Adopt a Family

Adopt-a-Family is a program designed to link needy families in our mission villages with families and individuals in the US. Families with school age children have been selected through pastor referral and an interview process. Our purpose is to assist families with life needs and children with school expenses and to develop relationships between our families and our donors.

Since 2003 we have raised funds to send 200-300 village children to school. Even though the Nicaraguan schools are public and involve little cost beyond registration fees many families are too poor to afford the required uniforms, shoes and school supplies. The school fund has just barely covered the most essential needs of the school children and there have been some drop-outs due to the extreme poverty of the families. With Adopt-a-Family we will have a fund to help the neediest families with many needs beyond the essential school expenses, thus enabling the children in these families to remain in school. The program is meant to be a blessing to the entire family, with a special personal connection made between the family and sponsor.

We believe poverty of spirit and the resultant loss of self-esteem is more detrimental to our families and children than the physical poverty alone. Individual family sponsorship, with its personal connections, promotes hope and builds confidence in the children and families involved, that eventually spills over into the entire community. The benefit to the sponsors will be close personal connections with real families of another culture, and the opening of hearts in loving relationship.

The Adopt-a-Family Plan

  • $35 per month from each sponsor will go into a general fund.
  • Needy families from our mission churches have been chosen and interviewed for this program.
  • Photos and family stories are available to donors to choose a family to sponsor.
  • Each sponsored family will be reviewed on a regular basis as to needs and participation in project activities and programs.
  • Actual money will seldom be given directly to the families and strict accountability of all funds will be required. Our in country accountant will be involved in fund distributions and record keeping.
  • Sponsors and families will be linked together and letters and pictures can be traded if the sponsor wishes. Reports on the children's progress in school and at home will be sent upon request.
  • Sponsorship funds will be used to pay for school tuition, uniforms, shoes, backpacks, school supplies and graduation expenses. Medicines, eyeglasses and transportation costs will be given if needed. If a family member is ill funds will be disbursed. If hunger is an issue, funds can be used for buying food staples. If house/roof repairs are needed funds can be used for this as well.
  • Sponsored children will be required to stay in school and maintain adequate grades. Christian life, marriage and parenting training will be an important component of the program.
  • Sponsors may choose a family, or may have one assigned. Sponsorship can be sent in monthly, or for several months or yearly.
  • There will continue to be a need for a general school fund for the many children who will not be part of the program and for other needs that require extra funds.
  • We plan to start a breakfast feeding program in the future to benefit the children of the sponsored children.
  • Children and families will be required to attend mission programs and classes that promote spiritual and physical growth and wholeness.
  • Craft classes and small business opportunities will be available to sponsored families.