How can taking a picture change a life forever?

We’ve heard stories of people angling for the perfect selfie, while dangerously putting themselves into harm’s way when tragedy strikes. Lives that ended much too soon because of…sadly…a photo.

What about the reverse? What about the lives forever changed for the good because of one photo taken of them?

Unimaginably common, this happens each and every time a marginalized child is discovered by One More Child (formerly known as Orphan’s Heart) staff.  Asked to control their wiggles and stand still while a social worker takes their photo, a child is presented to the world with some basic information. The wait begins. Who will see? Who will care? Who will sponsor?

In December, we traveled with an amazing team of servant-hearted, missions-minded believers to Uganda to teach an AIM women’s conference through the ministry of One More Child. On the trip were Dan and Diana Dye, great believers in the faith, who decided they will steward their funds in a way to change three children’s lives for eternity. Read what she emailed me…

“We recently received the info on the children we sponsor in Uganda. I hung their beautiful photos on my fridge, read their information and put the bookmarks in my bible.

I have just finished They Call Me Momma Katherine. (The story of the Christian missionary who started the Orphanage nearly 20 years ago in the little village we served.) The section in the book written by children who have grown up in Hines Ugandan Ministries was especially meaningful. On our recent One More Child trip, our team met some of these children, now adults. They were our guides, our leaders, teaching us about their community.

Some of the words I read:  “after getting a sponsor, my life changed,” “given a chance to become a sponsored kid,” “I got sponsorship and my life began to change,” and “someone came and took my picture and wrote down information, and then I got a sponsor.”

It dawned on me:  The picture I have hanging on my fridge is THAT DAY.  How humbling, how incredible, that my $35 per month can be THAT DAY for a child.”

Yes, for $35 a month, a child’s life (and their family’s lives) are changed forever. They not only receive food baskets, education, healthcare, sleeping mattresses, but also they receive the good news of Jesus Christ.  Orphan’s Heart does not withdraw administration funds, but uses the complete $35 monthly sponsorship to care for the child.

Love in action.

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17

Thank you, Diana, for sharing how God is using your story to change the stories of others for His Glory.

Say cheese,
Susan

P.S. To see a photo of THAT DAY in the lives of many children across the world, go to www.onemorechild.org