Tuppence to Feed the Birds

Last week, Gary and I revisited a favorite childhood movie, Mary Poppins...  I forgot how completely delightful it is!  My favorite song hands down is "Feed the Birds," a hauntingly beautiful song that speaks about giving to others in need, and that what is just a very small amount to us can be so valuable to others... just tuppence (two pennies) to feed the little birds.

Come feed the little birds,
Show them you care
And you'll be glad if you do
Their young ones are hungry
Their nests are so bare
All it takes is tuppence from you
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag...

Did you know that for only "tuppence" and a quarter a day, you can give a very needy child in Haiti a meal/day, as well as pay for their school fees and school uniform so that they can go to school?!!??  All that for only a quarter and two pennies!  That honestly blows me away!  Such a little amount to us can have such a profound effect in the lives of these little ones!  And this is the significant amount of help that His Hands for Haiti provides directly to children.

I really appreciate this faith-based ministry that does not actively solicit funds for their operational needs, only for the children, and that all of the money goes directly to the children... while ministry needs for funding are taken directly to the Lord, the One Who is our Provider.  Sponsoring a child with His Hands for Haiti is only $50/twice a year... and that works out to only tuppence and a quarter a day.  HH4H has joined together with our brothers and sisters in Haiti to try to make a difference in the lives of the people in that impoverished country. Their purpose is not to start an American work in Haiti, but to come alongside our Haitian brothers and sisters to support and encourage them in the work they are already doing. 

While the children in the Terrier Rouge community receive a meal at school each day, and a meal on Sunday if they go to church, many children were going hungry on Saturdays.  A precious woman named Marie started preparing Saturday meals for children, feeding 20 kids in her yard.  The program has grown so that now she is feeding over 100 children on Saturdays!  Donations are needed to support this necessary gift of love to these children.  Jesus was Moved With Compassion when He saw the hungry multitudes, and did something about it to feed them!

When you sponsor a child with HH4H, you receive a beautiful 4x6" photo of your sponsored child on a page giving the child's info, including clothing and shoe sizes.  While we can write to these precious children, bear in mind that you can't send email letters like you can with the large organizations, and to also keep expectations very minimal for receiving letters in return... if you get a letter, great!  But there isn't the staff available to handle the translation of lots of letters quickly... you may or may not receive letters in return, or receive very many a year, if they do come at all.  Letters and gifts are sent through a US address in Florida, where another Christian ministry,  Missionary Flight International, picks up the mail and delivers it to Haiti for only a shipping fee of $1.50/lb for packages over 1/2 lb.  This saves a considerable amount of money rather than paying the costly postage to directly send packages internationally ourselves.  

I have a Christmas package that I have been working on all summer for my sponsored girl, Islande (LOVE her name!!), with personal care products such as soap, shampoo, lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste, clippers, deodorant, hand towel, washcloth, and so on... and a French version of "Heidi" as well.  (I'm sending "Heidi" to all my kids this Christmas, if possible!)  Still planning to add a couple more "Christmasy" type items too from the stuff I bought on clearance after Christmas last year...  fun, fun, fun!!!  :o)  When you stop and think about it though, most of this is really basic stuff that we just take for granted everyday.

If we took a look at our lifestyles, what would we have to give up to set aside a quarter and tuppence each day to help these children?  Really not much, hmmm?!??  We talk so often about wanting God to "break our hearts with the things that break His..."  well... here it is.   He gave us this responsibility to love the world, to be His hands and feet to go minister in Jesus' name, and we run to Woods Coffee or Starbucks for a latte, while these little ones are destitute.  The price of 2-3 lattes a month would pay for sponsorship for one of these kids!  We each can't take care of all the children in need, but can you take care of one... or one more?  Go ahead right now and place a quarter and tuppence next to your computer, and take a look at this "flock" of some precious "little birds" who need to be fed...

Nayguensley Fils-Aime

Look at those eyes!  And such a cute little smile!!   Nayguensley is 7 years old, his birthday is January 14, 2005, and he is in the 1st grade.  He lives with his grandmother, and there is an urgent need for his sponsorship.  Nayguensley lives in the project where you can provide a goat for only an additional $40, and the pastor in this community teaches the children to care for the goat.  It will provide additional food for the family, as well as a source of income. 

 

Djoulandie Etienne

I love this girl's cheery countenance!  Djoulandie is also in urgent need of a sponsor.  She is 7 years old, in the 1st grade, and lives with her aunt and her 6 year old sister, Djoulande, who is also waiting for a sponsor.  (And my parents complained that we named our boys with names too similar just because they all started with "K"!!  LOL... they had nothing to complain about...)  Djoulandie's birthday is May 27, 2005.

Dalinx Bernadin

Dalinx is 14 years old, in the 4th grade, and lives with his uncle.  There is an urgent need for him to find a sponsor as well.  My heart just cries out for Dalinx, and would love for a sponsor to pour out some mothering love on this boy.  He also lives in the community where he can receive a goat, and I'm praying that his sponsor will have the resources to do that for this precious boy.  Oh... and his birthday is June 28, 1998.

And now I will confess that I have been fighting a very hard battle here...  I almost didn't feature Dalinx, because I've so-o-o-o-o wanted to sponsor him myself!!  But after injuring my knee and facing upcoming medical bills, the reality is that I just cannot take on any more sponsorships right now.  So rather than hoping against hope that "no one else sees him" so that I can still sponsor him "someday," love requires that I put him forward and specially ask someone to sponsor this dear boy who has been so much on my heart.  

But it still makes me want to cry.

And while I'm at it, I guess that I'm going to have to fully surrender here!  aaaugh.  While the other children attracted my attention, Dalinx and this next child, Dieulande, captured my heart.  Big time.  Completely.  I have seriously wanted them all summer, so much so that I just didn't want anyone else to see them!!!  Selfish, selfish... I know.  sigh.   

Dieulande Jean

But oh! if you knew how much I really want Dieulande...   her dress with the torn off collar just broke my heart, and I've already bought material to sew her a couple of dresses.  She is 11 years old, but only at the preschool level in school.  She does live with both her parents, as well as with her two brothers.  While she is not on the urgent needs list, my heart cries out that there is an urgent need for her to be sponsored.

Each one of these children is so incredibly beautiful, and I feel so blessed just looking at their sweet faces, eyes and smiles.  That is a huge gift right there, that in spite of destitute poverty, they still smile.

What can you think of that would provide a better return for investing "tuppence and a quarter" each day than this?  Is your heart Moved With Compassion today?

Blessings to you!