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Do Something

The last few weeks at church, as I sit in the pew wrestling my 3-year-old or pulling him off his 6-year-old brother before they come to blows, the message has been persistent: do something.

Do something. Reach out to the people around you. Love them and help them. Give of yourself. Reflect Christ to them.

The pastor reminds us that there are many ministries at the church where “doing something” can be accomplished. Some church members visit nearby nursing homes. Others collect backpacks for school children. The more adventurous travel on missions, both within the United States and internationally.

The choices of ways to do something seem endless, yet each time I consider one of these options, my responsibilities at this stage in my life weigh a little heavier on my shoulders.

As a stay-at-home mom who is homeschooling six children, from high school all the way down to preschool, and shuttling most of them to various activities each evening, I don’t have a lot of free time. The idea of adding one more item to the to-do list seems about as possible keeping the above-mentioned 3-year-old quiet through an entire service, or at least convincing him to sit in his seat rather rolling around under it.

So I shrug, sigh and go home feeling a little defeated, knowing that some day I’ll be able to do something, but it’s going to be a while.

When I arrive home, I fall into the usual Sunday afternoon routine of catching up on chores and making sure we’re ready to start the following school week.

Once those things are done, I usually steal a few minutes to answer some letters to my sponsor children. It’s not uncommon for me to have a stack of three or four letters waiting to be answered, and it’s something I love to do.

I love to hear from each of my sponsored children, and I enjoy writing back to them. It makes me happy to know that I can provide them some encouragement from so far away. Poverty tells them they are worthless, but I’m able to tell them they aren’t. They are so important that a person living in another country, whom they have never met, is willing to write to them, and send them stickers and soccer cards, and love them.

It occurs to me that I am doing something. The proof is in those letters. It’s in lines like this, from 9-year-old Roxana in Guatemala: “I put all of the pictures you sent me in a frame near my bed, that way I always pray for you and your family.”

And this, from 11-year-old Jhon in Colombia: “Thank you for your beautiful letters.”

And from 8-year-old Ritik in India: “Me and my family are thanking you from the heart that you have chosen me to support.”

From 19-year-old Favian in Guatemala: “Kerri, every time that you send letters to me, we read them with my family, and we enjoy them very much… I send a big hug to you with much love.”

I could quote endless beautiful words from these children.

So if you’re finding yourself in a busy phase of life like me, why not sponsor a child? You can make an impact right now in the life of a child living in poverty.

You don’t have to put it off because you have too much laundry, and baseball practices, and youth group activities, and whatever else is filling your life right now.

You can do something.

Just click on the following link to get started:

http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm?referer=129652

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Annual Reports from World Vision

Cover of World Vision-Romania’s Annual Report

As a way to keep sponsors up-to-date on their sponsor children, World Vision sends out an annual report on each child.

I recently received two reports, and being fairly new to World Vision, this is my first experience with the updates. I was happy to receive these and impressed by their quality.

The reports are printed on a nice quality paper with bright colors. They include basic answers covering several topics. When opened, the paper measures about 8 by 12 inches.

But most impressive to me is the actual photograph of the child attached to the report. It’s really nice to see your child’s growth and changes over a year, and I look forward to receiving many of these reports in the future.

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Cristian’s Annual Progress Report

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Andrei’s Annual Report

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Gift in Romania

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Dragos, 13, of Romania, with his gifts.

Dragos, 13, of Romania, sent me this wonderful photo of himself with gifts he purchased using a family gift I sent to him. According to his letter, he bought: “a jacket, a tracksuit, pajamas, oil to cook, rice, beans, sneakers, t-shirts, preserves, pens and many other things.”

I think his smile in this photo is better than all of those items together!

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When Invisible Children Sing

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“When Invisible Children Sing,” by Chi Huang

As a fourth-year medical student in 1997, Chi Huang took a break in his training to provide medical care in two orphanages in La Paz, Bolivia. The book “When Invisible Children Sing,” details his experiences on this mission.

When Huang arrives in Bolivia, he is met by a no-nonsense nurse who puts him straight to work in the girls’ orphanage, Yasella Home for Street Girls. His first patient is a teen girl named Mercedes who cuts herself with razor blades. He discovers more than 20 razor blade scars on one arm, including a fresh cut needing treatment. The 15-year-old’s other arm is the same.

After treating Mercedes’ arm, Huang discovers the teen also has a venereal disease. This is Huang’s welcome to the world of Bolivian street children, and it’s only the beginning of his adventure.

Huang also works at a boys’ orphanage, Bururu Home for Street Boys. The word bururu is what street children say when they are cold.

Despite long hours at both orphanages, it is Huang’s desire also to treat the children living on the streets of La Paz, those who either don’t want to live in an orphanage or aren’t welcome in one. To do this, he must visit the streets late at night, when the children and many undesirable adults inhabit the city streets.

