Want another easy way to learn more about your sponsored child's country? Consider setting up a news alert.

Google provides a simple way to set up a news alert. You can add your search terms -- I set up two, one for Bangladesh and one for Cambodia.

Then I determined what type of media I want to include (news stories, blog posts, videos, etc.) and how often I want to be alerted by email.

Each week, I’ll receive an email with the best news stories for those countries with links to the full stories.

I’m excited to learn more about my sponsored girls’ countries. My first alert contained everything from soccer scores to economic issues.

One thing I hope to do with this information is mention positive news in my letters to Sovanna and Munni. Even though they live in poverty, I’m sure they take deep pride in their countries, and I want to celebrate and support that if I can. I also hope to gain a broader perspective beyond the obstacles my girls face in their daily lives.