Children of Promise, Inc., was established to provide financial assistance for programs to aid needy children in ministries of the Church of God* outside the United States. The organization desires to have a program in every developing country where the Church of God has functioning congregations.

At present, Children of Promise's purpose is unique within the Church of God Movement.  Children are the future leaders of the Church and the communities of the world. Many of them are being denied a promising future because of poverty, lack of education, and disease. Children of Promise is committed to providing assistance in these areas, to introducing each child to Christ, and to providing spiritual nurture. The organization is committed to helping build young lives all over the world that will be physically and spiritually healthy, as well as productive in the Church and community. Your sponsorship and donations work hard to help Children of Promise fulfill its purpose.

It is gratifying to see that children who have been sponsored for a number of years are now entering professional studies, seminary, and Bible training school. The Children of Promise sponsorship program has given them the health, education, spiritual guidance, and encouragement needed to become servant leaders and participants in their local congregations and communities. This is a goal for each participant of Children of Promise.

Children of Promise funds for various child development programs around the world are relayed to the local ministries through the Outreach Ministries division of Church of God Ministries, Inc.

 

Current Ministry Situation

As of January 2010, over 3,800 children are sponsored in 23 nations: India, Nepal, one country in Indochina, Thailand, Russia, The Philippines, Egypt, Lebanon, Haiti, Jamaica, Ecuador, Honduras, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia. All sponsorship projects are administered by national leaders of the Church of God or missionaries of the Church of God. Every project must be approved by the General Assembly of the Church of God in each particular country. Congregations of the Church of God carry out the daily responsibility of ministering to the needs of the children through locally-appointed committees and directors.

The overall daily operation of Children of Promise, Inc., is carried out and supervised by the Executive Director. The staff of the national office is comprised of a full-time associate director, full-time sponsorship associate, part-time accounting associate, and a part-time office associate.  Children of Promise accomplishes even more with a full complement of volunteer staff, including a coorespondence volunteer.

 

Types of Sponsorship

Children around the world are assisted through two types of sponsorships. With individual sponsorships, donors are assigned a specific child for whom they receive pictures and personal information. Sponsors are encouraged to correspond with the child. Funds are used to provide food, education, medical care, and spiritual nurture for that child each month.

Where high mobility or family instability makes individual sponsorship impractical, donors underwrite the childcare program itself through program sponsorships. In this second type of sponsorship, donors receive frequent updates on the ministry's progress. Projects include such ministries as feeding centers, day care centers, and residencial homes for children.

Programming in both types of sponsorship may include daycare, health care, nutrition, and educational assistance. It is preferred to assist children within the family unit. When children have no parents, relatives, or close friends who can care for them, Children of Promise will assist local church leaders in providing residential care (children's homes).  However, Children of Promise does not administer or own residential or educational institutions or facilities.

Children of Promise covenants with each donor to channel as much money as possible into direct assistance of sponsored children. Policy allows for a small amount (15%) of deduction from each monthly sponsorship for administrative costs.

Sponsorship amounts are determined according to the cost-of-living of the host country.  These estimates are submitted by the national directors. Costs will be kept to the amount required to provide adequately for each child's needs.

Children are eligible for the program until they finish secondary education.

 

"Children of Promise doesn't just give the children a better life; it gives them life, period.  They just wouldn't make it without the help of their sponsors."
                                                        —Missionary in Africa speaking to Coordinators

 

*Children of Promise, Inc., is affiliated with the Church of God, headquartered in Anderson, Indiana. Children of Promise was started jointly in 1992 by the Women of the Church of God and the former Missionary Board of the Church of God (now Global Missions). In 2002, Children of Promise was granted official non-profit status. As an independent non-profit organization, its ties to the Church of God are fundamental. Children of Promise collaborates with Global Missions and other divisions of Church of God Ministries, Inc., as it carries out its ministry to children around the world.