Meeting the Sponsorees Face to Face

If you’ve ever called the India Partners’ office with a question, you most likely spoke with Brian Palmer, India Partners’ Administrative Assistant and Sponsorship Coordinator. After five years of faithful service, Brian is accompanying a team to India for the first time. We asked Brian to answer a few questions about the trip and what he hopes to experience and accomplish.

1. Why do you want to travel to India? I have managed India Partners' child sponsorship program for almost five years now, and in that time I have heard many stories from our partners about the work they are doing in India and about the needs of the people in that country. I want to meet the children, widows and pastors in our sponsorship program, so that the work I have been doing can take on an entirely new level of meaning and importance to me. I want to meet these people face to face. I want to hear with my ears about their struggles, their faith and the things which make them rejoice. I want my heart to be changed by seeing how these people live half a world away from the comforts and luxuries I often take for granted. I want all the words I read in the reports our partners send us to become flesh and blood so that I can get a glimpse of what life is like there and return to America with a greater sense of urgency and passion to help find support for their many needs.

2. Where will you be traveling and what will your schedule be like? We will be traveling from the west to the east coasts of India to visit four India Partners’ project sites. I’ve heard that our schedule is going to be very busy, which excites me!

3. What do you hope to accomplish while being there? I hope to gain a better perspective about who our partners are, exactly whom it is they serve in India and how they meet the many needs of the people they serve. Two of these partners--Living Sacrifice Ministries and Orphans Faith Home--have children, widows and pastors in our sponsorship program as well, so my hope is to meet with as many of these people as possible and come back to America with stories and experiences that will challenge more people to want to become sponsors.

4. How can people at home be praying for your trip? I would appreciate prayers for health, strength and stamina, as we will be doing a lot of traveling and visiting a number of locations while we are in India. I am sure there will be times where it will be physically hard to keep on going. Prayers for patience and the attitude of a willing servant would be good as well, as I'm sure with all the busyness and activity that there will be times when my body or mind won't be as willing as I might like because of fatigue. And I would love to have people praying that my eyes, heart and mind will simply open as wide as they can, so that I can experience everything God wants me to experience on this trip.

If you would like to sponsor a child, widow or teacher click here for more information. Thank you.