This year's theme for Compassion Sunday is Change A Life. Change the life of a young person in poverty, and give them the chance to peruse their dreams.
This weekend we had Compassion Weekend at our church. I know these days are very important for the children still waiting for sponsors. Without someone sharing their stories and their needs, they remain hidden in a corner of the world, struggling with poverty, wondering if anyone cares. I am so excited and praising God for the 15 children who now have sponsors as a result of this weekend! Change A Life.
Little did I know when we began our partnership with Compassion four
years ago how much my life would change as well. I still remember
scanning each and every picture until "the right ones" were found, then
anxiously awaiting the first letters to arrive.
Four
years and seven Compassion children later, I am still in awe at how much these
children whom I have come to know through letter and love so dearly are
still changing my life. I see the diligence to learn and love no matter
what the circumstances. I know they lift our family up in prayer and
there are days I feel that prayer and know that it is their prayers that
made the difference. Their stories and their lives help my children to
expand their worldview from our home and our backyard, to the world.
Sunday morning I woke up a little down, feeling a case of the "end of vacation blahs" setting in. As we headed into church to set up our table and get ready for the morning, the stories that I love to hear began before the service even started. Connections being made, stories told, children receiving sponsors, as with other events, my heart is singing a song of thanksgiving to God. This brings us to another way these children have changed my life. I never would have thought that giving up an evening or a morning to stand behind a table and help children would be something I would enjoy and yet, participating in these events encourages and energizes me.
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.
Sixty. It is the biggest number we have seen. Forty-eight. The number of hours that have passed, and still my heart is flying high!
Friday night we were able to help at a Compassion International event where sixty children were fortunate enough to receive sponsors. Now, forty-eight hours later, I am still very excited for these children. No longer will they have to go without food, education, and medical assistance. No longer will their picture on a table, or their name be on a waiting list.
Now these children will receive news that they have been chosen to be sponsored. Hopefully, now they will be prayed for, loved, encouraged, and written to.
It was so wonderful to see the lines of people pressing in, trying to get closer to the table. People whose hearts had been touched, people who wanted to make a difference in the life of someone so young. And yet, I know that these children can make a difference in their sponsor's life too. This is why I continue to volunteer at these events. They are life changing for so many people.
For awhile it seemed like the letters were lost. No, I cannot greet the postal carrier at the door each day looking for those special cream colored envelopes, but the urgency to open the mail box each day looking, searching, and yearning for communication, has not disappeared.
The silence seemed so long, and I know with seven children, I get more letters than others, so I try not to complain. For two months not a letter was to be found. Then, all of a sudden, in a matter of eight days, the flood gates have been opened and we had five letters pouring in from our family around the world.
As I sit down tonight to write letters to them, sending them pictures of the kids sledding, I am thankful for these little lives that have touched mine in such a deep way. One wants to know when we are coming to the Philippines to visit her. We were trying to decide where to go on vacation this summer, but that one may have to wait a year or two! Three have received gifts, thanking us for thinking of them, supporting them, loving them. I think they deserve the thanks as they bring so much love and joy into our home. Our studious one writes about his studies and asks, again, for continued prayers for his studies.
Today's sermon was about being involved, using your gifts and resources for the kingdom of God. There are still some areas we are trying to figure out as to what that means for each of us in this family, but one thing I do know for sure, this is what we are supposed to be doing. This is where we are being called to serve. To love these young people who are around the world, to pray for them, to support them through letters of encouragement. Hopefully His plans include a visit, but if not, I know that in heaven we will be together.
As I send off seven letters of love tonight, I am thankful for the gifts and resources that God has given so that we have the opportunity to make an impact in their lives. They have given us so much, I hope that in return, they are gaining as well.
There isn't a day that goes by that these children aren't on my mind. In the quiet moments when I am sitting, I wonder what they are doing at that same exact moment. I think about them in the morning when I am getting ready for the day, and I hope and pray that they will feel your love as they begin their day. They are one of the last thoughts on my mind at night during our conversations, as I pray for your protection over them. When I am outside enjoying your glorious creation, so many times I wish they could be standing next to me sharing the same view.
