Sponsorship FAQs

What if I want to cancel my sponsorship?

You may cancel your sponsorship at any time. To cancel, please email us at: membership@deseoproject.org

If I cancel my sponsorship, what happens to the child I’m sponsoring?

If you need to cancel your child sponsorship, we will immediately look for a new sponsor for your child and continue the child’s sponsorship support without interruption until we find a new sponsor. You can cancel your sponsorship at any time.

How long should my sponsorship last?

Our Child Sponsorship Program currently allows you to remain a sponsor until the student graduates from the program, (6th grade or 12-years-old). While we hope that you will be able to continue your support of your sponsored child until he or she completes the program, we recognize that circumstances sometimes change. You may cancel your sponsorship at any time. Please understand that a sponsored child’s circumstances may change, too. For example, sometimes families may move beyond the reach of our program or the child is no longer able to participate due to multiple unmet guidelines. We will inform you as quickly as possible if any such circumstance affects the child you sponsor, and we’ll offer you the opportunity to support another child in need of your help.

How much does it cost to sponsor a child through the DESEO Project?

The cost to fully sponsor a child is only $38 per month.

Why does it cost $38 per month?

Unlike other programs, the DESEO Project matches just one sponsor to each child; meaning you are the only sponsor for your child. While many organizations only focus on one aspect of poverty, our goal is to help the child and their family break the cycle of poverty. Our vision extends into the future wellbeing of the children and therefore we invest in their training and equipping rather than merely sustaining them.

What is a DESEO Project Sponsor?

A sponsor is someone who has decided to personally invest in the life of a child in need. As a sponsor, you have the opportunity to build a meaningful connection between you and the child you choose to sponsor. Your child will know your name, write to you, and benefit directly from your support. Your child will be enrolled in our DESEO program, providing them with access to:

  • Education
  • Medical Care
  • Mentorship
  • Spiritual & Social Development

Will I be the only person sponsoring the child I’m helping?

Yes. We match one child to one sponsor. Which is why your prayers, letters, and support are so significant to your child.

What will the child I sponsor receive?

Education:
Without your support, some children wouldn’t even be able to continue their basic education due to pressure from their family to stay at home and work. Additionally, the DESEO program teaches values, morals, and personal health and hygiene to sponsored students using a bible based curriculum. The DESEO program also offers after-school tutoring, sports, and music programs that help support the students while introducing them to our church family.

Medical Care:
To ensure your child’s wellbeing, the DESEO Project will provide your sponsored child with an annual check-up with either a visiting physician or a local licensed physician. These check-ups supply the sponsored children with basic medications such as parasite pills and vitamins while also offering encouragement, healing, and relief.

Mentorship:
Our DESEO team has developed a unique bible-based curriculum to promote character, self-esteem, and values in order to produce responsible christian adults. In addition to our after-school programs such as tutoring, basketball, and choir, sponsored children will have the opportunity to participate in weekly bible classes. Parents of sponsored children will also have the opportunity to participate in bible-based parenting classes.

How can I learn more about the child I’m sponsoring?

You will be able to write to your child as often or as little as you’d like. Words of encouragement as well as questions to get to know your child will strengthen the relationship. We would encourage trying to keep letters to a monthly basis to allow time for our staff to collect, translate, and distribute letters from both parties. We will also send bi-annual updates on your child’s progress as well as monthly newsletters about the program, country, and other ministries of Mission UpReach.

In addition to letters, photos, and prayers, you can even participate in a short-term mission trip that allows you to meet your child and their family.

Will my child write to me?

Depending on how often you write to your child, your child will write back to you. Your child will write you at least twice a year regardless of the frequency of your letters. If the child is too young or struggles with reading and writing, a staff member will be present to assist them with the letters.

Is there anything I cannot send to my child?

In order to be good stewards and avoid extra costs, we cannot accept physical items, letters, or gifts. To learn about gift giving options, click here

As a sponsor, you have many opportunities to communicate with the child you sponsor and we encourage you to do so. When you communicate with him or her, however, we ask you to provide comments and materials consistent with the Christian values. We review all content and will not allow photographs and other materials depicting activities that:

  • Might be considered inappropriate in another culture.
  • Promote lifestyle choices that we view as unhealthy and inconsistent with biblically-based lifestyles or otherwise inappropriate for sponsored children.
  • Might threaten the safety of the sponsored children in any way.

For example, we will not forward materials that depict or describe the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, unlawful drugs and materials or activities that we regard as dangerous or unsafe. We will not forward materials or communications that advocate another religious worldview. In addition, we will not forward materials depicting persons dressed in immodest clothing or engaging in activities inconsistent with our ministry values and beliefs.

How does The DESEO PROJECT child sponsorship work?

