Christine’s unforgettable visit to meet Francisco

The moment was filled with emotion — deep joy, a nervous smile, a profound sense of fulfillment. After nine years of exchanging letters and photos, Christine and Francisco’s meeting was unforgettable.

“When I first saw him, it brought me so much joy to see his face, even if it was a little bit of a shy smile,” Christine Bowerman says, of meeting the young man she supports as a sponsor through Children Believe. “It brought me so much joy to finally get to meet him.”

Reserved at first, Francisco gradually opened up and engaged with Christine at their first in-person meeting.

“There were so many favourite moments in this visit. The most important was when we had the opportunity to ask questions — I discovered more about him, his family, his likes and dislikes,” she said. “We discovered that we have a lot of similarities, like our love for drawing.”

Francisco, accompanied by his grandmother, spent the day with Christine in Managua, enjoying breakfast, bouncing on trampolines together and shopping at a local mall.

Christine travelled to Nicaragua from her home in Nova Scotia for this experience in April, and says she had great satisfaction in witnessing the positive impact of sponsorship, not just for Francisco but also his community. “I cherish sharing letters and watching him grow healthily while seeing his community benefit from the sponsorship,” she says. “My hope is for Francisco to remain well, continue his studies, finish high school, and pursue his dreams.”

Christine started out as a sponsor with a goal to leave a legacy and be a part of his life journey. “He is part of my family. We are together, even miles apart,” Christine said. She also hopes to come back to attend his graduation and hopes “to speak to him more in Spanish next time.”

Sponsorship makes a difference

Francisco is currently in elementary school — Grade 5. At 14 he is full of dreams and aspires to be a policeman. He loves sports, especially soccer. He is one of over 6,800 children sponsored in Nicaragua, benefitting from Children Believe programs that promote equal access to opportunities and resources, such as clean water, healthcare and quality education.

For thousands of other children in the country, life looks very different. Without this type of support, their choices are often stolen from them. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors like Christine, and the educational resources made possible, children like Francisco are empowered to choose their own path.

Explore more inspiring stories like this in the latest edition of ChildVoice!

About Children Believe

Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in — and be heard. For 60+ years, we’ve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, we’re driven by a common belief: creating access to education — inside and outside of classrooms — is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.

About Childfund Alliance

A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.