We first heard about Compassion when our pastor spoke about this incredible organization one Sunday morning during the service. After hearing the testimonies, our hearts were moved to sponsor three children (not related) in Bangladesh that day. We chose kids that had similar ages of our own, hoping Natasha, Lev and Maks would one day develop a pen-pal relationship with them. To be honest, after 7 years of sponsorship, the letter writing has mostly been done by me, except for the few times I made the kids write or draw a picture to include in the envelope. I admit that my involvement has been minimal, only writing back to their quarterly letters with updated family photos or postcards and gifting additional monetary birthday and Christmas presents each year.
After our recent trip to the Dominican Republic with Compassion, that minimal involvement is long gone. I can’t possibly go back to the relationship the same way, not with what I’ve seen and heard for myself. I’ll never be the same. I’ve been renewed and encouraged in only a short time to now understand how important not only sharing my money is, but sharing my heart. We met Carolina and William, students who graduated through the sponsorship program and are now young adults, that shared just how influential the correspondence with their sponsors really was. They both said that if it weren’t for their sponsors writing encouragement, sharing Bible verses and believing in them, telling them that they CAN be anything they desire, and that God will use them abundantly, they may not have persevered. Carolina is now studying at University to become a pediatric surgeon and William is in his second year of medical school and will be attending further studies in Atlanta, GA to get his PHD. A-MAZING. And I saw first hand just where they started. Utter poverty.
Sometimes pictures speak more than a thousand words and I will let most of my photos and short videos do just that. But there are a few stories I must share with you, because I want you to share them too. I want their stories to be heard. I want you to join me in praying for these women and children. I want you to BE the gospel as we focus our attention on the needs of the poor. It can seem hopeless. My own heart saw their despair and yet with God, there is hope.
I will be blogging over the next several weeks, sharing these powerful stories because lives will be changed. Not only theirs, but yours and mine. Its a wonder to me how God can stretch and pull the heart, to grow a deep desire to serve and give and yet feel fulfilled more than any gift received.
the Compassion sponsorship program
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