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

Sponsor a Child Today

When you walk into a 7-11 or other convenience store, do you ever think about how you could spend your money more wisely?  $1.69 for a 20 oz. Diet Coke (that's my vice)?  That's more than many villages in Africa average in a month.  An entire month.  Think about that . . . .

Can we even imagine?

When you look at the Big Bites and the Breakfast Bites and . . . to be honest, I don't even know what they sell back there because I stay away.  But what I do know is that we have SO much, and SO many have SO  little.  Why?  Why must wee keep it all to ourselves?

I cringe when I hear how much the people who are in line in front of me are spending on lottery tickets, cigarettes, alcohol, and horribly unhealthy food.  What I could do with that money to help those who can't even afford a $1.25 shot for malaria!

But I help a few.  I help those I sponsor.  I help those to whom I send money to Compassion for mosquito nets.  I help those who are sponsored because of my testimony.

So why not jump on board?  Why do we keep living in our small worlds, wishing, drooling over, hoping for the latest tech gadget (all Apple for me) when someone like my Francis finds it a treat just to have a glass of milk for breakfast?

I'm Marilu, and I'm 3 years old.

I waited for about seven years between the time I first heard about Compassion at a newsboys' concert to the time I sponsored my first child when I heard Michael Tait (now with newsboys) talk about how we should help our neighbors in Mexico.  How many children needed me in those seven years that I thought I couldn't sacrifice just $38 a month to help them go to school, get medical care for them, sometimes even save their lives?

Don't wait any longer.  Sponsor a child today by clicking here.

It will enrich your life beyond what you could ever imagine.

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.