I can't tell you how much these children mean to me. They have brought so much joy and love into my life. I had no idea when Mark brought up sponsorship in February of 2009 how much I would fall in love with these young lives. I was scared when we first began sponsoring these children because I didn't want to begin something that we couldn't keep up or commit to for the entire time they needed us. I was completely unsure what to expect, but I took a step of faith, and began sponsoring our first two children. I couldn't wait to write them a letter, to send them some information about our family, and to learn about them.
I still remember the first letter we received, and the joy that just completely filled my soul when the letter was in my mailbox, I literally jumped for joy. I could not wait to learn about this new little girl that we had sponsored. And that is where the story begins. A story of building a relationship. A relationship that is built on love, prayers, and letters.
I wondered how much I would come to love these children that we sponsor. I wondered what impact if any that our family would have on their lives or them on mine. Because of them, our children understand that the world is really not that big. My children know that the children growing up around the world play games, draw pictures, sing songs, and love you just the same as they do. They understand that our world is bigger than just our home, our street, our city, our state, and our country. I value that our children understand that when it seems like others seem to have more than we do, that you have truly blessed our family in abundance. These are lessons that they have learned from our children around the world.
These children have changed my life in so many ways. I know that their prayers that they close each letter with are heard and answered by you. I have seen results of that in my life. I love sharing bible verses and bible stories with them, just like I do with my own children. I get excited about the stories of passed exams, promotions into the next grades or levels, and about their hobbies and interests. It never ceases to amaze me how love grows. There is always enough love to give, and there is always more love to share.
I have to admit, I wondered how long the excitement about the sponsorships would last. I wondered when the letter writing would become a task, and when the fact that these children are many miles away would affect the relationship, but again, you have amazed me. Nearly three and a half years later, and with seven children between sponsor and correspondent children, I am still so very excited to write letters and communicate with them. I still think of them constantly and pray for them daily.
Thank you God, for this journey we are on with these precious lives around the world that are connected to our family because of you. You have brought each special person into our lives, and each one is very much a blessing.
As I have mentioned in an earlier post, this month I am joining many bloggers as we help Compassion International on a sponsorship goal. I want to let you know about one of my favorite pages on Compassion's website. It is the page that shows all of the children waiting for sponsors. (Check it out here.) This page offers you the option to see many children waiting for sponsors, or if you prefer, you can use the search functions to find children by:
Gender
Country/Region
Birthdate
Age Range
Longest Waiting
Affected by HIV/AIDS
Orphaned
I have used these search functions when searching for our children that we sponsor. The first two children that we sponsored through Compassion where chosen using the age range as we wanted a boy about E's age and a girl about Addy's age. Our third sponsored child was chosen because of her birthday, the same day Mark and I were married.
I visit this page often to pray for children still waiting for sponsors. Some days, I scroll through the general pages, lifting up the children who are still waiting for sponsors. Other days, I will search for a child using the search functions, and pray for them based on a search. Perhaps a child's birthday is today and I want to pray for them on their birthday.
I want to encourage you to check out the page of children waiting for a sponsor. Perhaps today is just a day to pray for all of the children waiting, or perhaps there will be a little face that will touch your heart in a special way, and you can pray for that little one. Maybe, much like we found our children, there will be a child that you are praying for and they will become part of your family as you may decide to sponsor a child. Either way, I hope you take time to visit the page. The kids and I have fun looking at the pictures, reading the short bios, and learning that these children are not all that different than us even though their living conditions are very different.
As you know, I am very passionate about the children we sponsor through Compassion. In the month of September, I will be joining other Compassion Bloggers as we blog about Compassion International and the sponsorship program on a sponsorship push. The goal is to get as many children sponsored between September 1 and September 30th.
There are three ways you could help during the month of September.
