Bright future for youngster thanks to faithful support through World Vision

But it did not take long for the teenager to warm to the couple who have sponsored her through World Vision since she was four.

‘We were thrilled to finally meet her,’ Mrs Barbour said.

‘We broke the ice by showing her a photo album we compiled of our family alongside all the photos we’d been sent of her over the years.

‘We visited Thi Ich at her school and also met her teacher. She told us she was going to study to be a science teacher when she leaves school.’

Mrs Barbour said they had gifts for Thi Ich and each of her family members. ‘We also got to visit her classroom’