Huang shows great patience in gaining the trust of these children, though he is faced with many difficult situations. He discovers the children are always high from sniffing paint thinner, which they do to stay warm and to escape their realities. He also learns that there are certain adults who wish to clean up the streets by rounding up the street children, abusing and even killing them.

Despite these and many other obstacles, Huang is able to show Christ’s love to these children, to gain their trust, and to help some of them. Today he is the founder of the Bolivian Street Children Project.

This book is difficult to read at times because of the devastating situations in which the children live. It is well-written, and provides a very clear and touching description of these children’s realities.

For more information on the Bolivian Street Children’s Project, you can visit http://www.kayachildren.org.

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Always Humbled

Children often have a way of communicating that cuts straight to your heart, brings tears to your eyes, and fills you with love. Sometimes it’s something they say, so innocent and perfect, and sometimes it’s as simple as a tight squeeze around your neck when you need it most.

I know this well because I have six children of my own. But what continues to amaze me is my sponsor children’s ability to affect me in the same way, across the miles and through their written words.

Now it’s not uncommon for my sponsor children to write me that they love me and they send me hugs and kisses or to thank me for being their sponsor. Those things always warm my heart greatly.

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Roxana, 9, of Guatemala

I received a letter today, though, from Roxana, 9, of Guatemala, and it was exceptional in communicating love and friendship. There really aren’t words to describe it, so here is an excerpt:

“I always thank God that he has given me the opportunity to live and to be here with this family. And to have you in my life; thank you for your help. I love you very much. I sometimes dream about you that you are my friend and that I play ball with you just the way I do with my other friends and cousins… I love you very much, and I hope to see you someday.”

Here is a child who lives in poverty in rural Guatemala, and she is thanking God that she is alive, thanking God for her family, and thanking God that she has me, a stranger from another country, in her life. The lessons I learn from these children are priceless.

Oh, Roxana, I hope to see you someday, too, sweet girl.

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World Vision Gift Photo

World Vision Gift Photo

I received this photo from Andrei in Romania after sending his family a financial gift earlier this year. It looks like he got quite a few clothes, and I’m so happy to see that he got something fun – a soccer ball!

His letter:
“My dear friend,
Thank you so much for the wonderful gift you sent me. Thanks to you, Easter holidays were wonderful. My family and I are grateful for your goodness.
We will pray for you!
God bless you!
With love,
Andrei”

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Art Spotlight: Peru

One fun thing about receiving mail from my sponsor children is seeing their art work, which often gives me a glimpse into their lives. Compassion’s letter templates often include an area in which the children can draw something special for their sponsors.

This is the first of what I intend to become a regular series on my blog, which will showcase some of these wonderful drawings. Today I am sharing five drawings from 15-year-old Luz in Peru.

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Travel to Nicaragua

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It is my deepest desire to visit my sponsor children at some point. As I try to work that out, I’ll be doing the next best thing this week.

All week, four talented writers are visiting Nicaragua on a Compassion Bloggers trip. Each day, they will visit Compassion’s projects and offices, interacting with staff and children, and coming face-to-face with the poverty that is reality for our sponsor children.

Then, each evening, these women will write about the day’s events, although that description doesn’t really do justice to their task.

It was a trip just like this that first introduced me to child sponsorship. In September of 2010, Compassion’s bloggers visited Guatemala, and after that, I was hooked. Since then, I eagerly look forward to these trips, where I can follow along and visit these countries through the words on my computer screen.

Compassion picks writers who are talented, and who manage to bring the experience to you with detail and emotion. You won’t regret taking some time each day this week and reading their posts. 

To do this, go to http://compassionbloggers.com/trips/nicaragua-2013/. And don’t forget to check out posts from past trips as well. They’re still available at the same web site.

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Role Reversal: A Gift for the Giver

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Virgin Mary icon card

Sponsoring a child could be described in many ways.

Giving is one word that sums up a sponsor’s role well. It covers the spectrum from giving money to financially help a child to giving love and encouragement through letters and giving small gifts like stickers and coloring pages.

But what happens when the giver receives a gift in return?

I recently found out the answer to that question.

Last week, I opened a letter from my sponsored boy Dragos, 13, of Romania, whom I sponsor through World Vision. Tucked inside his lovingly-written letter was a small photo of a painting of the Virgin Mary. He wrote, “I’m sending you an icon of Virgin Mary to protect and to bless you and your family.”

It left me completely humbled.

There are a lot of gifts I receive from my sponsored children without them even being aware that they are blessing me, like words of love and gratitude, beautiful drawings and the occasional photograph.

So what made this gift so different and so special?