First, if you have been considering sponsorship and you take the opportunity this month to sponsor a child, please do so through my blog. There is a prize for the blogger who brings in the most sponsorships, spot on one of the 2013 Blogger trips. This has been a prayer of mine for a couple of years now, and I would love to join other bloggers, visit a Compassion Development Center and see Compassion working up close and personal.
Second, if you sponsor a child and have a blog, consider joining us as we blog for children in need.
Third, please pray for the children who are waiting for sponsors. The children waiting for sponsor constantly pray for a sponsor. I hope and pray that this month the prayers of many children will be answered through the blogging community as we share the mission and vision of Compassion and child sponsorship.
The summer has been pretty quite for us as far as letters from our Compassion family, but last week we received two letters from two of our children. One was from Citlali who is set to graduate from the program next year. I was watching the calendar sad that the time is so quickly approaching. As it appears, I was not the only one watching that, she mentions the completion in her letters as well. This letter is full of answers to the questions I have been asking. I am both sad and encouraged by this letter. Three years of corresponding and it finally feels like a relationship is building which is very encouraging but sad as the year will go quickly. I know she will do great things with her life. She has a heart for God and loves to share the good news with younger children. She constantly write about working in Sunday school classes or summer camps with children. She is reading Second Timothy and "wish(es) we could read it together."
In a letter from Mary Grace, she writes about how proud of E and Addy she is as they do well "in their studies." Continued thanks for the love that she says she feels, she says that we "inspire" her. Again, I feel the relationship forming with this young life across the world. While we celebrated our thirteenth anniversary yesterday, she celebrated her thirteenth birthday. It was a special day for both of us.
I haven't had and/or taken the time to pull a packet together for our children in a while. I have been writing faithfully and sending a picture here or there, but not like what I used to do. So yesterday, the kids and I sat down and got busy creating a fun mailing. I wanted the kids to share about their experience at camp. I asked each of them to write a letter about their week.
I assembled a craft project for the girls and baseball cards and notepads for the boys. E bought each of the kids, my mom's two included, a postcard from camp. I was so touched that he thought to remember them while away. Addy drew a picture. The packets are almost ready for mailing, I just have to write a letter to go with them.
As a side note, I watched both of my children struggle with sharing their week at camp in writing. E got very frustrated when his note was not what he though it should or could be and Addy finally chose a picture to express her week. As I watched these struggles, I have more appreciation for what our Compassion children go through, especially the younger ones when it comes time for them to write their letters to us. I imagine that the excitement of receiving a letter is far more fun and exciting than when they are asked to sit and write a letter to us. I am convinced this is a good exercise or practice for the kids. Definitely something I think we will do again.
I am catching up on my Compassion blogging and I apologize. The past month has been a crazy hectic schedule that did not allow time for me to share these with you. However, receiving the letters and pictures in the mail has helped in the craziness we are now calling life. I think this post will have you all caught up concerning Compassion news.
We received updated photos of two of our Compassion Children. Although looking at these pictures, I think I am now going to be calling many of our loved ones around the world as young people because they seem, as most children do, to be growing up!
Our sponsored young person Ronaldo, who is now twelve and a half years old:
And a correspondent young person, Vivek, who is now fourteen and a half:
The pictures on the left are the first ones we received of each of them, the ones on the right, the updated photos received this month.
Today is the three year anniversary of two children joining our Compassion family. As I mentioned this to Mark, he was asking me when each child we have was added to our family. Listing off the dates to him, I explained the following:
2009, we began sponsoring 2 in February, added three more in 2009 (one of our children moved away in 2009),
2010, three more added (one of which was my sister's sponsored child who moved out of the program after just a couple of months),
2011 added another making the grand total (after the additions and subtractions) 7.
After a short, pause, I quickly say, we haven't added anyone to our family in 2012 (wink, wink), to which he replies, "it is still early in the year." No wonder I love this guy!!!
