SPONSORSHIP

Together we can change the life of a child!

We’ve dedicated our lives to directly change the lives of children in Colombia.

Investing more effort than a full-time job, we rescue, feed, bathe, clothe, educate, and even raise them in our own families… free of charge!

But this costs money and we can’t do all this alone.

We need you for this part. Would you help sponsor us financially?

We have developed a way to help support the children called “House Sponsorship Program” where you help support a whole house full of children rather than an individual child.

In Formando Vidas we have six distinct houses in which we work with the children and in which you can become involved:

• The Other Way: is our "drop in" phase where children can come for breakfast, showers, washing clothes, first aid, handicrafts, Bible club, rudimentary reading classes, and lunch. Our inner city location also serves as a base for our teams who go out to do friendship evangelism in the streets of Bogotá. It also acts as an emergency shelter where a child can stay short term when he's found to be in an acute emotional or physical crisis.  (Check out the Big Foot Project to find out more about this house.)

• The Oasis: is our first home where a street child can live full time for up to two years while he adjusts to living long term with a Christian family. The work to restore the child's biological family intensifies at this stage; in order to reach family members who are outside our parameters, we involve other Christian organizations and local churches with whom we network to focus on the family's particular needs. (We plan to restart this phase in 2009- currently we need support to buy the things to set up the house).

• Light & Life: is our specialized school for street children who cannot function in a typical community school, either because of behavioural problems, emotional instability, learning disabilities, or advanced age in comparison to grade level.  At Light and Life, the student learns academic skills and knowledge, social norms and continues their spiritual development. We accept children from our program, other Christian street children's programs, and inner city slum neighbourhoods who have a community development program sponsored by a local Christian church.

• The Restored Heritage: We have three re-parenting homes. Both the Kiwi House and the Vineyard house are located in our long term care facility outside of Bogotá in a country setting. In the city we have one house called Chamo. Here the children from our ministry, who are in need of long term or permanent care, are raised by our staff while we integrate them back with their biological family or a foster or adoptive family. The primary aim is to model a Christian Family, in a home style setting and therefore break the cycle of desperation that these children have come from.

What is “House Sponsorship”?

In each of the houses that you have just read about we provide meals, clothes, counselling, education, school supplies and a lot of love to some very energetic children. We do all of this without charge and with a great expectation of what God will do in the life of the child and her family.

Your sponsorship enables us to provide these children’s basic needs.

Upon request, we will send you a detailed profile of the house that you are supporting – both the children and staff.

In addition, you will receive updates on you house twice a year that will contain stories, testimonies, prayer requests and the special needs of your particular group of children.

What does it cost?

While we ask for pledges of US$30 per month, the amount can be whatever you and God decide. Just write to us at streetkids@aol.com with the information on your contribution. Then go to the donations heading on the left hand side of the homepage and find out how to send your donation from you country.

As an alternative to House Sponsorship, for 30 a month, you can help by…

…Sponsor one of our projects (ask us for specific details; we’re constantly growing in our vision). Or

…Sponsor one of our staff members or families (All our staff are volunteers).

We are a public charity, recognized by the IRS (United States) as an approved 501 (c) (3) organization, able to give tax receipts for donations.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND GOD BLESS YOU!