Sponsorship

Program Details

The sponsorship program began several years ago when some short-term missionaries wanted to contribute toward the cost of education for some specific students. Since then, a tidal wave of supporters have signed on to support the education of one (or two or three!) children.

In effect this has freed up funds for teachers’ salaries, supplies, training and facility improvements. All of this is made possible when the “cost per student” is covered by generous benefactors.

Answers to your questions

“How much?”
Our current cost per student is $40 (US) per month and this covers a child’s school and health care needs.

“Where do I start?”
When you come on one of our week-long trips, you have the opportunity to choose a child to sponsor from our list of unsponsored children. But you can simply choose a child from our website and sponsor a child’s education today!

“Can I contact my sponsor child?”
Several times a year, will write letters to their sponsor.  If you would like to send anything to your sponsor child, please mail it to: Mission Emanuel, 1220 E. Concord St., Orlando, FL 32803.  Please be sure to include the child’s full name as well as your name.  Please make packages no larger than 11″x14″ manila envelope.

2012 Sponsorship Increase:

Dear Sponsors,

Thank you so much for all you’ve done in and for the lives of the children you have and are currently sponsoring! We wish you could hear and sense the spiritual satisfaction that comes from each of the great reports that come from our student sponsorship programs!!!  You should be aware that many wonderful things are transpiring daily in lives of the nearly 500 students who receive sorely needed financial assistance from you and those 400 plus other partners in ministry who stand alongside you in this battle for the hearts and minds of this countries young people.

There is no question about the need:

“With a GDP that ranks 118^th out of 194 countries in the world, the Dominican Republic is one of the poorest countries in the Caribbean.  The Dominican Republic’s continuing economic struggles affect its ability to provide quality public education. In 2006, the country spent 3.6 percent of its GDP on education, putting it at 126^th in the world for education spending; in 2007, it spent only 2.2 percent of its GDP and slipped to 165^th in the world. Only 16.1 percent of the Dominican Republic’s poorest children between three and five years old attend pre-school, in contrast to 75 percent of the richest. (Pre-school education increases readiness for first grade, giving the latter group an advantage.  USAID describes the Dominican education system as “overwhelmed by poor infrastructure, few hours of actual class time, frequent teacher absences and limited didactic materials … Consequently, Dominican children have fewer opportunities to develop into productive citizens and are subsequently at increased risk of economic and social abuse.”

The internet blogger who contributed the preceding paragraph summed it up best by referring to education as an investment rather than an expense.

Today, we are asking that you consider investing a little bit more into the education and therefore the lives of the young people who are sponsored through Mission Emanuel’s education ministry.  Costs have risen dramatically in the prior three years, but up until now we have found ways to cope rather than having to come back to you.  If, for any reason, you are unable to invest beyond what you are now doing, please continue at that level with ours and the children’s humble gratitude.  But our hope is that you will be able to add just $5.00 per month to provide the continuity and shore up the foundation to this critical program.

The best that we can do is to come alongside and proclaim Christ to these precious young people. Thank you for making that possible. Through your provision and prayers you are making Him evident to them and their families. All glory to God!

It is a high honor to represent you here in the Dominican Republic!

Sincerely,

Jack Larson,

Executive Director of Mission Emanuel