John Carlo Dalahoy Murillo. He is 13 years old and has been in my life since he was 6 years old. I was 12 years old when I agreed to sponsor him at a table set up in my church after mass one Sunday. Throughout these 7 years, I have come to know him through just photos and letters. At first, the letters were written by his mom and as he learned how to write, he started to write me. I didn't know you could be so proud of someone you've never met, but John Carlo has taught me that you can. Every letter I receive, I notice his handwriting improving. Every photo I receive, I can see that he is becoming more nourished and dressing better. I am reminded of him every day through the frame that hangs in my room full of all the photos I have ever received of him.

John Carlo lives in the Philippines with his parents and three siblings in a home made of plywood walls and flooring and a GI sheet roof. They do have electricity, but all their water comes from the community well. He wakes up early every morning to get water before he heads to school. When I started sponsoring him, his father worked as a painter and made an average of $171 US dollars each month. Now, he has a slightly better job but they are still very low class. In his letters, he always asks me about my life and tells me all about how great he is doing in school and recent exciting events in his life. He is incredibly intelligent and is in the top 10 in his class! He is a very bright young man and I really hope that he gets the opportunity to reach his full potential.

When John Carlo finishes up with school, he will no longer be a part of the program which means that I will no longer be able to communicate with him or know how he's doing. This honestly makes me so sad since I truly have become emotionally attached to him and truly care about what his life becomes. I really hope I will get the opportunity to visit him through an awareness trip. While I get a feel of what he is like through letters, nothing could ever compare to hearing his voice and seeing the way he interacts with people and seeing the community he grew up in.

I sponsor John Carlo through Unbound, a non-profit organization, and would recommend it if you are interested in sponsoring someone. It costs $36 a month and that money goes directly into the community and child's home. Being sponsored allows them doctors visits, holiday parties, crucial home repairs, a food allowance, field trips, school supplies, and several other perks! This is a great way to make a change in someone's life and feels a lot more personal and impactful than just donating to an organization.

Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given — Gautama Buddha