You Can Save a Child's Life

Follow this link to change a life today:  Compassion.

What a Puppy Taught Me about Compassion

This is Bucco.  Today is his first birthday.

Bucco came to live with me ten months ago, and no I do not have a cool rescue story.  He is a West Highland White Terrier, and not many of that breed are surrendered, so I could not find one to rescue.  I have always loved dogs, but I have very bad allergies and only recently discovered that I am not allergic to terriers.  However, I like big dogs.  My dog when I was a teenager was a very sweet Saint Bernard, so yeah . . . I like big dogs.

Because my niece has a Westie, I learned that Westies act more like big dogs than small ones, that they are very intelligent and very loyal.  So I found a Westie.  I paid much less than one would normally pay for a pure bred, so because of that and his one droopy ear, I call him my discount Westie.

But he is worth so much.

One of the first things that struck me about him was his acceptance of and reliance on me.  He immediately loved being with me and playing with me even though he didn't know me.  It reminded me of the children I met on the Compassion Sponsor Tour to Peru.  When we entered a project, the children were really excited to see us and loved us without even knowing us.  They all called me "Madrina," even though I don't sponsor any of the children in the projects we visited.  

Bucco loves the beach and has no fear of jumping into the ocean.  When I first started taking him, he kept stopping on the way to investigate other interesting things.  I kept telling him there was something even better waiting over the dunes.  Now he knows what's on the other side of the dunes and eagerly heads toward the ocean without stopping as soon as I say the word "beach."  I thought of the many times in our walks with Jesus that we think we have found something good, but He's really trying to lead us over the dunes to something even better.  

Those of you who are pet owners understand how important a dog can be.  Since I am alone, except for Bucco, mine is pretty much all I have.  I will sacrifice for my dog because I want what's best for him. Bucco often makes me think of my Compassion children and how important they are to me, but even more so, how important I am to them.  I remember that I need to sacrifice my time and energy to write to them and let them know they are loved by me, but more importantly, by Jesus.

I have the best dog in the Universe.  God has used him to enrich my life beyond what I ever expected.  What a lesson there is in that!

Waiting . . .

This is four-year-old Wilfredo in Nicaragua.  Don't you just want to squeeze those cute cheeks?

Wilfredo has been waiting 515 days for a sponsor.

Five hundred fifteen.

I don't even start counting down to something that far ahead!  Wilfredo needs a sponsor.

But he's not the only one.  You can go here to view all the children who have been waiting more than six months for a sponsor.  Please consider sponsoring one today.  You will change the child's life.

And the child will change yours.

These Sweet Children Need Sponsors Now

> Fahim is 11 years old and lives in Indonesia.  He has been waiting seven months for a sponsor.  He lives in a country with high risk for child rights violations.  He really needs a sponsor.

Yeabtega lives in Ethiopia and has been waiting THIRTEEN months for a sponsor!  She lives in an AIDS affected area.  She lives with her grandparents, which often means the parents are victims of AIDS.

You Don't Want to Miss This!

Sunday, April 21, is Compassion Sunday 2013.  I don't have the opportunity to have a Compassion Sunday in my home church, but I can do it here--for more than one day.

I have previously told the story of how I became a Compassion sponsor.  Since sponsoring my first child, I have learned a lot about Compassion's integrity.  I am impressed with Compassion's holistic approach to child sponsorship, especially after visiting Peru.

What I saw in Peru were many, many happy, laughing, smiling, excited children at the Compassion centers.  The children I sponsor tell me they love going to their Compassion center, and I was able to see why in person.

Besides the young children, I saw teenagers who were taught skills that they can use to sustain themselves, given leadership roles, and encouraged to believe in their worth as children of the King of Kings.

I can't even express in words how impressed I am with what I saw.

Research Shows that Child Sponsorship through Compassion Works. (Click the link to read how.)

I know that my sponsorship helps the children and their families, but it also helps me.  One day a few months after I begin sponsoring, I was almost hit by another car (not a surprise), and I thought, "Don't hit me.  My children need me!"  Wow. What cool feeling!  I had never been able to see that before.  Now I know I need to be at my best at all times for my children.

When I visited Jack in Peru, one of the best things he said to me was, "Thank you for changing my life."

Wow!

Don't miss the chance to change the story for one child.  I offer you Diego, a five-year-old in Peru.  (How can you resist that sweet smile?)  You can learn more about Diego on My Compassion Sunday page.

Watch this video, read my Compassion Sunday page, and then--as Ginsely says--"just do it."  Sponsor Diego.  He needs you to change his life.

