As a sponsor you will be giving your friend a marvelous opportunity to enjoy the Spirit of Christ in a joyous Via de Cristo weekend similar to your own. There are a number of things you can do to make it easier for your weekender and a better experience all around.
- If you don't know the person you are sponsoring very well, arrange a time to get to know that person prior to the weekend.
- Pray for your weekender prior to and during the weekend.
- Call your weekender at least a week prior to the weekend to make transportation arrangements. Provide transportation for your weekender to and from the weekend. Carpool with others from your community if possible.
- Provide a personal cup or mug for your weekender to take with him/her to the weekend. The cup will be a nice memory and will help cut costs on the number of styrofoam cups used on the weekend.
- Write a sponsor letter to your weekender, to be given as bed palanca, only if the Rector/a has requested in it the sponsor letter to you. This is an option not used every weekend. It is left to the discretion of the weekend Rector/a.
- Check with your weekender a day or two before the weekend to answer any last minute questions and to give encouragement. Stay in touch! If there is a pressing concern with respect to your weekender, please make every effort to help them get it worked out before they go to the weekend. They need to be free of outside concerns entering the weekend.
- YOU should be the one to bring the weekender to the weekend site. Don't just drop them off, or expect them to take themselves. Bring them inside and make sure they get registered and settled.
- The Registration Time is usually between 6:30pm and 7:00pm. Bring your weekender to the weekend site, help them get their bedding and suitcase to their sleeping area, and take them to the gathering place (usually the fellowship hall - team members at the registration tabel will direct you.)
- At 7:00pm, the Sponsor Hour begins. You should plan to attend. This is held in the Palanca Chapel and is where the weekends are first prayed over. Their candles are lit and their crosses are hung for others to pray over all through the weekend. Also, this is where you will be able to write a message of encouragement in their Bible. This normally lasts a little less than an hour, depending on the number of weekenders.
- Participate in the Saturday Candlelight service. Plan to be at the Clausura Service on Sunday prior to taking your weekender home. Remember that you can carpool if necessary.
- Be sensitive to your weekender's needs during the Clausura and the reception following. Stay with them but don't crowd them. Make sure they don't feel left out.
- Please send palanca.
- Church/Community palanca.
- Personal palanca.
!!Most Important!!
Contact your weekender during the week following the Via de Cristo weekend, in person if possible. They are still sorting out thoughts about the weekend. Be sensitive if your weekender's wife is waiting to attend her weekend.
Stay in close personal contact with your weekender until he/she is in a renewal group or some alternative form of renewal, even if this is an extended period of time. Remember that as a sponsor, you are to be active in a renewal group of your own. Be an example of how important this is. Ask the Lord for guidance and help to enable you to carry out your responsibilities as a sponsor.