But then I got to thinking, that we did add two to our Compassion family this year in a way. I have yet to introduce you to the children that my mom sponsors. These two adorable children are the newest members of our Compassion family added in 2012.
I feel a connection has been made. With a simple letter, not any longer than the others, I have been given a glimpse into her life. Three years later, to the date, I finally feel like we are breaking through the social conversation and getting to know each other. She is our oldest "child" that we are connected to through Compassion, and I say "child" because in the three years we have been writing letters, she has become a young lady. A young lady dedicated to her friends, her family, and her God. The letter we receive tells me she has accepted Jesus as her Savior. I am so excited that she has shared this information with me. She is teaching children at the "project" and comments how she has had good moments at the project and how blessed she is because of it. I can't help but feel the same. Our lives are so much better because of Compassion International. We are connected to seven really wonderful young people who are making a huge difference in our lives.
She has asked me questions before, some as basic as "How are you doing?" Once, shortly after the oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, she asked me how I felt about them. However, today she has not only asked me a question, but she has given me her answer to the question, which is what I find so exciting and what has made me feel a little more connected to this young woman. She has asked me if I have read 1 and 2 Samuel, "because they are a great bless(ing)." She then asks me what my favorite book of the Bible is. I could not wait to respond to her questions and share information with her.
My response: A couple of years ago would have been the first four books of the New Testament because I love learning about Jesus' life and the people's lives he touched. The love and grace he gives continue to amaze me beyond words. However, last year, I spent some time reading through the Psalms in different translations of the Bible and that has become one of my favorite books of the Bible. Reading through the prayers, both praises and laments, it has shown me a new way to pray. A way that has significantly deepened my relationship with God. Thus, it has become my favorite book of the Bible.
I am so excited to be sharing this information with her. Information about us, that is beyond the "social conversation." I look forward to future letters from her, curious to see if there will be more questions like this.
She is also an amazing artist. I have, and continue to, encourage her in her artistic abilities. I am closing with her pictures, which I think E and Addy enjoy more than the letters themselves!
The picture at the beginning of the post is of the gifts she has purchased with her Christmas money. These pictures are also very important in the connection I feel with the children.
This week has been a blessing in the amount of mail we have received! Each day I kept telling myself that there would not be a letter because we had just received one, and each day I would open my box to see, yet another cream colored envelope!
Here they are, all Five of them!
Our first letter that came was from Selina in Kenya, She wrote to us about the weather being sunny and the trees doing well there. She mentions that she helps at home with household chores. She asks how our weather is, and thanks us for the gift we sent. With her letter she has included this beautiful drawing which is more ornate than she has sent before. In the past the picture she has chosen to draw was always a house. I love this picture!
The second letter came from Yenifer in Honduras. She writes about her Christmas celebration and mentions that she did well in school, receiving an honor diploma and that she is moving to the third grade. She thanks us for the gift of food, paper (note toilet paper), chicken, soap, and milk. They were also able to buy two outfits for each person in the family and her new boots. (I think she likes shoes, most gift money she receives, she buys new shoes with!)
With her letter she also includes a drawing. I am amazed at how much she has grown and improved in her skills. The drawing on the left is from the very first letter we received from her three years ago, the right, her most recent.
Our third letter came from Ronaldo in Indonesia. He writes, "praise the Lord, because God always unites us through letter." He thanks us for the Christmas presents, shoes, bag, church sandals (he is wearing these), and a bookshelf. Ronaldo always asks that we pray for him in his studies. I wonder what doors God is going to open for him. This is the first candid picture I have of Ronaldo, I am so very excited to have it!
Our last two letters received came from Angel in Mexico. In his first letter he tells us that he celebrated Christmas with his cousins and siblings, and that they are all fine even though his grandparents are sick. "The good thing is that our teacher teaches us well and that's why I improved my grades..." This makes me smile.
