Taking the Plunge to Start!!

Today starts Compassion's blog month, so I decided to join in and at least attempt my first ever post for my first ever blog! 

While I've been a sponsor for the past 3 1/2 years to my Dora in Honduras through World Vision, it wasn't until I met and started interacting with other sponsors over the internet that I really stepped into the amazingly wonderful world of child sponsorship.  I was blown away with the people I was meeting who sponsored MANY children, and not only financially sponsored them, but wrote to them faithfully 1, 2, 3 times a month or MORE!!  Yikes!!  For folks sponsoring a dozen or so kids, that could mean writing as many as 20-40 letters every month!!  That just boggled my mind, because while I loved writing to Dora, I was rather "hit and miss" in writing on a regular basis.  However, when I began to understand the importance of my simple letters to a sponsored child, it totally wrecked me, and I've never been the same in my letter writing since!

Last year at this time, I was writing to one sponsored child... by this summer, I had these FOURTEEN sweethearts, some that I financially sponsor, and for others, I am their correspondence sponsor...

 As of now, I am writing to 18 children... yes, EIGHTEEN!!  No, I don't financially sponsor all of them, but I am blessed to get to write to each of these sweeties.  And I'm writing almost every month to each child, usually a couple times a month or more... and that is also while going to school full time+ and doing all the above and beyond work required to maintain getting A's in my classes!!  I don't say that to boast about grades, but rather to say that consistent letter writing to one or even to many children is definitely feasible in spite of a very stressful schedule or busy life... though when it gets TOO wild and crazy, I may only get one letter send out to each child instead of several!

With Compassion's beautiful statue
of the girl representing Latin America

My husband and I took a 3 week road trip to Colorado this summer, and on our trip, we visited the headquarters for both Compassion International and World Vision.  I loved the opportunity to visit both of these wonderful organizations, and came away inspired to be more involved in helping even MORE children than I do at this time.  I know that there will be more children in the future for me to personally sponsor, and I can hardly wait!  This week I submitted my application to become a Child Advocate with Compassion, and am looking forward to this journey of helping very needy children find sponsors, and helping sponsors in building relationships with these precious children...  I know that it will be such a privilege to help connect children to the hearts and lives of loving sponsors.

I named my blog "Moved With Compassion" because that is really the heart of how I respond to each child that I have sponsored...  when Jesus saw the multitudes in need, He was "moved with compassion" to meet their needs.  Biblical compassion is not just some kind of warm, fuzzy feeling, but goes far beyond that to require a response to act upon that feeling and do something!  I cannot help every child that is suffering out there, but I can help "this one" ...and the next one after that.  Here are two of the children that have moved my heart with compassion to try to find sponsors on their behalf...

Natalia Esther

Natalia Esther captured my heart a few days ago, and I would love to find a special sponsor for her!  Actually I wish I could sponsor her myself...  :o)  She lives in Nicaragua, and I have loved writing to my two sponsored children in that country... they are so incredibly loving and sweet, and I especially love the faith that is being built in my girl, Lidia.  I love that she is being taught to pray in faith, believing that God does miracles!  While each project will naturally be somewhat different, my heart is so warmed to help children in this country because of the sweet relationship that I have already with Lidia.

Natalia lives with her father and her mother. Her father is employed as a laborer, her mother maintains the home, and there are three children in the family. Natalia works at home making beds, running errands and cleaning. In her community, typical houses are constructed of tin and have dirt floors, and while most adults are unemployed, some work in factories and earn the equivalent of $95 per month. As part of Compassion's ministry, Natalia participates in church activities and Bible class. She is also in primary school where her performance is average. Art and playing with dolls are her favorite activities.  Is your heart Moved with Compassion for Natalia Esther?  If so, click on this link to learn more, and to sponsor her.  http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/child-biography.htm?needKey=NI2560330

Compassion International and World Vision are two of the Christian organizations that I sponsor children through... another is His Hands Support Ministries.  For only $50 twice a year, a child in Haiti can go to school, have all their fees paid, receive a school uniform, their books and materials... AND receive a meal a day!!  All that for only $8.33/month!!!  My goodness!  For only about TWENTY-SEVEN CENTS a day, we can provide all that for a very needy child!!!  When you sponsor a child in Haiti through His Hands, you can write letters and send gifts, and the especially good part is that they are all sent through a US address, so you save a huge bundle on overseas shipping!  Here is one boy who has been on my heart all summer...

Djempson

10 year old Djempson lives with his aunt in a remote mountain community in Haiti, so remote and rural that it feels like "the ends of the earth."  The pastor in his community has a special program to help the children in raising a goat for their own needs and to provide a source of income.  The sponsor of Djempson could provide a goat for him for only an additional $40 gift.  If your heart is Moved with Compassion for Djempson, you can sponsor him here:   http://www.hishandssupportministries.org/haiti/children/item/djempson-istraldo-belval

I speak blessings over each person reading this blog post, and pray for an increase of JOY for you as your heart is Moved with Compassion to reach out to bless one more precious child.