Jorge's Story
Child Ambassadors find all kinds of different ways to integrate being a CA into their daily lives and professions. One such example comes from a current Child Ambassador in Texas, Professor Jorge Daniel Garcia Santiago.
Jorge is an Instructor of Management Sciences at Abilene Christian University who currently teaches a class called Personal Selling. In the course, students learn a variety of persuasive and storytelling techniques. It wasn’t long before Jorge realized how well Child Sponsorship could fit into his course’s curriculum.
As a Child Sponsor himself for many years, Jorge had long been familiar with the work of World Vision and was compelled to find a way to increase his impact on vulnerable children around the world. He was able to integrate Child Sponsorship into his daily life as a professor by inviting his active students each semester to get a child sponsored by someone they know. This assignment is a great exercise in students conveying the transformative work of World Vision through Child Sponsorship.
Jorge coaches his students through what it is like to be told no a few times before finally getting a “yes.” He teaches that the most effective appeals are made through a genuine connection with someone. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting a child sponsored; it’s important to have a conversation. When asked about the biggest challenges of sharing about Child Sponsorship, Jorge mentioned that just starting a conversation can be the hardest first step for a Child Ambassador.
In the fall of 2020, students in Jorge’s course secured over 35 new sponsorships as a class. With this small step of incorporating his role as a Child Ambassador into his role as a Professor, Jorge’s impact grows beyond what he would be able to do otherwise and brings the life transformation through Child Sponsorship to even more vulnerable children around the world. One of Jorge’s favorite parts of sponsoring a child himself is getting to see the children grow up. He’s reminded of his own privilege as these children around the world are empowered in all areas of their lives.