His second letter thanks us for the Christmas gift in which he bought clothes. He comments that he had hurt his eye because a soccer ball had hit it, but it is feeling better "now." He tells more about his Christmas celebrations with a pinata filled with candy and fruit, they also had presents, candy, pizzas, and sodas.
Yes, our week has been full. I am so excited and so grateful for the letters, I couldn't wait to share them with you!
A week after the concert, and I am still so pleased with the results of the evening. During the week, Mark and I have had a chance to talk with different people, and it seems, we are not the only ones impressed with the evening.
When I think back to the evening and the success that it was, the rewards of it definitely out weigh the time and energy put into it. While we were preparing for the concert, I found myself wondering what the response would be, would people attend or would Shaun be performing for a handful of people. Nothing could have prepared me for the response that we received.
Our journey to the concert date looks as follows:
Early November an email was sent asking if Shaun would be interested in coming to our area for a concert. With a quick response from Micah, and an approval from our pastoral staff, a date was set.
6 WEEKS PRIOR:
Our worship pastor and I sat down in his office and went through the helpful list of suggestions of ways to promote the concert that was included with the contract and rider.
Using graphics and ready made posters from Shaun's marketing material, 100 of these posters were created for distribution:
The posters were set out in our Welcome (Information) Center for people to take to help spread the word.
With our seating capacity at 300, we printed 350 tickets knowing that on the night of the concert, not everyone who picked up a ticket would end up coming to the concert.
4 WEEKS PRIOR:
Concert, information was displayed in the pre and post service message slides as well as printed in the weekly program, all of which continued to the day of the concert.
This video created by our worship pastor was played as part of the announcements:
On our church website, we promoted the concert using the video above on
the homepage as well as a page with more information about with concert
information and Shaun's bio. See page here.
3 WEEKS PRIOR:
Mark and I loaded the kids in the car with the above poster in hand, we drove around town to coffee shops, local restaurants, and any other place featuring a "Community Events" board. We also left four posters at the local Christian Book Store which was displayed in their events/information section.
After a quick Google search of churches in the surrounding area, we gathered a list of 140 email addresses. I emailed this above poster out to churches asking them to inform their congregations of the upcoming concert and to please let me know if they had any questions. Two churches responded asking if I could send them a printed poster, easy enough.
A press release was sent to the local paper, which unfortunately was not published, and local radio stations were contacted about the concert, asking them to promote the concert.
Concert information was also placed on my blog, the church facebook account, personal facebook accounts of any who chose to share the information, and twitter.
1 WEEK PRIOR:
The information was again put out on the facebook accounts and twitter.
The night of the concert, we had four tickets left as the doors opened. We had done everything we could at that point, it was just time to wait and see.
Much to our delight, the auditorium was full. 265 people had come to spend an evening with us listening to Shaun's music.
The advertising cost was simply printing of the posters and tickets, and a couple of extra hours material distribution. Considering the response to the evening and the 24 children that found sponsors that night, it was well worth the little effort and energy that it took to get the word of Shaun's coming out.
Monday morning after a very busy weekend. Physically I feel it. My brain is slow to get into gear, my eyes are tired and a little red. My heart..... it is soaring. The busyness of the weekend has lifted me up spiritually and emotionally.
We had a great response to our Compassion weekend, and the stories I have are not only from new sponsors, but also from the people who began sponsoring a year ago. They came back to our table and gave me an update on how their children are doing! I absolutely loved it!
Saturday night our pastor presented the Compassion table, holding up the packet of a birthday girl, her birthday was Saturday. What a great birthday gift to a child don't you think, to receive a sponsor? As soon as the service was done, a church member (almost running) came to the table, "I want the birthday girl, has she been sponsored yet?" The birthday girl has a sponsor on her birthday.
Sunday morning a little girl born on February 29, 2004 was sponsored because a grand baby had just been born a couple of weeks ago on February 29th.
