Adding to the Family

We knew it could happen when we took them on as correspondent sponsors. After four years perhaps I began to think it wouldn't happen to us. One of them is graduating next summer, but that is the natural way to lose them, right? We are already seeing it in her letters, the processing of the end of the relationship. She has told us that she is thankful for our support and love as she looks forward to college. I am so happy and excited for her, and yet, I know that we have a short time to have discussions about her friends or her love for the younger children she teaches Sunday school to.

I was unprepared when the call came informing me that his financial sponsors had ended their sponsorship and we could no longer correspond with him. My heart began to fill with sadness as I asked "Is there nothing we can do?" Our option, to begin financially sponsoring him ourselves. I asked the representative on the phone if I could talk to my husband, and how long we had to decide.

I love my husband for many reasons. He is a really great guy. One of those many reasons that I love him is his caring and compassionate heart. When I told him of the call and what our choice was, he looked me in the eye and said, "You told them of course, right?" (Isn't he great!) 

I couldn't bear to say good-bye to this young man that we have come to know and love over the past four years. The very first picture we received of him showed a young smiling boy giving a thumbs up. I imagine the spunk and personality this young man has.

I called Compassion as soon as I could the following Monday to add him to our account. One week later it is official, our Compassion family has grown by one!  Maybe a better way to say it is, our little family is saved from shrinking by another one.

God's timing is written all over this story, because had we received the call from Compassion even a few months ago, it would have been a much harder decision financially to sponsor him.  God knew that and his timing is good, and for that I am thankful.   As we pulled out of the garage to go to the  Tenth Avenue North concert,  I asked Mark "What if there is another child that needs a family tonight?" Little did I know it would not be one of the child packets on the table that night that would need us, rather one of our own who needed us most. God is so good.