World Vision Singapore organizes High Tea With A Cause in honor of Child Sponsors Celebration 2010.
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| PHOTO COURTESY OF WORLD VISION SINGAPORE |
On Dec. 4, World Vision Singapore held a celebration to commemorate all the magnanimous child sponsors of the organization. Goodwill Ambassadors and beneficiaries of World Vision were also present to share their personal experiences of how World Vision has inspired them; and how they, in turn, have played a part in helping many underprivileged children through World Vision.
The event affirmed current child sponsors of how their sponsorship support has truly made a difference, and at the same time, to help answer queries from current and potential sponsors.
With its motto, “Defying History, Defining Destiny,” World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Their works extend to over 100 million people in nearly 100 countries.
Till today, the organization continues to successfully empower the public to act on their generosity by offering many ways to help. The child sponsorship program is one of many methods available.
Inspirational figures such as Oh Young Suk, a Korean professor, who was a former World Vision sponsored child himself, was there to share his life story of the persecutions he faced during the Korean War and how his father squandered away the family fortune. When World Vision found out about his desperation for an opportunity to study, the organization actually saw him through medical college and a theological university in Korea. Today, Oh comes back to speak for World Vision as a successful professor and president of the Korea Theological University.
Another former sponsored child, raised and nurtured through the help of World Vision, Bishop Leo Alconga, stated, “I can never be the person I am now, if not for all the support World Vision has provided.” At the event, he talked about his life journey of faith and empowerment growing up in a World Vision-supported orphanage in the Philippines and becoming the executive area director of International Bible Society-Send The Light, East Asia.
The event also saw Elim Chew, founder of 77th Street, who together with her sister Sulin, sponsors 22 needy children in six different countries.
There were also celebrity speakers such as host and presenter, Melody Chen, who shared her experience of meeting her sponsored child in Bangladesh face-to-face, and the reason why she started on this rewarding journey of sponsoring a child living miles away from her.
Other celebrities at the event included local musicians Jack & Rai, World Vision’s Goodwill Ambassadors, who performed some of their original songs of hope and also spoke about their recent Child Sponsors trip to Vietnam to visit World Vision sponsored children in their communities.
Participants of the event also heard from an unassuming addition to the list of speakers—Leong Poh Yin.
Leong is an ordinary Singaporean single mother who has not only been caring for her paralyzed son for the past 11 years, but is also a child sponsor herself.
Although she may not be a celebrity, World Vision Goodwill former beneficiary or ambassador, her story speaks of tremendous perseverance and allows fellow child sponsors to relate to her.
The high-tea celebration was indeed an inspirational showcase of those who have overcome the seemingly hopeless challenges faced in their childhood. It was also a hearty celebration of people who have generously sacrificed their time and money to help the underprivileged redefine their own destinies, and become writers of their own history through World Vision.
To find out more about World Vision’s child sponsorship program and what other ways you can contribute, visit www.worldvision.org.sg.
