FAQ

Passion Center for Children is a nonprofit organization based out of Malawi, Africa. Learn more about our mission and vision here!

The Passion Center for Children began caring for its first 30 orphans in September 2004.

Passion Center for Children was founded by F. Eric and Julie Von Barnau Sythoff. Learn more about our leadership team here.

Our approach to humanitarian aid is two-fold: First, we strongly believe that only a robust, multi-faceted approach can break the continuing cycles of death, disease, and despair. By working through multiple grace-centered ministries, we are continuing to see lasting change take root in communities. Secondly, we are convinced that unless we address each person's core spiritual need for a new life in Christ, all efforts in food security, education improvement, health care advancement, caring for orphans, etc. will not bring about real, lasting change for the person, nor their community.

Malawi is a landlocked country located in southeast Africa. It is bordered by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique.

The current population of Malawi is approximately 18.6 million (2019).

The official language of Malawi is Chichewa, spoken by over 50% of the population, although English, Chinyanja, Chiyao, and Chitumbuka are also spoken by a large percentage of people.

20-25% of the population identifies as Muslim primarily from the Yao tribe, 60-65% identify with Christianity (Protestant and Catholicism), while 10-20% adhere to elements of African Tradition Religion (ATR), spiritualism, and ancestral veneration.

93% of all donations go directly to providing aid in Malawi.

Yes! Passion Center for Children is a registered nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status. All donations to our organization are tax-deductible. ​

You can view or download your contribution statement at anytime through our portal. View our Self-Service Guide here!

You can view our available sponsorships here on our website!

Our sponsorships range from $25-$84/month and vary based on the type of sponsorship selected. We currently offer 5 types of sponsorships through the following ministries: Passion Kids (children who reside at the Passion Center or are enrolled in our village program), Champions Club (children with special needs), Child Headed Households, Education ( students attending college/vocational school), and Infant Rescue Project.

Your monthly sponsorship ensures food, clothing, medical aid, education, and grace-filled care for a child in need.

Yes! We encourage all sponsors to write letters and send photos to their sponsored children. Simply log in to your account here, and in the "My Profile" tab, click 'Inbox'. You can also mail your letter directly to your sponsored child or send your letter to our Malawi address at P.O. Box 1435 Zomba, Malawi (ATTN: Your Child's Name). Please note that all letters are hand delivered by our ministry coordinators and may take some time to reach your sponsored child. Please allow 3-4 weeks to receive correspondence.

If your sponsored child is no longer enrolled in our program, you will be notified by one of our coordinators.

Yes! An admin would be happy to make this adjustment for you. Contact us to inquire.

All items are given at the discretion of the Passion Center staff members. We kindly ask that you inquire with a staff member before providing any items to your sponsored child or any other children.

Although we cannot guarantee that any sponsor will be able to visit their sponsored child, many of our sponsors have had the wonderful opportunity of meeting their sponsored child throughout the course of their trip.

We would love to have you! You can view our Join A Trip page for more details on our current trip dates and submit an application here. Have more questions? Email us to find out more information or to join an informational meeting.

Typically, our team trips run for 14-days (10-days in-country and 2-days of traveling on each end), but trip lengths may be flexible. While some of our trips have a singular focus (e.g., medical, pastoral), the main aim of our mission trips is to reinforce our ministries and refresh our in-country staff. This may be through hosting conferences, outreaches, teaching, Bible training, and more.

If you have chosen to raise support for your trip, we recommend that you create a personal fundraising campaign and use our U.S. mailing address for all check donations. View our personal fundraising guide below!

Our recommended packing list can be found here.