Shlog Section-f

I just got a new picture in the mail of one of our Compassion boys today.  WOW!  He has really grown!  He is such a cutie and I am so grateful that we are sponsoring him.  I hope to be able to write him this weekend.

Beth

I know that I am a little late in posting a picture of the child I sponsor through compassion.  His name is Binosh and he is from India.  He turned 6 on July 3rd. 
I wish that I had a better scanner or that I was better at this stuff. 

Thomas

I think that picture turned out great, Thomas. 

I just got a new picture of my little girl Shampa yesterday.  What a cutie, she is!

I’m about to sponsor a child in Ethiopia and another in Kenya.  We were going to sponsor a couple more anyway but now that I’m going to these two countries in the next few months, we decided to sponsor from them.  This was I can meet them and see what their life is like and see what they’re like. 

I’ll be in Ethiopia in November with Wess (el presidente of Compassion) attending the first ever graduation ceremony for the Leadership Development Program (LDP) there.  Then I’ve been helping Compassion start spreading the word through blogegrs the way they currently do through musicians and speakers.  Part of that process is taking renowned bloggers on an “Exposure trip,” which we’ll do, hopefully, in January.  That will be to the world’s largest slum, in Kenya.  I’ll be sure and post images, video, audio, and words on both trips.  Anyone sponsor from those countries?  Where exactly?

Shaun, I sponsor a little girl, Nardos, in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa. I went to Ethiopia in March (I posted links to my blogs on here), and began sponsoring her just a few days after.

Ethiopia was incredible. The passion and excitement of the staff there, and the children--wow, I tear up just thinking about them. They’re beautiful and resilient and sweet and kind. When I close my eyes, I can still remember the touch of damp lips on my cheek from a precious child in one of our projects. I think the thing that hit me in Ethiopia was seeing these children begging on the streets--with their empty eyes, and their sad faces--and seeing children in our projects--filled with the love of Christ.

Are you going to Kibera, in Kenya? I’ve met a few graduates from there, and seen some video footage, and the difference sponsorship is making in that community is incredible. I hope to visit there one day.

Wow, I am long-winded when talking about Compassion! Sorry about that!

I really want to go on a trip one day and visit my sponsored children.  They are just so freakin expensive. 

That’s cool, Shaun, than you get to go to some more Compassion sites and that you are going to sponsor some more children.

My heart is breaking, as I just received a phone call from Compassion stating that my Ana Lilia’s parents have taken her out of the Compassion program.  They didn’t have any reason to give me as to why her parents chose to take her out of the program, but they were able to tell me that she is healthy and has completed 3rd grade.  I feel helpless, like someone is taking my child away from me!  I want to ask her parents why and somehow try to convince them to keep her in this program. Please pray with me for Ana Lilia and her family and please pray for me, that I can get past the frustration I’m feeling about losing this precious little girl.  Also, please pray for my relationship with our new child, that we will soon be receiving.  They are sending a packet in the mail.

Oh Cristy, I’m so sorry!  I will definitely be praying for you and Ana Lilia!

Cristy, I believe that what’s been invested in Ana Lilia will have an eternal payoff. And I believe that the prayers you’ll pray for her in years to come will make a difference.

A lot of the gang boys that my husband and I ministered to are lost to me now.  They’ve moved and fallen out of touch and a couple may have even been deported or are in prisons in other states and I haven’t been able to trace them.  I don’t know that I will ever see these missing ones again on earth and I ache for them every day. But I know God hears my prayers for my lost boys, and yours for your sweet girl.

Praying Cristy.

Thomas

Yes Nancy, I’ve been praying that we’ve planted a seed that will bring them to a relationship with Jesus. Thank you for your prayers, and thank you, too, Amy and Thomas.

I received a letter today about one of our sponsored children too.  Our little Leonardo from Ecuador.  His parents have removed him from the program too.  The Compassion center there has tried several times to convince his parents to let him remain in the program, but they’ve refused.  We will be getting a packet on a new child too.  We’ve only been sponsoring him since February so this is a shock to us to be sure.  Our little Wedner in Haiti has been sick lately and with the recent hurricane, we’ve really been concerned.  Compassion was great about following up with the center there to ensure Wedner is on the mend and suggested ways we could help his family.  I love this program and I am sorry to be losing our Leonardo, but trust that the seeds of salvation have been sowed.

Beth

I’ll be praying for your kids, too, Beth.

Beth, you’ve already been assigned a new child?  I think our children left the program around the same time, and Compassion told me they would send me a packet in the mail.  The only thing I’ve received so far is our final letter from Ana Lilia earlier this week.  She simply told me that her parents aren’t interested in the program anymore.  She said that she loves us and is thankful for us, and asked us to continue to pray for her. 

I think I will give them a call today to make sure they are going to assign a new child to us!!

Cristy,

I called Compassion when I got the letter about Leonardo leaving the program.  They said that they were going to send another packet out for me to reveiw and I asked if they had one in mind.  She said yes and told me his name.  I accepted right away know that God has a plan for our sponsorship whether or not I’ve seen the packet or not.  I did get a letter this week confirming our acceptance and was given his name and number.  We haven’t received a packet on him yet though.  I’m anxious to get it so we can put his photo up with Wedner’s (we’ll leave Leonardo’s up too).

Beth