Sponsorship

WHY IS SPONSORSHIP SO IMPORTANT?

Imagine if you will:

• A candidate that receives no palanca during the weekend except for what the team provides.
• A candidate who arrives on Thursday and the Rector is not aware he/she is coming
• A candidate who comes on a weekend expecting (and thus, demanding) free time to sit outside to read the bible while enjoying the beauty of nature
• A candidate with dietary restrictions that the team was not made aware of.
• A candidate that arrives late on Thursday evening because the sponsor did not provide transportation.
• A candidate with emotional problems ‘acts-out’ during the weekend. When contacted, the sponsor states that he feels the candidate “needed this encounter with God” to work out his ‘issues’.
• A candidate has a problem or a special concern on a weekend. When the team suggests contacting the sponsor, the candidate says: “I don’t really know him/her”.
• A candidate who has no support when attempting to start a Reunion Group following the weekend.
• A candidate who has to go to their first Secuela alone.
• And the list goes on………………………

In fairness, mistakes can happen and we all forget things or occasionally over-commit. However, we’ve been noticing that issues such as these seem to be on the increase, and it’s troublesome.

Bear in mind that Sponsorship is the backbone of Tres Dias. The “Essentials of Tres Dias” require that the candidate be sponsored for participation in all phases of the Tres Dias movement, not just the weekend. The purpose of this writing is to reinforce the importance of the role of sponsor. For instance:

– TRES DIAS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE!

• This is not the place for the unchurched to “find the Lord”.
• This is not for people with uncontrolled emotional problems. (The team is not equipped for psychological counseling)
• It IS for those who desire a closer walk with the Lord – whatever their starting point is!

– The commitment of sponsorship begins before the weekend, and lasts for at least 6 months following the weekend:

• PRIOR TO THE WEEKEND:
  • Decide how well you know the person? What is your purpose for sponsoring?
  • Have you prayed for guidance in determining who to sponsor? (Keep in mind the fact that you had a wonderful weekend is no assurance someone else will).
  • Do you know the candidate’s spouse?  Will you be able to sponsor him/her also?
  • Will you be able to commit to supporting the candidate’s family during the weekend. This can include baby sitting, helping to run errands, possibly even mowing the lawn or shoveling snow, etc.  Deciding on this level of commitment ahead of time makes it easier to follow-through when the time comes.
  • Arrange for palanca from your friends who are Pescadores.
  • Call any Pescadores that you know and advise them that your candidate will be on the weekend and needs palanca. You can also agree to send palanca to their candidate.
  • Answer any questions your candidate may have. You don’t have to give away the surprises, but you do have to answer his/her questions honestly.
  • Submit the application at least 2 weeks prior to the weekend and be sure to note any dietary restrictions or other physical needs.
    • Late applications can be accepted when there are mitigating circumstances, but they should be infrequent.
    • Be sure your phone number is accurate so you can be reached during the weekend in case there’s a problem.
    • Pray for the candidate as the weekend approaches.
• DURING THE WEEKEND:
  • Provide transportation to the facility on Thursday afternoon.
  • Drop your palanca off as early in the weekend as possible.  (If you’re not sure if your candidate will have enough palanca, write some more!!).  Since such a high volume of palanca is received on Sunday morning, candidates often don’t have the time to read it until after the weekend.  The earlier in the weekend that palanca is delivered, the better.
  • Help your candidate carry belongings to his/her bedroom.
  • Plan to stay for the sponsor’s prayer-time following the opening ceremonies.
  • Pray throughout the weekend.
  • If you volunteer to serve meals during the weekend, your contact with your candidate should be very casual. It’s important not to break the sequestered nature of the weekend by brining news from home. A simple “hello” is better than “How’s it going?”
  • Be sure to come for the Mananita on Sunday morning. HOWEVER, on the wife’s weekend, it’s more important for her husband to be there than you, so do whatever you can to enable the husband to attend (such as babysitting).
  • Plan to attend the closing on Sunday.
  • Help your candidate to carry his belongings to your car and provide transportation home.
  • Although not a requirement, it is suggested that you take your candidate to a diner to enable him/her to discuss the experience. This is especially important for the male candidates since they will be limited in what they can freely share with their wives.
  • Offer to hold the husband’s palanca bag until his wife attends her weekend.  This way they can read their palanca together.
• FOLLOWING THE WEEKEND:
  • Pray for the new Pescadore and his/her family. It’s not uncommon for them to experience a spiritual attack following a weekend.
  • Make contact with the new Pescadore during the week to see how his/her 4th Day is going.
  • Plan to take the new Pescadore to the weekend reunion. (These are often combined with a community secuela).
  • Plan to take the new Pescadore to at least one or two other secuelas and introduce him to your friends. Although you may know many in the community, the new Pescadore will not, and it can be an intimidating experience.
  • Plan to bring the new Pescadore to one of the next weekends to serve meals, participate in the mananita, and attend the closing.
  • Show him/her how to write palanca and where to drop it off.
  • Advise the new Pescadore that he/she can sponsor after 6 months.
  • Bring the new Pescadore to a Secretariat meeting.
  • Most important: Help the new Pescadore to either join an existing Reunion Group or to start one of his/her own.

In other words, the Tres Dias movement continues from Sponsor-to-Sponsor. It’s your job to make certain that your candidate has a full understanding of the dynamics of Tres Dias so that they, themselves, can become effective sponsors.

De Colores!

Mid Hudson Secretariat