A young man (high school age), after looking at the table for a long time, waited impatiently for his mother to come to the table because he had found "the one" he wanted to sponsor. He kept apologizing for how long his mother was taking, merely minutes it probably felt like hours to him. After the paperwork was filled out and the packet was in his hand, his mother asked him if he was ready for pizza. "No, I am not that hungry, I can wait." She quit packing up her belongings and looked at me and commented about how she never receives that answer from him. Her son continued to look through the books of letters that we had brought as samples of correspondence commenting about how excited he was to write to his new friend.
My heart is rejoicing.
A few hours later, I have the wonderful opportunity to meet Shaun Groves and Micah his booking agent. These two men are great people, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have met them.
The concert was amazing. The music that has filled my car for many months was now filling our auditorium. The stories shared from the stage are still being repeated by my children this morning, even though I was at the concert and they have told me them on the way home last night.
I don't think I can even begin to put into words the evening. I am still processing it all! Luckily, I don't have to put it all into words. A friend's son caught some moments of the evening that I would love to share with you.
This couple walked into the doors of the church and sponsored the first child of the night. The joy on their faces when the found a little girl born the year they were married (possibly the same month, I can't remember) was incredible. Before the concert began they are learning about their new little girl and praying for her and her family.
These friends and fellow sponsors helped with the evening. I am so grateful for their help and their hearts. Both ladies added to their Compassion family last night as well!!
This couple raised their hands during the packet pass. Coming to the table to fill out the information, they saw a child who had been waiting for longer than 11 months and instead chose him to end his wait for a sponsor.
After her choice and her paperwork was filled out, she stopped by the Compassion table one last time before leaving the concert, with packet in hand and joy shining from her face, she mentioned how she has wanted to do this for a long time.
These three young girls are looking over packets considering which peer to help. Their choices made, it is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Photo above by Karyn Hintermeister
Photo by Merv Miller
At the end of the night, my cheeks are sore from smiling, I am excited about the 24 children who were sponsored this weekend. I am so grateful that Shaun came and shared his gift of music, speaking, and experience with us.
Again, I am humbled and amazed to see God move and speak. I am in awe
at the open hearts and the joyful giving of our new sponsors. The
stories of sponsors continue to inspire me and show me that God is in
control.
I have people ask me, "How can you choose just one?"
The answer is, I can't. I have three that I sponsor and four more I correspond with. I wish I could do more. However, I can connect other people with children to sponsor. I can continue to support and pray for the children that I have. I can show the importance of giving to others to E and Addy. And all of that combined, is making a difference.
I thank Nate Dietzman for helping me tell the story of my weekend. All photos in this post, unless other wise noted, are to his credit. Thank you Nate for your time and talents last night.
I didn't think the weekend could get any better than it was. In a conversation with my mom this morning, I was recapping the night and telling her how excited I was about it. She had been praying for this weekend for me as well.
Just before we ended our conversation, she quietly says, "I have two children too." I am quiet. She is quiet. My cup of joy has just begun to over flow. "I have two children too." She says again. My mom and dad have joined the Compassion Sponsor family as well! And there is a story behind this one as well, but the surprise is for me.
A month ago, I mentioned to my mom about a little boy that was being promoted on an advocate's blog. He was tugging at my heart, and I had been praying for him all day. My mom asked for the link, which surprised me, but I sent it to her. She considered it, but didn't know that he was the one. For a month, she has been pondering and praying about being involved with Compassion. Yesterday before I left for the concert, I received a phone call from her saying she had found two little children, but she didn't know if they were the ones, or which one she should pick.
The surprise for me is that she didn't pick which one, she picked them both. After a month of prayer, we have two new Compassion children to love in our family as well!
Welcome to the family Ruben from Mexico and Sarunrat from Thailand!!
And the count is now 26 sponsored children this weekend! 26 children who have someone in their lives to love them and support them.
I just finished reading Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis. A story about a young woman's life who left right after high school for a missions trip to Uganda, fell in love with the people there and feeling God's call in her life, moved there and is in the process of adoption thirteen Ugandan girls.
