your own family and personal concerns with the child you support, you'll probably discover that he or she is consistently praying for you.
As your exchange of letters with the child you sponsor grows over the years, you can build a scrapbook of letters and photos from your child. Your scrapbook will serve as a constant reminder of the relationship you've developed with the child you're helping and of how you've contributed to his or her growth.
You will also be receiving annual correspondence from local leaders, such as a church pastor or staff member, to help you learn even more about your sponsored child.
Is there anything I cannot send to my sponsored child?
As a sponsor, you have many opportunities to communicate with the child you sponsor and we encourage you to do so. When you communicate with him or her, however, we ask you to provide comments and materials consistent with the Christian values and philosophies we share with our partnering churches. We will not forward photographs and other materials depicting activities that:
Might be considered inappropriate in another culture.
Promote lifestyle choices that we view as unhealthy and inconsistent with biblically based lifestyles or otherwise inappropriate for sponsored children.
Might threaten the safety of the sponsored children in any way.
For example, we will not forward materials that depict or describe the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, unlawful drugs and materials or activities that we regard as dangerous or unsafe. We will not forward materials or communications that advocate another religious worldview. In addition, we will not forward materials depicting persons dressed in immodest clothing or engaging in activities inconsistent with our ministry values and beliefs.
How did Compassion begin?
It all started in 2009 by Pastor Hassan Mubiru who was born in Uganda in a muslim family and he was the youngest in a family of 33 children. He did not have much time with my Muslim father while growing up because his father died when he was seven years old. There was no possibility for much education and they never had enough to eat at home. his mother and other six children were living consistently working on a tea plantation. Some of my brothers died from hunger, malaria and measles without medication.
Hassan gave his life to the Lord Jesus after someone spoke to me about him in 1995. This brought persecution from his family and he came to Mityana to stay away from them.
The few years at school did not help him as a young boy to learn English, the official language of his country. He even had problems forming a simple sentence, but his desire to serve God was great. From the age of 12, He spent most of his nights with a group of people in the Church praying for a revival of his nation.
With the few words that he could speak in English, he decided to never pray in his native language. With praying and fasting he was able to write and speak English words after one year. So prepared, he was able to attend a Bible school. All teachers came from English speaking countries, that helped a lot and he was one of the best students in his class. At the same time, he was an associate pastor in the little church. In 2006, God spoke to him to plant a church in Mityana, which succeeded in 2007.
He decided to share his basic bible knowledge with other pastors in his town and the surrounding villages, who had little or no opportunity for simple Bible training, which he still doing so far, monthly and whenever there's an opportunity.
In 2009, God called him to look after orphans and needy children. Two years later, he was married and the couple decided to take these children to their home because they only had two children ourselves. The rest of the 120 children cared for now at home 12 and 108 all come from poor families and most have lost one or both parents.
They started a business to support themselves, first with silverfish, and then switched to chicken farming. All profits go to the support of our home with the 12 poor children. Broiler chickens take a lot of our time because they eat day and night, and we take care of them and teach the children to keep them.
What percentage of expenditures are spent on program activities?
Your donation is used as follows 53% Food and supplies for the children, 14% School fees and supplies, 30% Rent, 1% Mentor needs,
2% Miscellaneous operating costs
It is of importance to us where your money goes. So many charities out there have such high administration costs, so when you donate, most of your money pays the big men at the head of the organization. Not us! Not one of our partners, or anyone who does administration work gets paid.... not one! Our only administration fees go to the re-registration fees of our Community Based Organization status in Uganda. A big portion of our fees used to go to Housing & Utilities...when we shall move in our own home, we shall cut down on most, if not all of those costs, so that we can spend more on just saving more children. We are making great strides with this by planning to build our own orphanage, eliminating rental fees. we shall be digging our own well and are going to install solar panels for electricity. This will eliminate those utilities having to be paid also. It will give us twice as much of our donor’s money to be used on saving twice as many children from poverty, sex slavery, disease, and death. Please help us be self-sustaining to fulfill our goal of all the money going straight to saving children's lives.
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