My family and I sponsor a little boy through World Vision from India named Chanveeraya, or Chan, as we refer to him…

We chose Chan because he was born on the same day as my son, Drew, so they are exactly the same age. Besides helping me remember when to send his birthday present (!), it also helps remind us that my son's life could be so radically different if he had simply been born in a different area of the world…

What makes my son more worthy of a blessed lifestyle than Chan? In a word, nothing. Jesus loves Chan just as much as He loves Drew. What is the use of all of the blessings that we have in this country if we can't share them with someone else? Especially a little boy who, just because of the area he was born in, has so little?

Chan sends us letters in his native language about how he's doing in school and pictures he draws for us. But it's the pictures of Chan himself that affect me the most. He's such a serious little boy, trying to stand up as straight as he can. He is still very young but he has the haunted eyes of a much older man…

As a family, sponsoring Chan has brought home the realities of the harshness in the world to our family.

I want my children to be well-grounded and educated about how blessed they are. More than that, I want them to give back…

The opportunity to sow into Chan's life, both financially and spiritually, means a tremendous amount to us and we have embraced this little boy whole-heartedly.

If you're interested, I can get you more info on how you can also sponsor a child. Just e-mail me at .

On a more personal note, if you're concerned about children that are at high risk for AIDS, you can specifically choose a child from those high-risk areas. Your sponsorship will help provide him/her with education on how to avoid contracting AIDS or help provide for medical care if he/she is already stricken with the disease. Or if you're concerned with children being sexually exploited in Thailand, for example, your sponsorship may be the thing that keeps your sponsored child from having to turn to a life of prostitution to provide for his/her family. Talk about making a difference!