How Compassion Changes an Entire Community Through Its Children

This is Gethory when I first sponsored him.

This is my latest picture of Gethory.  Isn't he cute?

I first realized that Compassion reaches more than just the child when I sponsored Gethory in Haiti two years ago.  The first letter I received from him was really a huge thank you letter from his family.

In Peru,  I saw how grateful the families are because of our (sponsors) love for their children, and I was inspired by their emphasis on developing their children so that they can become independent adults.

I also was blessed by the LDP students who spoke to us, because each one of them had chosen his or her course of study in order to help the community and the country.

We don't really do that in the US.

Today's post in Compassion's blog explains better than I can how sponsoring a child is really like sponsoring a family.  http://blog.compassion.com/from-ragpicker-to-restored-dignity/

Reading this makes me very happy, reminding me of how many I am helping and that God is using me to be a world changer!

I can help you sponsor so that you can be a world changer, too.

Sponsor a Child

This is a video posted on Facebook by Compassion International.  I have seen the smiles and heard the laughter of the Compassion children.  They really are truly happy at the Compassion Child Development Centers.  Sponsor a child today and speak life and hope into his or her life.

Sponsorship Opportunity

Lionel has been sponsored!!  Party time!  Now his smile will grow even bigger.

How about sponsoring a child who has been waiting for longer than six months?

Help a Child

If Only I Had Known . . .

Dear God,

When You first spoke to my heart about child sponsorship at that newsboys’ concert a few years ago (You know exactly how many, but I don’t remember), I had no idea at the time that it would be a life changing experience.

Well, You know that I didn’t respond that night.  Something kept me from it.  I think we left right away, and I used that as my “out.”  I was afraid to make a monthly financial commitment because You know how much anxiety I have about finances.  I sometimes wonder if a child suffered because I didn’t listen to You.

If only I had known . . . . . 

But You didn’t let go.  There they were again--newsboys--talking about helping our neighbors in Mexico, and I knew I couldn’t walk away this time.  It’s really amazing to look back at how You design everything to fall into place in my life, so that my life follows the plan You have for it, even if I’m sometimes too thick-headed to respond right away.  How many times have I cried to You out of loneliness because I have no family, because people look down on me for having no children of my own?

But You gave me children.  Lots of them.  They are my family--those sweet Compassion children.  And in them I see You.  They love so freely.  They don’t know me.  They’ve never met me.  Yet they love me.  They send me “besos y abrazos” with every letter, and I accept those as Your love for me.

You have taught me so much through them, to look beyond my own selfish world to see a hurting and devastated world that needs Your love, to see how little these children have when I thought I was the one with very little.  I have so much.

They have changed my life.  They have filled my life.  I needed a reason to live, and You gave me my Compassion children.  Now I know that someone needs me, someone loves me, someone depends on me.  I’m important.  ME.  Important.

I signed on to give to them, to help them, but You have given so much to me through them.

And now . . . as I prepare to meet one of them in person, I am amazed beyond words at what you have done with my life, from a small village in Ohio where I had little, knew very little love, to a week in Peru ministering to your children and fulfilling the dream of one very special one.  I can’t even imagine what You will do with my heart during that week and that one very special day that I will spend with Jack.

I can’t imagine why You have chosen me, but I am grateful that You entrust me with Your very precious children.

Mi niña en Ecuador

http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm

This Week's Letter "Jack"pot

Jack

I received yet another letter from Jack (Peru) this week.  This letter was to thank me for his birthday gift.  He turned 16 on April 15th.  He sent a picture of the clothes he bought with the money I sent and asked if I like the clothes.  He said he will only wear them when he goes out with his friends.  He's such a teenager!  I love it.  He also said he is praying to meet me one day soon.  This is the fifth letter I've received from Jack since January (that's a lot), and in four of them he has said that he is praying to meet me.  It's so amazing to me that he says that since I am planning to see him in October.  He has never said that until now.
Here is the picture of his slick new clothes.

I purchased a Bible to take to Jack when I meet him in October.  It's a Spanish Study Bible for teenage boys.  It just arrived today.  I looked at some of the topics, and I am so excited about how good it is.  One topic is "Why does God allow bad things to happen?"  That is one I will point out to Jack because his father died two years ago, and he still writes about how sad he is.

