A VISIT THAT CONTINUES TO CHANGE LIVES
Caleb and Lidia Magnuson and their sponsored child, Rojih, from Syria. He was thrilled and blessed to meet them and the feeling was mutual.
The Child Sponsorship Program impact was life-changing for Lidia and Caleb Magnuson. When they visited Iraq in October 2023 to meet their sponsored children and see Indigenous Ministries’ work firsthand, it wasn’t just the children’s lives that changed—it was their own. Since that trip, they have become IM Ambassadors, sharing in California churches the importance of sponsorship. Below, Lidia shares why.
“Impactful, encouraging and thriving” are some of the words that come to mind when I think about my experience with Indigenous Ministries, and especially the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2020, Dee Cook signed me up to be a sponsor. Now, my husband Caleb and I sponsor a group of children. We receive updated photos, drawings, and letters from children who’ve experienced more than we can comprehend. Seeing their favorite Bible verses and knowing they’re attending school brings us joy. They are a blessing to us as much as the ministry is to them.
In the fall of 2023, we traveled with Dee and a team to visit the Ministry Centers in the Middle East. It was hard going without John Cook, who had gone to Heaven earlier that year. John always encouraged the Indigenous Ministries teams, and we tried to do the same. In Iraq, we met professors and students at the Middle East Theological College, participated in backpack and food distributions, visited sponsored children, and more.
The most difficult part was visiting the refugee camps. We saw how little people had to live on. One boy was overjoyed to play with his pet chicken—his friend, his entertainment, and one day, his dinner. That was the reality. We heard story after story of persecution and displacement. Business owners, nurses, and hard workers are now unable to work, yet they carry the burden of caring for their families while continuing to serve God.
Children from our CSP in N. Iraq enjoying the sports day in 2023 which was given them in honor of our late CEO John Cook. He had promised a group of boys in our program this sports day and we were honored to provide this time.
One of the most memorable days was a game day with children in Northern Iraq. We shared Bible stories, played soccer, and at the end, gave each child a soccer ball to take home. Their joy was unforgettable. Meeting two of our sponsored children was also incredibly moving. One of them, who had learned hair cutting through Indigenous Ministries, honored me by trimming my hair—a trade he now uses to help support his family. Parting from them was emotional, but we felt peace knowing the ministry was helping care for them and many others.
On October 7th, as we sat at the airport with coffee, we saw breaking news—missiles were striking Israel. We were leaving the Middle East knowing the place and the people we had just fallen in love with would face even more hardship.
What we saw and experienced has motivated us to become Ambassadors for the Child Sponsorship Program. The Child Sponsorship Program impact is real—not only for the children, but for their families and communities. Please join me in prayer for the children in the program, and for those still waiting to be sponsored.
Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
God bless,
Lidia Magnuson