TALKING TO
YOUR
CHILD
At For His Glory Children's Home, we deeply value the relationships that form between sponsors and the children in our care. These relationships are essential in offering spiritual encouragement, emotional support, and a sense of belonging for the children. To ensure that these interactions remain both meaningful and culturally sensitive, we’ve outlined a set of guidelines to help sponsors communicate appropriately and effectively with their sponsored child.
Guidelines for Communicating with the Children
Do’s: Encourage and Inspire
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Express gratitude: Let the child know you are thankful for them and explain why. Share how their life inspires you and how blessed you are to support them.
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Show care for their future: Reassure the child that you believe in their potential and encourage them to pursue a productive and purposeful life.
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Promote positive character traits: Encourage kindness, peace, and love in their interactions with others.
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Encourage service: Remind the child to serve and help their community, especially as they grow in their faith.
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Celebrate their accomplishments: Express pride in their efforts, whether in school, their church, or their community.
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Emphasize education: Reinforce the importance of staying focused on their studies and doing well in school. Education is a path to a brighter future.
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Respect for elders: Encourage them to respect and honor their parents, guardians, teachers, and community leaders.
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Share your faith: Talk about your own relationship with Jesus, how your faith guides you, and how important it is in your life.
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Offer spiritual encouragement: Remind the child that there is hope in Jesus and that He cares deeply for them.
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Prayer: Ask the child for their prayer requests and share your own. Let them know you are praying specifically for them.
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Encourage Bible reading and prayer: Remind the child to read their Bible and pray every day. Share some of your favorite Bible verses and explain why they are meaningful to you.
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Highlight the importance of church: Encourage the child to be an active member of their church and community, emphasizing the role of the church in spiritual growth.
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Ask thoughtful questions: Engage with the child by asking questions about their life, such as:
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What is your favorite subject in school?
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What are you learning at church?
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What are your prayer requests?
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What do you like to do outside of school?
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What do you want to do after school?
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Don’ts: Be Culturally Sensitive
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No personal contact information: Do not share your personal address, phone number, or social media accounts. All communication should remain through official channels.
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Avoid political discussions: Topics about U.S. or Ugandan politics are not appropriate. These children do not have the context to understand political matters, and such conversations may cause confusion or concern.
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Don’t make promises: Life circumstances can change, and we want to avoid giving false hopes. Do not make any promises that you cannot keep (e.g., visiting them in the future, paying for post-secondary education).
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Avoid suggesting travel to the U.S.: Please do not suggest that the child might visit you or the U.S. in the future. In Ugandan culture, this can be misinterpreted as a promise, which can lead to disappointment.
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Be mindful about possessions: The children live in material poverty, and it’s important to avoid conversations centered around possessions or material wealth. Focus on spiritual and personal growth rather than material things.
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No slang or difficult expressions: Avoid using colloquial language or slang that might be hard to translate or understand. Keep your language simple and clear.
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Avoid referring to pets as family members: In Ugandan culture, animals do not hold the same affectionate role they might in your home. Referring to pets as part of the family may cause confusion.
Encouraging a Life of Faith
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Point them to Jesus: Share Bible verses, prayers, and encouragement from your own faith journey. Let them know Jesus is their source of hope and strength.
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Inspire them to pray and seek God: Encourage them to develop a personal relationship with Jesus through daily prayer and Bible reading.
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Reaffirm their worth in Christ: Remind the child that they are deeply loved by God, and encourage them to find their identity and purpose in Him.
Summary of Encouraged Communication Topics:
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Gratitude for the child and their impact on your life.
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Encouragement to pursue education and personal growth.
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Building character and service to the community.
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Sharing your own faith journey and offering spiritual guidance.
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Asking about their life, interests, studies, and prayer needs.
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Sharing Bible verses and discussing the importance of prayer and church.
Summary of Communication to Avoid:
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Sharing personal contact information.
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Discussing politics or social issues.
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Making promises about future visits or financial commitments.
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Encouraging the child to travel or move to the U.S.
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Discussing material wealth or possessions.
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Using slang or expressions that are difficult to understand.
By following these guidelines, you can help create a meaningful, loving, and faith-filled relationship with your sponsored child—one that supports them spiritually, emotionally, and practically without causing confusion or unintentional harm. Your relationship with them has the power to impact their life for years to come, and we are so grateful for your partnership in this ministry.
Thank you for being part of For His Glory Children’s Home and for your commitment to making a difference in the lives of these precious children.