Maasai Girls Rescue Center needs a few good sponsors. Are you one of them?
Maasai Girls Rescue Center needs a few good sponsors. Are you one of them?
Written by: MARY FLIELLER
A big part of the girls’ lives at MGRC is their sponsors. It means so much to know that someone on the other side of the world loves and cares about them. Today, we find ourselves in a position that 8 of our girls don’t have sponsors. A few of the girls are new, and others have lost their sponsors. And while we would never turn a girl away because she does not have a sponsor, I can’t overstate the importance of sponsors to the girls’ livelihood.
Why do people choose to become a sponsor?
After talking to multiple sponsors, and thinking about my own situation, I believe there are as many reasons to be a sponsor as there are stars in the sky. That is to say, everyone has their own personal reason for making the financial, emotional and loving commitment required to be an MGRC sponsor.
Some people sponsor because they could not fathom that a girl as young as three years of age who was raped by her uncle might have to face that situation again if not rescued. Others chose to be a sponsor because they had a personal connection to Rick Morro, the Founder of MGRC, and trusted in his vision. Still others realized that most Maasai girls are treated as a commodity to be valued and traded like cattle, and by sponsoring a girl, they are giving her dignity, respect and a future filled with potential.
Why did I choose to sponsor one of the 65 plus girls at MGRC? Because I realized my “lot in life” has been significantly determined by the simple fact that I was born in the USA…one of the richest countries in the world. I did nothing to earn this very fortunate situation. Granted I grew up in a great family with loving parents but so much of what was possible for me was because I was born in the USA. Equally the girls at MGRC did nothing to deserve being born into sheer poverty with little to no opportunity. As a sponsor, I can share a little of my good fortune with one other person.
What does it take to be a sponsor?
Certainly, sponsorships include a financial commitment, one that lasts throughout the girl’s stay at MGRC. But as a sponsor you give (and receive) so much more. While the staff at MGRC give the girls a loving, healthy environment, a sponsor broadens the girls’ perspective on life and creates hope for the future in so many ways. You serve as an extended family member (think of a cool relative in your own life who helped you). When you share your activities and interests, you help them see opportunities for themselves. When you see their faces light up during a zoom call, your heart melts. When they see you being proud of their achievements, their heart expands. So, what does it take to be a sponsor? A giving heart, a willingness to share your life experiences, and the wherewithal to support a girl throughout her stay.
Are you a potential sponsor?
Being a sponsor is not for everyone. The financial, emotional, and loving commitment you make is for the entire time your girl is a resident at MGRC. Some girls come as early as 2 years of age; others are older. Given their past, many girls have medical or emotional issues. They all come with some kind of baggage. Even so, the girls are optimistic and excited about their futures. All the girls know and believe they have the potential to become financially independent women. As a sponsor, you share in her development, growth, and success…much like the proud parent, aunt, uncle, teacher, etc. that helped shape your life.
Being a sponsor is not for everyone. That is ok…we have many other ways that you can support the girls and the staff at MGRC. But, if you become a sponsor, I can promise you that your heart will melt each time your girl’s heart expands with pride as she achieves her goals.
If you are already a sponsor, thank you! You are making a huge difference in your girls’ life. Please share this post with friends and family members and might be interested in sharing in the joy of sponsorship.