Comments on: Goodbye through a childís eyes

By: cfca

cfca — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:42:40 +0000

Many of CFCA’s staff members are also sponsors, so we can appreciate the sense of loss a sponsor might feel when a child leaves the sponsorship program, and we understand the desire to continue that relationship outside of CFCA’s involvement.

Nevertheless, our policy is not to facilitate direct contact between a former sponsor and child after the child is retired and CFCA oversight of the relationship ends. Our reasons are drawn from our experiences over almost three decades.

One of our highest priorities is to protect the privacy and ensure the well-being of both the child and the sponsor. During sponsorship, addresses are not revealed, and all mail is processed through CFCA projects and our Kansas headquarters. Staff members are always present when sponsors visit their friend. We take these measures because our aim is to ensure that no inappropriate letters or in-person contact involve the children, and that no inappropriate requests are made of the sponsor by the child, or other individuals or groups who might obtain the sponsor’s address.

Our policy is reviewed periodically, but at this time remains unchanged.

Thanks again for your comment,

Veronica
Sponsor Services

By: jim otoole

jim otoole — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:10:38 +0000

i believe that a systemcould be devised to keep in touch after the person leaves the program.this would only be with mutual agreement.addresses could be exchanged and future communication would be independent of cfca through int. mail. many sponsors have expressed this desire

By: Margaret Dick

Margaret Dick — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:54:12 +0000

Thank you so much for writing this. I sponsored a girl in Guatemala, Consuelo, for 11 years, and I admit that I cried when I received the letter indicating she had left the program. The opportunity to write a final “good-bye” letter to her was so comforting. I immediately requested a new sponsored child, and Angelica has been a delight. I have now sponsored her for 6 years and, as she will turn 15 in October, I am preparing myself for the inevitable. I encourage all sponsors who receive notification that a child has left the program to take time to write a heartfelt farewell. Since we do not know the circumstances that led to a family’s decision, there is at least a 50% chance that the child is heartbroken. Not hearing from you may lead your sponsored child to believe that you are angry at him or her — and we all know that nothing could be further from the truth. Trust me: writing that final letter expressing your continued love, well-wishes and prayers will be as comforting to you as to your sponsored child. And it just might be something that you will both remember for the rest of your lives.