God's Amazing Provision

It is so hard not to sponsor more and more children because they all have great needs and are so precious. That is one reason that I have become an Advocate for Compassion.  Through advocacy, I have the resources to present Compassion to groups, churches or individuals so that more children can be sponsored.  I plan on working at Compassion sponsored events and I also use social media to post photos and information about children needing sponsors. 

Dina from Indonesia

My Compassion family has expanded over the past two months.  One of my correspondence children left the program, so I acquired a new girl to write to, Dina.  She is 12 years old, from Indonesia, and her hobbies are bicycling, reading and singing. I look forward to an enjoyable correspondence relationship.  I have not received a letter from her yet, but expect one any day. 
A few weeks ago, I shared with my visiting son that I was praying for the finances to sponsor another girl.  I was thrilled when he said, "I have been feeling led to give you the money from my tithe to sponsor a child, and you can write the letters to her."  Wow!  I was blown away by the ways that God works far beyond our imaginings.  My son's only desire was that the child be from Africa, so we chose an 11 year old girl from Rwanda.  She had some of the same interests as my son, and we both felt drawn to her.  She enjoys jump rope and running and her parents are farmers, earning only $5.00 a month. I have written several letters to her and we look forward to hearing from her in the next couple of months.

Imanizabayo from Rwanda

Soon after sponsoring Imanizabayo from Rwanda, I again felt God calling me to sponsor one more girl.  I prayed that if it was His will, He would provide the finances.  And as usual, God came through in a way I could not have imagined.  I was looking for a summer job that would be very part-time and would be flexible enough to allow me to take two vacations with my family.  While sharing this with another one of my sons, he suggested that I babysit because it paid well and was super flexible.  I texted his girlfriend about her experiences with babysitting and she told me that she had a friend who was looking for a summer babysitter for her three elementary school aged children one day a week!  I contacted the lady, the job sounded perfect, and we worked out the details. And after some calculations, the amount I was paid would be exactly enough to sponsor another child!!  Soon after, sweet little Suyin was added to my account.  She is 8 years old and has a medical problem that is being treated regularly.  She lives with her mother and grandmother and loves to play house, draw pictures and sing.  I have already written her letters and sent her stickers and coloring pages. 

Suyin from Honduras

This summer God has really reminded me of His faithfulness, His provision, and His promise to hear our prayers.  I am learning (over and over again) about being patient for God's timing through my work with Compassion.  He cares more for these children than I do.

Encouraging Words

It is hard to imagine that a letter means so much to a child immersed in poverty.  One thing that Compassion stresses as equal to financial sponsorship is emotional sponsorship; personally investing in a child's life through handwritten letters.   On the social networking sight for Compassion International sponsors, child sponsors report with joy when they receive a letter from one of their 'children'.  They often post those letters for other sponsors to read.  The sweet words of gratitude and love from the children convinces me that their sponsors' letters do make an impact on them.
What happens if someone wants to sponsor a child financially but does not want to or is unable to write letters to that child?  Compassion has a plan in place...correspondence sponsors.  Correspondence sponsors step in and take over the letter-writing aspect of sponsorship.  Compassion matches up each prospective correspondence sponsor with a child needing correspondence, and a relationship is born.  Children actually view the letter-writing sponsor as their real sponsor as letters and photos are exchanged.  The children form a bond over the miles with someone who truly cares for them.

Soon after financially sponsoring Andreas from Indonesia and Thamyres from Brazil (and sending them letters immediately!) I called Compassion to sign up for the correspondence sponsor list.  Within a few days I was rewarded with three new little faces on my account, Johan and Noriel from the Philippines and Dita from Indonesia.  In His awesome way, God immediately gave me an overwhelming love for these children.  And I knew He would equip me to write the words that would brighten these children's world and show them their value in Jesus' eyes.  Most of all he gave me the desire to lift each of them up in prayer daily, that their precious hearts and souls would be protected in a world full of hurt.

How Much is Enough?

In February my heart was moved.  Twisted.  Pierced.

I came across the Compassion International website and saw 40 helpless little eyes looking back at me.  I went to the next page, and the next...there were more and more and more... 37 pages worth.  Faces of children from 26 countries, all impoverished, hurting, hungry and hopeless.  But hope was available to them through Compassion's ministry, and I could help give it to one child, or two, or more.  Compassion had already stepped into these children's lives when they were invited to sign up with their local Christian churches and outreach centers for a chance at relief from their suffering.  Extra food, clothing, afterschool tutoring and a safe place to go to get off the mean streets of desperation...all in the name of Jesus Christ.  I could not turn my eyes away.  Besides all of the stellar ratings and testimonies of how the organization was legitimate, I was drawn by the main emphasis of Compassion which was the chance to form a real relationship with a needy child through letters and pictures.  It was stressed that the encouragement and hope I could offer a child through my letters was as important as the money I pledged each month.  Just by voicing my concern, love and belief in a child,  I could lift his heart and shed the light of Jesus into an otherwise dark life of hardship.  My own children had grown up with those words of encouragement and that message of hope every day.  Surely I could give the same to children who rarely or never heard words of blessing from those around them who were just trying to survive.  I evaluated my money situation as the thought kept coming back to me over and over, "what do I really need?"  My needs were more than met every day in America; and pretty much all of my wants.  When my stomach rumbled a little bit and I said, "I'm starving!", I had no idea what that meant.  Most of the children on Compassion's website were often lucky to get one meal a day, and that often substandard by our standards.  How could I not give up my daily 44 ounce diet pop from the mini-mart and the new purse that would match my summer outfit?  And so I welcomed Andreas from Indonesia and Thamyres from Brazil into my heart.

Which Path?

We all walk a path...sometimes a fine line.  We waver between what appears good versus what is best.  I ask questions and ask for guidance, then I quickly answer my own questions and seek the the path I perceive to be right, usually the speediest path to what I want, usually the easiest path.
In Proverbs 3, verses 5-6 I am reminded that my understanding of the best way to go is often fraught with ulterior motives, misguided ideals and selfish ambitions.  And there is the struggle; to trust in myself  and my limited understanding (though I think myself to be so smart and wise) or to lean on the One who created all of my being, the One who has a total picture of my purpose and destiny.
If  I lean on my own understanding I want immediate gratification, a quick and efficient answer to my dilemma which  is apt to put me on a path that leads me on unnecessary detours towards what seems good or good enough but what is usually not God's best for me.

Trust in the Lord?  Sure...with most of my life.  But with my whole heart?  That sounds like giving up a lot of control!  Oh yeah, I guess that is the point, isn't it?  In all my ways acknowledging Him...waiting for His answer to my questions.  Waiting for His hand to point me in the right direction.  Waiting for His timing.  I am beginning to see a theme here...WAITING.  And then I get it...a glimmer of His understanding.  Trusting means waiting.  Not just sitting-on-my-hind-end-twiddling-my-thumbs-waiting but prayerfully waiting, reading His Word waiting, seeking wise counsel waiting.  In other words, acknowledging Him in all my ways.  Then, the verse says,  He will direct my paths.

The New King James version of the Bible says, "And He shall direct your paths".  The New International Version says, "And He will make your paths straight".  Do I want to wander and wind around on a path that wastes my time, that keeps me from God's best?  Or do I want the Creator of all things, the God of all wisdom and might and power, to lead me down the path of His will, His best?  Do I want to frustratingly go down crooked paths of my own doing or peacefully down straight paths of the Lord's design?
If I can get past the issue of setting aside my understanding in order to acknowledge Him in all my ways, then the decision seems to be a no-brainer.  I think I will trust Him and get off the fine line onto the straight path.