I went to the Women of Faith conference this weekend. This was my second year to attend. WOF promotes the World Vision organization at the conferences and the sponsorship of needy children around the world. I considered doing it last year but for various reasons did not. But, that decision nagged at me sometimes over this past year.

This year in preparation for attending the conference I went to the WOF website and was reminded of the World Vision opportunities. I didn’t say anything to Joel about it, but just casually prayed that if I was supposed to do it, let me know.

My friend Mary Beth and I arrived at the conference a little bit late on Friday morning, and the first thing we heard was the promotion of World Vision. Speaker Marilyn Meberg was in the center stage and told about the organization, her support of it, her encounter with a young man who had benefited from the support, etc.

Then, she held up the picture of a child in Zambia and how he was one of many who needed a sponsor. The big screen t.v. zooms in on the boy and the information card as she says “….and his name is Sweet….”

THUMP! Ok, Lord. I get it. I’ll sponsor this year and I’ll sponsor this particular 12 year old boy.
It was pretty clear that with my maiden name of Sweet that of the thousands of children that could have been selected as an example, that it was a message directly to me to be a sponsor.

At the break, Mary Beth and I immediately went to the World Vision sponsorship table and I explained that I wanted to sponsor not just any child, but the boy named Sweet about whom Marily Meberg told from center stage. The WV employee ran down to the arena floor, found the information and brought it to me.

The Cooks have now sponsored a boy in Zambia named Sweet who is 12 years old. We will find out more about him soon. We are looking forward to not only the sponsorship, but the opportunity to teach our three children about missions and another part of the world, and how blessed we are here in America.