Eric Ramirez, 32, is a former sponsored child from the Philippines who now lives and works as a Registered Nurse in Edmonton.

Edmonton resident Eric Ramirez, 32, has cherished a photograph for years. It's a picture of a Canadian husband and wife and their three boys posing around a tree trunk. Eric, a former sponsored child from the Philippines, dreamed of meeting this family to thank them for changing his future.

On June 19, 2007, this dream came true. After years of correspondence, losing touch and reconnecting, Eric's former sponsors, Harold and Sharon Paisley of Kitchener, Ontario, finally met the young man they had only known from a distance. 

Typhoon Destruction
Eric's village on the island of Southern Leyte was hit by a typhoon in 1978, destroying his family's business. "We lost everything," remembers Eric, who was four at the time. "We were back to square one—back to zero."

Despite their limited means, Eric's parents worked feverishly for years to pay for tuition, uniforms and supplies. They could barely keep Eric in school, let alone his siblings.

Canadian Sponsors
On the other side of the globe, the Paisleys celebrated the birth of their first son by sponsoring a child through World Vision. "We asked ourselves, 'How will we make our child aware that there's a world beyond ours?'" In January 1986, they received a picture of Eric.

The Paisleys' monthly contributions meant Eric's family no longer had to sacrifice necessities to keep him in school. Child sponsorship covered his school expenses and provided regular medical and dental checkups. Eric's community also benefited with skills training and small-business loans for families.

Eric graduated from high school with an A-average and completed a degree in nursing with the Paisleys' support. While they stayed in touch for many years, they lost contact when the sponsorship ended in 1994.

"Every year I thought of him because his name's still on my birthday calendar," says Sharon. "I wondered where he was."

Connecting with Sponsor Family
In 2001 Eric resurfaced. He had moved to Edmonton to care for his elderly great-uncle. After watching a World Vision television show, he immediately called the number on the screen.

World Vision staff members were able to reunite him with his former sponsors. They were delighted to get reacquainted with Eric via letters and e-mail messages. Child sponsorship, Eric wrote, was "the greatest gift."

Sharon Paisley says that Eric's progress has been an encouragement to their family. "This year was a milestone. Eric passed his registered nursing exams, landed a job at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton and became a Canadian citizen," adds Sharon.

Eric now lives with his sister, who is a nanny in Edmonton. He sends money home to put his brother through college and helped build a new house for his family in the Philippines.

Like the Paisleys, you too can provide hope for a child in need. Please sponsor a child today. Click here.