What impressed me most about this story though, was her ministry to everyone she came into contact with. She willingly opened her hope to those with life threatening illnesses, cared for them, fed them, loved them, and taught them about the love of God. Part of her ministry includes a Saturday program where the children come to her home, have a meal, and a bible study. She has found sponsors for children so they are able to attend school, have school supplies, nutritious meals, and health care.
Throughout the book, I kept thinking about how similar Katie's program was to the program that Compassion offers to the children in their program. Offering education opportunities, health care, health-related instructions, nutrition, and life-skills training. They look for the most needy families in the area they are working, meet with those families to assess their needs, and then, after a picture is taken, the child is enrolled in the Compassion program where they wait to be matched up with a sponsor.
Our Compassion Sunday is this weekend at church and just received confirmation that our box of children's packets are on their way and should be on my doorstep tomorrow or Friday. I have said before that I absolutely love to stand at the Compassion tables and see children get matched with a sponsor and the stories that are told in those selections. I pray that there will be a lot of children who find sponsors this weekend.
In anticipation of the weekend and praying to find sponsors, I was looking through Compassion's website. Because I was in the middle of Katie's book, I searched children in Uganda. My next stop was the "Longest Waiting" option. When we chose our first two children to sponsor, we chose children that had been waiting for more than six months for a sponsor. The thoughts that these children were not getting letters on the mail days, broke my heart. The thoughts that they were waiting because for some reason, some reason beyond their control, they were not picked to be sponsored. When we searched this list three years ago, the little heart symbol by the picture meant they had been waiting for longer than six months. This week as I was on the site, I noticed Compassion tells you how many days they have been waiting for a sponsor. Some of the numbers break my heart to see how long these children have waited.
I blog about Compassion because I love what the organization does for children in need. I blog about Compassion because I value what they have brought to my family. I hope that my passion and enthusiasm for this program show through in conversations, blogging, and in my life. Would you for just a minute as a friend, look at Compassion's webpage of longest waiting children and pray for one of them. Please pray for a sponsor for these children so that their wait for a sponsor is over.
The video below is not clear picture wise, but it shows parents in Ghana that have just learned their son has a sponsor.
When I watch this video, it makes me wish I could have been a fly on the wall when each of our sponsored children found out that we had picked them to sponsor.
Wordless Wednesday..... not for me today. I have had too many days of few words, today they are bubbling out!
Last night was a turning point for me and, I am on the mend. I am feeling much better today. I have been able to read today which is HUGE for me because my eyes have not been able to focus for too long on detailed information.
Since I have two more days of being home, doctor's orders, I am also hand writing a letter to each of our Compassion Children! Hey, I have no where else I have to be right!?! I normally use the online writing tool and send pictures that way, but today, they are getting a hand written letter along with calendar pages from last year's calendars that have inspirational quotes on them.
The other really fun part of my day is that Mark bought me a journal and it arrived today! Last week before I got sick, I found out exactly why my word for the year is Embrace. I don't think that the reason for this word could be any more loud and clear than what I found out last Tuesday. And while I can't put all of the details out on the blog right now for many reasons, Mark wanted me to have a way to journal some of the thoughts and feels as we move through this year. Here it is.... my new journal....
I can't wait to fill it with words! But today, I am just enjoying the newness of it, the blank pages, and the unbroken binding.
This week, we received another letter from Mary Grace and it was accompanied with the above photo!! Although damaged in the process of getting here, it shows Mary Grace with some of the things that she was able to buy with the Christmas money we sent to her. She was also able to buy a dress for her, her sisters, and for her aunt. I absolutely LOVE the candid shots that come. I also notice that her hair has grown longer since her picture was updated with Compassion.
Today we also received a letter from Vivek in India who tells us that he took part in the drama that they did at the center when they celebrated Christmas. He also bought a "blanket, glass, plate, tiffin, and wollen cap" for his Christmas gift.
It has been fun to hear from the kids again after the long period of no letters!
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