Through monthly financial support, prayer, and letter writing, sponsors can connect directly with children living in extreme poverty. When you sponsor a child through the DESEO Project, you are providing an opportunity for a child to continue their education free from the barriers of poverty. Your money provides a child with the items needed to continue studying such as school uniforms, a backpack, and school supplies. The DESEO Project will even provide much needed classroom supplies to the teacher of the child you sponsor. The DESEO Project also provides weekly Bible lessons, teaching morals and values as well as practical life skills. To ensure your child’s wellbeing, the DESEO Project will provide your sponsored child with an annual check-up with either a visiting physician or a local licensed physician as well as suppling vitamins and parasite medication. Our many after school programs provide your child with opportunities for tutoring, basketball, and choir. Addressing the physical, mental and spiritual needs of your child is the best way to impact their future and help them break the cycle of poverty.

Sponsoring a Child through the DESEO Project offers them:

  • an opportunity to attend or stay in school.
  • access to MUR Medical Brigades
  • opportunities to hear the gospel through the local church
  • enrollment in our after school programs
  • Morals and Values education once a week
  • Health and Hygiene courses
  • Mentoring and Bible Education
  • Education Assistance
    • Uniforms
    • Shoes
    • School Supplies
    • Tutoring

What can I pray for?

The power of prayer is incredible. Your prayers for the health, safety, education and spiritual development of your child are critical. Sponsored children are encouraged knowing that their sponsors are praying for them.

Do I need to hold and practice Christian specific beliefs to sponsor a child?

While we do not restrict sponsors to a specific faith or religion, we seek sponsors who support our ministry approach and philosophy. We are a Christian ministry who’s goal is to transform the culture of Western Honduras with the gospel of Jesus Christ by developing and equipping local Christian leaders to build self-led, self-sustaining, and self-replicating congregations. The transformed culture would then achieve a multiplication of life-changing ministries as each new congregation meets the physical, mental, and spiritual needs within its own community, and developed future leaders to launch still other congregations. This new model would become sustainable in the long-term using only Honduran leadership and only Honduran funding – growing and expanding the Lord’s church without influences from American churches.

We do not promote religious or political views that do not align with our program’s standards. With that said, we reserve the right to withhold any letters to the sponsored child whose contents encourage values different than our own.

Can I send gifts to my child?

While we cannot accept physical items, we would love for you to send extra monetary gifts for special occasions, special needs, or simply as a demonstration of care and commitment for your child. Our DESEO PROJECT team members will purchase gifts on your behalf to make sure that these funds are used appropriately. You also have the option of sending a gift to the family of your child. We will work closely with the family in order to determine their needs and purchase items according to your monetary gift.

How do I give a gift?

The easiest way to give is online by credit card or an automatic debit of your bank account.

** PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR CHILD’S ID# IN THE NOTES DURING CHECKOUT **

You can also give by check.

Please make checks payable to:

Mission UpReach, Inc. The DESEO PROJECT

And mail them to:

Mission UpReach, Inc.
3221 Dundee Road
Longview, TX 75604

** PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR CHILD’S ID# ON THE CHECK **

Additional information such as the purpose of the gift, (graduation, Christmas, birthday, etc.) should be included on an attached note to ensure proper handling. Checks received without required information will automatically go into the general fund.

How much can I give?

You can give up to an additional $200 a year to your sponsored child:

  • Up to $100 for a Birthday gift
  • And $100 for a Christmas gift.

Why does The DESEO Project limit how much I can give?

Many of the children and families in Honduras live in extreme poverty. We restrict the size of monetary gifts to avoid creating dependence, and to avoid jealousy within the community, which could put the child and their family at risk.

Gifts are individual expressions of love and encouragement, which complement the core values taught by our DESEO team.

Our vision is to break they cycle of poverty that plagues families from generation to generation. To accomplish this goal, we focus on training and equipping sponsored children with the skills they need to be successful in their own right.

Is there a minimum amount for gifts?

We would ask that all gifts be at least $10. Gifts of less than $10 will be donated to the General Fund.

Can I decide what gift is purchased?

Your monetary gift will be exchanged into local currency and turned over to our team. A staff member will then work closely with the child and their family to make a purchase with your gift money. While we would love to hear your suggestions, the staff member will serve as a mediator, ensuring that the purchase is both culturally and developmentally appropriate.

In the spirit of good stewardship, through minimizing banking fees, monetary gifts are sent with regular sponsorship funds on a monthly basis to our Honduran office. Based on when your gift is given in this disbursement cycle, it is possible that the child will not receive the gifts purchased with your funds for up to two months.

When can I send a gift?

You may give a gift to your sponsored child on their Birthday and for Christmas.

Do I have to give a gift to the child I sponsor?

No, you do not have to give extra monetary gifts to your child or their family. However, if you do decide to give a gift it will be:

  • a way to meet a need in the family’s life.
  • a way to strengthen your relationship.
  • a memorable experience for all parties.

What if I gave a gift and then learned that my child no longer participates in the program?

The DESEO Project staff will attempt to deliver any gift, even in the child no longer participates in the program. If the child or family cannot be located, or The DESEO Project itself cannot use the gift, it will be transferred into the general fund.

Are there other ways to give?

We will keep you up to date with new ways to give as they develop. However, you can always check out Mission UpReach (link) to donate to one of our other ministries.

Still have questions?

If you have additional questions click the button below.