We’ve answered some questions about the CFCA logo in an earlier “Ask Sponsor Services” post, but one has come up recently that we’d like to explore.
Paul Pearce, director of global strategy at CFCA, explained another aspect of the logo at a recent CFCA board meeting.
“The cross in the logo is slanted,” he said, “because it’s being carried.”
Just as Simon of Cyrene helped Christ carry the cross at Golgotha, sponsors and sponsored friends are carrying one another’s burdens on an ongoing basis.
From the beginning, Paul says, CFCA worked with people of diverse faith traditions. The goal was always to make CFCA a place of unity, not divisions, among faiths.
An old logo had a picture of a globe with two sponsored children and a cross above both:
However, this looked unintentionally disruptive. The cross is in the middle of the globe, dividing instead of unifying the picture.
So a “logo committee” formed at CFCA, and a new logo emerged: one where the cross is an extension of the people’s arms in serving each other.
“It is about action. It is an active faith,” Paul said.
Interesting side notes:
As Paul researched more about the cross, he discovered that Cyrene was a province in North Africa during biblical times.
Here is Simon, this stranger from a foreign country, carrying the cross of Christ in Israel.
Even though no one made the connection at the time the logo was created, Paul has since heard mothers of sponsored children explaining that sponsors are very much like Simon ñ strangers from a different land, appearing to support them!
And because this is an equal partnership, at times sponsored friends will carry sponsors’ burdens, whether that means praying for them or giving in other ways through their generosity and love.
As sponsor Ron Bliss said, “I’m convinced that we get more out of the sponsorship than they do since I believe God truly hears the prayers of the poor!”
Very Cool!
My wife and I are new to CFCA and this past week, we were able to visit the child we’re sponsoring in Costa Rica. It was a wonderful wonderful experience. We met Juan, his care-giver & Abuela, and especially important his Social Promoter (Selena) and the CFCA provided interpreter (Mirone). Without the last two, we would have been totally overwhelmed. The family was clearly very comfortable with them, CFCA, and they with the family. Our many questions and thoughts were answered gracefully, nothing was avoided, but sensitive information was treated as such. We couldn’t be happier with this organization and their work. We meet Juan, got to know a little of his family, was able to take him to dinner and a bit more. And we got to know a lot about CFCA. This is a group we now trust without question. Bob and Robin in Cincinnati, OH.