Yesterday we explored how sponsorship can enable a child to receive the educational assistance and support needed to overcome the hopelessness extreme poverty seems to enforce.

As Praveena's story indicates, children born into impoverished families must balance incredible responsibilities along with their hopes and dreams. Yet for children like Praveena, sponsorship provides one very important opportunity that's often overlooked in favor of the more tangible educational benefits.

What opportunity is that? It's really quite simple: sponsorship allows a child to enter an environment where they can be what God created them to be -- creative, playful, and imaginative.

In short, your sponsorship allows a little one to finally be a child. It may seem like a small thing, but even the smallest moments of joy and fun are a balm for their wearied and worn souls.

But what does that look like, exactly?

The most recent example of this can be found in the photos of the SOS Radio Sri Lanka Mission Trip. Special thanks to Gloria, William, and Scott for sharing these images with us!

During the Vacation Bible School, the team put together many creative projects for the children: Paper and chalk, tape and glue allowed the children to create masterpieces!

There were also bracelet-making stations with beads and multi-colored thread:

Each activity had a special message, reinforcing that the children themselves are wonderful creations! The children also made Happy/Sad masks and heard how God loved them whether they were happy or sad.

The gospel was shared using audience participation and colors: our sins are black, but through Jesus' red blood, we are cleansed white as snow, making us completely new (green) and welcomed into heaven (gold).

Afterwards the children were free to express their feelings in clay, or as this little boy showed, with whatever was around them by fashioning a cross out of twigs.

There were plenty of opportunities to play outside. In addition to using the playground equipment or the jump ropes, there was an ongoing volleyball tournament with the older children.

And as we saw in the Dominican Republic, cars were a huge hit, even if the track was made out of painter's tape!

With the help of a mission team, the children had plenty of opportunities to play in the familiar environment of their project. But every mission team must eventually depart... so what happens then? Don't worry, the kids still know how to have fun. We'll show you just how much fun tomorrow!