"Child sponsorship is part of our family's journey"

Meet Wendy and Perryn Smith, who knew their money would help not only children in need but families too when they started sponsoring with ChildFund 15 years ago … and nothing has changed (except the size of their own family of course).

We asked the Smiths to share a little about their child sponsorship journey with us.

Thrive: Wendy and Perryn, why do you want to help children overseas?

The Smiths: We started sponsoring children with ChildFund at least 15 years ago, before we had our own children. We knew there were so many needy people and communities much more impoverished than our own. While we couldn't change all of that, we thought we could make a small difference to a couple of families, by supporting these vulnerable children.

Thrive: Tell us a little about your child sponsorship journey and experience?

The Smiths: The journey with ChildFund has been very positive, especially as over the years our circumstances have changed and ChildFund has adapted its systems to allow us to continue our sponsorship. We have really appreciated this willingness to go the extra mile, particularly by the staff involved. Vanessa in particular has been an excellent communicator and through her assistance has helped us to continue to support for our two sponsored children despite us having no physical address. We are currently travelling overseas, sailing back to New Zealand from Turkey with our family.

We have enjoyed watching children other than our own grow and have dreams of their own. Seeing them possibly achieving more than they could have if left to fend for themselves in their impoverished and very difficult situations. 

It has been good for us to be constantly reminded that there are real people out in the world, that were not born in first world countries and with all our benefits and advantages, they do not have the same opportunities as we do and that we can take for granted.

The Smiths currently sponsor two children.