Tomorrow is my youngest daughter’s birthday. She turns eight this year. Though I know she dearly loves her dolls, dreams of becoming a lawyer, and her favorite color is yellow, I have never actually met this precious little girl. Maria (not her real name) is my sponsored daughter. My birthday gift to her is a fighting chance against poverty.

Maria lives in one of the poorest nations on earth, in a mud home with dirt floors and few luxuries. Crime and poverty define her town. But Maria is lucky. Each day her belly is full and she has clean water to drink. Medicine keeps her healthy. She wears suitable clothes, and she has a place to go to school. Others are not so fortunate. Continue reading →