Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to sponsor a child?
The current monthly cost for a child to participate in Bonsai is $120. There are three levels of sponsorship: $40 per month, $80 per month, and $120 per month. Should you choose to sponsor a child, you will select your level of sponsorship.
What does sponsorship provide?
By sponsoring a participating child, you are joining with us in our mission and providing your child with healthy meals, educational resources, and transportation to and from the ministry. You are helping us to ensure that the teachers and staff that invest in your sponsored child daily can continue to do so while receiving a fair wage to provide for their own families. We are committed to maintaining a low student to teacher ratio (12:1), having full-time, trusted staff to maintain maximum stability for the children, and providing jobs in the local community.
How do I pay for my sponsorship?
When you sign up to be a sponsor, you will be sent to a checkout page where you can set up monthly donations with your PayPal account or with your debit/credit card. Inca Link International is a 501(c)3 organization, so all your donations are income tax deductible. Most sponsors give through recurring monthly donations. However, if you are interested in quarterly or yearly donations, please contact us.
Can a child have more than one sponsor?
Yes. The current monthly cost for a child to participate in Bonsai is $120. There are three levels of sponsorship: $40 per month, $80 per month, and $120 per month. Based on the level of sponsorship, each child may have up to three sponsors. For example, a child sponsored by a $120 level ministry partner will only have one sponsor, while a child sponsored by both one $80 level and one $40 level partner will have two. A child sponsored by $40 level partners will have three sponsors.
What percentage of expenditures are spent on program activities?
Inca Link does our very best to keep our administrative costs to a minimum and give as much of your gift as possible. Therefore, 90 percent of your gift will go toward the costs of caring for your child at Bonsai.
How can I communicate with the child I sponsor?
You may write a letter to your child and send it physically by mail to Inca Link at the address listed below, and/or you can email a digital (scanned) copy to the Bonsai sponsorship coordinator, Anna Jacobson, at ajacobson@incalink.org. All letters and emails will be translated into Spanish and both copies will be given to the child. We ask that handwritten letters be your choice of correspondence as it is more personal and a special treat for the child to receive a letter from their sponsor. Sending your child mail is one of the best ways to make the most of your sponsorship. Cards and letters can communicate to your child that you love and are praying for him or her and are a great opportunity to let your sponsored child get to know you. You can even include keepsakes like pictures and stickers. We encourage you to send regular correspondence. To send your child a card or letter, please use his or her full name, and mail the letters to:
Inca Link – Bonsai Sponsorship
PO Box 1321
Boone, NC 28607
May I send gifts to my child?
Yes. Gifts can be included with letters sent to your child. The gift needs to be small and fairly inexpensive like stickers or silly bands so they can fit in an envelope (10′′ x 12′′ max). These gifts are another effective way for
you to reinforce your care and commitment to your child. Please keep in mind that we transport letters and gifts to Ecuador in teams’ & interns’ suitcases, so the smaller the better and items should not be fragile. The absolute biggest a package should be is a large envelope. Letters and gifts can be mailed to:
Inca Link – Bonsai Sponsorship
PO Box 1321
Boone, NC 28607
Will my child write to me?
Occasionally your child will have the opportunity to write to you. Letters will be sent to the billing address provided when you register for sponsorship; please let us know if they need to be sent elsewhere. You will also receive regular correspondence from our sponsorship coordinator with an update on your child, including pictures, prayer requests, and information on their current activities and accomplishments.
How long should my child sponsorship last?
Your sponsorship of your child will last as long as he or she is attending Bonsai. There are rare occasions when a child may leave the program. If your sponsored child does leave the program, you will be notified and given the opportunity to sponsor another child.
How important is prayer?
Your prayers are crucial for your sponsored child. We ask that you pray regularly for their health, well-being and relationship with Jesus Christ. We will do our best to inform you of specific prayer needs so that you can cover your child in prayer. It brings your sponsored child great joy to know that you are praying for them. They also will want to pray for you, so we encourage you to include personal prayer requests when you send correspondence to your child.
If I must discontinue my child sponsorship, what happens to the child I’m helping?
If you need to discontinue your child sponsorship, we will immediately look for a new sponsor for your child. The child will remain in the program during this transition. Please let us know as soon as possible if you will not be able to continue your sponsorship for any reason, as it takes time to pair a child with a new sponsor.
Other sponsorship questions can be directed to bonsaisponsorship@incalink.org.