This is a child whose poverty is great enough that he is enrolled in a child sponsorship program. This is a child whose parents are unemployed, living in a poor, rural area, and raising six children. But this boy sought to bless me.

And he did.

And as Jesus explains in the following verse, the effect was far greater than most gifts.

Luke 21:3-4 – “I tell you the truth,” he said. “This poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

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Add Interest with Pinterest

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Compassion’s letter writing idea board on Pinterest

If you feel like letters to your sponsored children are boring, recounting the same details month after month, Compassion’s Pinterest board “Letter Writing Ideas” might be just the thing to help you.

Rest assured, your children love to hear from you no matter how little or how much you write. But this board has lots of great items to print and send to your children, so you can continue to show your love for them in new and creative ways.

There are templates to make handmade envelopes, instructions for homemade bookmarks and directions to make puzzles for your children. If you aren’t feeling crafty, there are also lots of things to just print and send, like coloring pages, maps and how-to-draw pages.

Go to http://pinterest.com/compassion/letter-writing-ideas/ for many more ideas.

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Dreams of Mothers

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Jose, 6, of Bolivia, and his mother.

Love, happiness, good health and a relationship with God – those are the things I want most for my children. After all, they already have the basics like food, water, clothing and a home.

But many children around the world do not have those basics. And without those, how can their mothers move beyond the basics and dream for more for their children? How can they work toward those bigger dreams?

Compassion’s Child Survival Program can help. This program operates in Africa, Latin America and Asia, providing both education and support to mothers in need. This includes prenatal care, growth monitoring, oral rehydration therapy, breast-feeding support, immunization, female literacy, food and family planning.

Today this program serves 27,652 children and 28,373 mothers, giving them the help they need in those critical early years. Statistics show it’s working. While 12 percent of babies are premature in the developing world, only 3 percent of babies are premature in the Child Survival Program. Also, an infant in Compassion’s program is six times a likely to be a healthy weight as a child in the developing world.

With a monthly donation of $23, you can be a child survival advocate by supporting this program. Click here for details, and please consider helping mothers around the world to have bigger dreams for their children.

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Sponsor a Child

As an advocate for Compassion International, I have two children for whom I am currently looking for sponsors. Sponsorship costs $38/month, but the relationship you will build with your child will change your life.

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Jose, 6, Nicaragua

Jose, 6, of Nicaragua, lives with his mother, who is employed as a laborer. His home duties are caring for children, making beds and running errands. There are three children in Jose’s family.

Jose is performing above average in Kindergarten, and his favorite activities are playing a musical instrument, basketball and playing with cars. His birthday is September 10.

He lives in an area in Nicaragua where the average monthly income is $97. Jose’s community has electricity and water, but needs vocational training centers and employment opportunities.

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Jade, 7, Nicaragua

Jade, 7, also lives in Nicaragua. She lives with both parents, who both are sometimes employed as laborers. There are two children in the family. Her home duty is running errands.

Jade attends primary school, where her performance is average, and she enjoys playing with dolls and running.

She lives in an area where the average monthly income is $120. Like Jose’s community, Jade’s also has electricity and water, but needs vocational training centers and employment opportunities.

Your sponsorship would provide these children with Bibles, Bible classes, medical checkups, de-worming, vaccinations, nutritious food, tutoring, sports and special celebrations.

I personally sponsor two boys from Nicaragua, who in the same age range as Jose and Jade, and they are incredibly sweet and loving. I always look forward to their letters!

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A Boy and his Dog

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Humberto: “I want you to know my dog.”

Nine-year-old boys the world over tend to share similar tidbits in their letters.

Almost three years into sponsoring, I’ve found most boys around that age write about games, friends and pets, which are the same themes my own sons would choose.

Humberto is a 9-year-old boy in Bolivia, and he and I have been sending letters back and forth for two-and-a-half years now. He was almost 7 years old when we started writing to each other, and being so young, he generally shares one or two details in each letter, often repeating those details several times over many letters. Over the years I’ve been able to create a picture of this faraway boy in my mind.

Humberto is one of the younger siblings in a family with eight children. He most recently became a big brother again last year, and asked me to pray for his baby brother just before the baby’s birth.

He tells me he loves to draw. Actually, he tells me that in almost every letter. He also loves to play with his friends.

His most recent letter held an unexpected gem, though. Humberto wrote, “I want you to know my dog.” And tucked into the letter was a photo of Humberto and his dog!

His adorable way of writing that made me laugh, but to see that photo of Humberto and his dog was quite a treat. I’ve never received an extra photo of Humberto, so I’ve only seen his growth progress through Compassion’s usual photo updates, which occur every 18-24 months.

Now that I know Humberto’s dog, we’ll have plenty to cover in our letters for years to come.