Thursday, April 7, 2011

"He Doesn't Know How to Sing Yet

For several years, I have thought that I should sponsor children. I mean, I have none of my own; at this point in my life I am HIGHLY unlikely to have my own; so I need to help some children somewhere.
Of course, the financial commitment always held me back. Last year, I heard Tony Nolan speak at Winter Jam twice. Of course, the push at Winter Jam is to sponsor an orphan through Holt International. I didn't do that.
I had heard of Compassion in the past, but couldn't remember the name. By looking at sites of some of my favorite Christian music groups, I was able to find them again. I decided to sponsor a child. Little did I realize how difficult it would be to pick just one out of all those sweet faces looking at me.
I decided on Javier in Mexico. I had heard Michael Tait talk about Mexico being our neighbor, and the fact that we should help our neighbors, so I picked Mexico.
I received my information about Javier from Compassion, and I wrote to him. I received nothing. I wrote again. I still received nothing. I don't know how many times I wrote, but I never got a letter from him. However, I did get a call from Compassion telling me that Javier's family situation had improved, and they no longer needed Compassion's help. On that very day, I had decided to sponsor Francis from Nicaragua. I chose Francis because she lives only with her sister and her mother (and now a little brother). Compassion offered me Isaac in place of Javier, but said I could just sponsor Francis. I told them I wanted both.
Through some unusual circumstances, I have since added Jack from Peru, Michelle from El Salvador, and most recently, Gethory, a four-year-old boy in Haiti.
I have many details to add later about each child, but the one thing that stands out to me is that in Gethory's introductory letter to me, he was asked to name his favorite song. The answer was, "He doesn't know how to sing yet."
At first, I just thought that was cute. Then I realized the sadness of that statement. Think of the children you know, the babies, the toddlers, the young children. Don't they all sing?
Gethory is four, and "he doesn't know how to sing yet." That breaks my heart.
My goal through Compassion is that each of my children would learn to sing, that they would be able to see beyond the hopelessness and darkness of abject poverty to the hope and future that Jesus offers to them.
I can only pray that my contributions, my letters to them, and my constant prayers for them, will help to lead them in that direction.
I pray that Gethory will learn to sing.

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