Visiting The Sponsoree

For those of you who believe in coincidences, this would be one. In any event, this seemed a little ironic back in 1969.

My cousin and her husband have kept in contact with us over the decades, even though we very seldom see them.

So, back in 1969, when they found that we were going to be living in Taiwan, they had some news for us.

They were sponsoring a girl from Taipei through the Christian Children's Fund, which is now called Child Fund International.

So, we contacted the local agency and made plans to visit this young girl they were sponsoring.

We picked up the CCF director and headed toward their residence.



It's a good thing the supervisor was along with us as we would never have found the place. It was in southeast Taipei in a typical neighborhood.



We were certainly expected. We went inside and talked through the supervisor and then had pictures taken. Three generations were living together.

Grandfather had on a freshly laundered white shirt, and the little sister was wearing the cute yellow dress. Grandmother kept mostly in the background, but did agree to pose for the group shot.

The girl Diane and Tom were sponsoring was about 11 or 12. The mother worked in a cigarette factory. There was no indoor plumbing.

Our guide and interpreter is in this shot which was taken shortly before we left. He kept referring to the girl as "he" which was distracting to us. The cab driver was waiting.

So, that was a weekend afternoon in August of 1969. We wonder what that girl is doing now. She would be in her early 50s.