Last week, we had the opportunity to share about our partnership with Trinity Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska. They have truly helped transform our sponsorship program, they are committed to traveling, and when a need arises, they are some of the first to jump in and help. It’s no secret that sponsorship is the heart and soul of TRS. Without sponsorship, we simply could not do what we do.
Courtney Pratt, an intern at Trinity Lutheran Papio, recently shared about sponsorship with The Raining Season and its impact on their church community. She featured sponsors who have also traveled to meet their kiddos and serve TRS. This week, we wanted to share stories of sponsorship from Trinity Lutheran Church as written by Courtney Pratt.
Sponsorship has impacted Casey Hirschfeld, a nursing student at College of Saint Mary, in a way that she never thought was possible. She says, “I was a little hesitant at first because I go to college full time and am paying for that myself on top of other necessities, but I can still set enough money aside to pay the 45 dollars each month. There are a lot of things I don’t absolutely need to have, like going to get coffee every week... If I had enough money to sponsor all the children at the center, I would do it in a heartbeat.”
(Casey Hirschfeld pictured below.)
Rachel Staab started sponsoring through TRS in high school, which has now led her and her husband, Nick, to join Trinity’s travel team. Rachel says, “Seeing their worship and evening devotions is amazing. They are trained to be such great leaders starting at a very young age. Traveling has made our monthly Skype calls more meaningful and fun.” Rachel, like many others who have traveled to the center, have found that this experience has only made their love for the children and this organization even deeper and more meaningful.
(Rachel Staab pictured below.)
After sponsoring Hawa back when TRS first started partnering with Trinity, Janet Tschudin wondered if she should travel with Matt Pearson’s team to Sierra Leone. “Matt helped me realize that traveling to Salone can have a ripple effect and be a means to introduce others to TRS. My three children, son-in-law, sister-in-law, three nieces, and two nephews have traveled to Salone over the years and have sponsored children.” God is using people, like Janet, to bring awareness to TRS and helping them provide for God’s children.
(Janet pictured below.)
Those who have sponsored children and/or traveling with Matt’s team to Salone will all tell you that their lives will never be the same. While we can look at these children’s situations as tragic, desperate, or hopeless, God provides a beacon of light that shines brighter than any darkness could.
Corey Benko is another who is impacted by TRS. He says, “The Raining Season helped to broaden my view of the world and who my family is in Christ. If someone has never gone on a mission trip or supported a missions organization, this is the perfect one to look into.”
(Corey Benko pictured below.)
The way God is using His people to help His people is something only He could orchestrate. We are all God’s children; we are all called to love one another and are called to go where He calls. For some, it may be the local homeless shelter or pantry because God places opportunities right in front of us, but for others maybe it’s traveling to a third-world country where the sun feels like it’s right on top of you, the air doesn’t smell that clean, but the people there help you see that this, this is home.
Have you been touched by sponsorship? Are you interested in learning more about sponsorship? We want to hear from you! We know it takes a village to do what we do, and we want to share how The Raining Season, travel, and sponsorship has impacted our village. Thank you for being a part of our community and your continued support.
Many blessings,
The Raining Season