Francis

The day after I received Jack's letter, I received a letter from Francis (Nicaragua).  She turned 8 on April 7th, so her letter was also a thank you for the gift I sent.  She went shopping with her sister (always), her mom, and the secretary from the Compassion project.  She bought underwear, socks, shoes, milk, popcorn . . . and the obligatory cookies and candy.  I have sponsored Francis for two years, and she always, always buys cookies and candy, and I LOVE that.  She usually buys corn flakes, but I guess she decided to go for popcorn instead this time.  She said that she loves to drink milk for breakfast.  Gosh, how many parents have to make their kids drink milk, and Francis loves it?  :)  Here is the picture she drew for me.  See if you can count the fish she drew.  :)

Nancy

Yesterday I received a letter from Nancy (El Salvador).  The really cool thing about it is that she wrote it herself, and she just turned 7 last week, so she wrote this letter when she was still 6!  That's mind-boggling.  Some of the children I sponsor who are older than she cannot write as well as she does.  She is definitely advanced.  I was shocked when I saw the letter in first person in her hand.  She ran out of room, so her tutor finished for her, but I'm still very impressed.  This letter was about her house, so she drew a picture of it, and to the right in the picture is the living room--la sala.  She says that she likes Christmas because she can spend time with her family and asks that I pray that she finishes the school year well.  She also says that she prays that God blesses me and multiplies what I do for her.  :)  In every letter she tells me that she gets more letters than any other girl at the project and thanks for me all that I send her.

Yuleisy

On the same day, I received a letter from Yuleisy (Dominican Republic), who is one of my correspondence children.  Her letters are short, but she also writes them herself, although not as well as Nancy even though she's older.  Her letter was a form letter where she has to list her favorite things.  She says her favorite hero is Dora, so I will certainly be looking for some Dora stuff to send her.  :)  Her drawing is awesome.  My friend who sponsors a boy in the DR received a letter from him this week and sent me a picture of his drawing.  His mom has the same hair style that Yuleisy has in her drawing, but his mom's hair is not green.  She says that her favorite colors are rojo y amarillo--red and yellow--but she certainly went heavy on the green in this very cool drawing.

Katiusca

The last letter I received this week was from Katiusca (DR), who turned 18 in May.  I just began sponsoring her, so this is her first letter.  She introduced herself, telling me that she is doing well in school and would take the exams in June to see if she passes from 11th grade to 12th.  She asked if I would ever like to visit her community.  :)  My dream?  To begin in Mexico and go through Central America to South America and then to the DR and back home, having visited each child (or teenager) that I sponsor.  I need a lot more money for that!

So it was certainly a banner week for letters.  Now I need to answer all of them, which I love.  I am so happy when I receive letters from my kids because that's how we develop our relationships.  I am blessed to have them all.

I Have Children for You!!

This is Benjamin, who lives in Nicaragua with his mom and dad and SIX other children.  Clearly, your sponsorship would make a huge difference in this family.  Most families in his community earn the equivalent of $80 per month.
Benjamin is 11 years old and likes ping pong, soccer (fútbol), and basketball--a sports fan!!  Yay!  He attends primary school and Compassion Project NI148.

This beautiful young lady is Iswerbhai.  Doesn't she look like a princess?  She lives with her mom and dad and 2 siblings in India.  She is 8 years old and likes playing with dolls and playing house.  (Aw.)  

Families in Iswerbhai's community earn the equivalent of about $33 per month.

She attends primary school and Compassion Project IN910.

Please let me know if you would like to commit to sponsoring one of these beautiful children and thereby changing their lives and yours.

If you can't support one of them, please pray for sponsors.

What Is Child Sponsorship?

Wanna make someone's day? . . . . . . Wait--what I really mean is, "Wanna make someone's LIFE?"
Sponsor a child!

What does it mean when you sponsor a child?  Does it mean you just send some money and write some letters?

Um . . . no.

Here are the benefits for a child when you sponsor him or her:  meals and nutrition, hygiene education, tutoring, Biblical education, life skills education, medical checkups, and new friends at the Compassion project!

Here is the benefit for you:  a heart FULL of love for someone thousands of miles away whom you may or may not ever meet in person.

The relationship you develop with the child through letter writing is indescribable. It is mind-boggling how much a letter means to a sponsored child.  And wait until you see how much it means to YOU.

But what about those children who have to wait for a sponsor?  Some have been waiting for months.  I'm not sure why some are left so long without having someone pick them, but you could change the life of one of those children right now by clicking the link below.  You will never regret it.

Sponsor a "longest waiting child."

Camilo Alberto had been waiting a long time when I chose him.  I wish I could have seen him when he was told that he FINALLY had a sponsor.  He makes me smile, and as you can see, I make him smile.  :)