Nine network personality and World Vision Goodwill Ambassador Livinia Nixon shares her Chosen story.
As a child, my brothers and I were often joined at the dinner table by interesting people - artists, sportspeople and one evening, refugees from Vietnam.
My parents wanted to instil an idea of giving back, so they were always hosting people with interesting stories to tell and we met so many people from backgrounds much more challenging than our own.
Our family always sponsored children through World Vision, which was something I wanted to continue with my children and husband. We’ve had a few sponsor children which has been an invaluable learning experience for our sons Henry, 10, and Ted, 7.
Our boys are so lucky. They want for nothing. So, to be able have those conversations with them about other people who aren’t so fortunate, and who need to feel loved and wanted, even if it’s from the other side of the world … it’s really important. Over the years we’ve formed a connection with a girl from Haiti called Tamenlove, and we also sponsor a girl from Sri Lanka called Tekla.
And now with COVID-19 devastating already vulnerable countries around the world, I felt an obligation to do more. After making that decision, a wonderful thing happened.
From 10,000kms away, a 13-year-old girl in Zambia called Annia chose me to be her sponsor!
Annia found me as part of a radical new way of sponsoring children called "Chosen".