.
One of the greatest joys of sponsoring a Compassion child, is to correspond with them. Receiving a letter from them, especially one with a photo, is like Christmas morning. Those precious letters from Martha, Emily, and from Bessy, are amongst the first things I'd save if the house caught on fire, once the kids/pets were safe and sound.
Last year, in an attempt to better keep track of the correspondence, I created a binder for each of our Compassion girls. I filled the book with page protectors, and placed the Compassion photos and account info, mailing labels and such in the first pocket, and then filled the rest with each letter sent or received, in chronological order.
I love this format, because it enables us to read the letters much like a story, and it makes it easy to search for information. With the page protectors, I don't have to worry about the kids handling the books, I know the letters will be safe. Since I use zippered binders, I can tuck extras into the inside pocket. That way, when I want to write to them, I have the stash of stickers, books, coloring books, photos, postcards and such right at my fingertips! Anytime I find stuff I know will come in handy, such as holiday things (Valentine's Day cards, birthday cards, Christmas cards, Easter stickers, etc), I know exactly where to put it!
In each letter, I encourage them to share their prayer requests... here were some recent ones:
Martha -- Praying that her school will be able to meet the needs of the students, especially the classrooms and the availability of teachers.
Bessy -- for her father to find work.
Emily -- no specific requests, other than a general request for us to pray for her family's health.
I love these three as though they were my own. I wish they were here to play with Jillian!!!
.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
OurCompassion
.
I recently received an email from Compassion inviting sponsors to join their new interactive network called OurCompassion. It's a place where sponsors can connect with other sponsors, share ideas, compare notes, post photos or videos, and talk about their Compassion children and their experiences as sponsors.
I was hoping something like this would come to life. I've always hoped I could connect with other people from all over the world who sponsor children in Honduras, specifically in the two Compassion projects where Emily and Martha attend, or where Bessy, the girl that my mom and I sponsor attends a Compassion project.
I couldn't wait to sign up... and signing up was super easy!!
Already, I have found someone from the UK who sponsors a little girl in the same project as Martha. When she writes to Sindy, her Compassion girl, she will ask if Sindy knows Martha. Sindy will be 5 in a few weeks, and Martha will be 7 in December, so they're close in age, they might even be friends. Wouldn't it be something if the internet brought together the sponsors of two friends?
I look forward to learning more about how others keep track of their correspondence with their Compassion children, letters sent and received, what they send with their letters, what the kids enjoy the most, and what the family gifts have provided for the families. I want to reach my full potential as a sponsor, I want to honor God in my relationship with these precious girls. It's important to me to make the most of the honor and opportunity to be in their lives.
Do you sponsor a child through Compassion? If so, have you tried OurCompassion yet? Let me know what you think!
Where does your sponsor child live?
If you don't yet sponsor a child from Compassion, will you consider sponsorship today, right now?
If you live in Canada, click HERE
If you are in the U.S., click HERE
.
I recently received an email from Compassion inviting sponsors to join their new interactive network called OurCompassion. It's a place where sponsors can connect with other sponsors, share ideas, compare notes, post photos or videos, and talk about their Compassion children and their experiences as sponsors.
I was hoping something like this would come to life. I've always hoped I could connect with other people from all over the world who sponsor children in Honduras, specifically in the two Compassion projects where Emily and Martha attend, or where Bessy, the girl that my mom and I sponsor attends a Compassion project.
I couldn't wait to sign up... and signing up was super easy!!
Already, I have found someone from the UK who sponsors a little girl in the same project as Martha. When she writes to Sindy, her Compassion girl, she will ask if Sindy knows Martha. Sindy will be 5 in a few weeks, and Martha will be 7 in December, so they're close in age, they might even be friends. Wouldn't it be something if the internet brought together the sponsors of two friends?
I look forward to learning more about how others keep track of their correspondence with their Compassion children, letters sent and received, what they send with their letters, what the kids enjoy the most, and what the family gifts have provided for the families. I want to reach my full potential as a sponsor, I want to honor God in my relationship with these precious girls. It's important to me to make the most of the honor and opportunity to be in their lives.
Do you sponsor a child through Compassion? If so, have you tried OurCompassion yet? Let me know what you think!
Where does your sponsor child live?
If you don't yet sponsor a child from Compassion, will you consider sponsorship today, right now?
If you live in Canada, click HERE
If you are in the U.S., click HERE
.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
1,000,000
.
I love numbers, I love statistics, I love spreadsheets. Thankfully, I even like budgets, especially when they're not mine; the ones at work, for instance!
Beyond numbers, I also have a passion for Compassion, God, and people.
This morning, I watched a video about the inspiring journey of the 1 that grew to 1,00,000. From one to one million, each one with a story of compassion.
One million children released from poverty in Jesus' name and given HOPE. These precious children are not faceless, nameless numbers and statistics, they are God's children, they have families, hopes and dreams, they matter, and so do the other children waiting for their turn to join this first million.
If there are a million children sponsored, imagine how many more children would be released from poverty, given food, clothing, education, love, and HOPE if there were a million SPONSORS?
Please take a moment and watch this video, and consider sponsoring a child. If you can not sponsor a child at this time, we still need you, they still need you. Pray for them, and consider donating to www.compassion.ca (Canada) or www.compassion.com (US) in order to help support the children still waiting for sponsorship.
I love numbers, I love statistics, I love spreadsheets. Thankfully, I even like budgets, especially when they're not mine; the ones at work, for instance!
Beyond numbers, I also have a passion for Compassion, God, and people.
This morning, I watched a video about the inspiring journey of the 1 that grew to 1,00,000. From one to one million, each one with a story of compassion.
One million children released from poverty in Jesus' name and given HOPE. These precious children are not faceless, nameless numbers and statistics, they are God's children, they have families, hopes and dreams, they matter, and so do the other children waiting for their turn to join this first million.
If there are a million children sponsored, imagine how many more children would be released from poverty, given food, clothing, education, love, and HOPE if there were a million SPONSORS?
Please take a moment and watch this video, and consider sponsoring a child. If you can not sponsor a child at this time, we still need you, they still need you. Pray for them, and consider donating to www.compassion.ca (Canada) or www.compassion.com (US) in order to help support the children still waiting for sponsorship.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Compassion Bloggers - India
.
I have to admit, it has been really difficult to write again on the family blog, after having followed these blogs for the last week…
Angie
Melissa
Anne
Shaun
Robin
Spence
Patricia
Pete
Keely
I am emotionally wrung out, and I'm not sure if my heart will ever be the same.
I'm not sure if I'd want it to be.
These folks flew to India as Compassion Bloggers in order to bring awareness to the work that Compassion does, and the difference that sponsorship makes, not only in the life of a child, but in the lives of families and communities. Feel free to read more information on it here.
After having heard about a family of five living in ahouse shack in India, a house so small that it's smaller than most Canadian bathrooms... so small that some family members sleep outside on their front lawn the sidewalk... how can I look at our house the same way again? The boys complain about sharing a room, and frankly, Terry and I have had our share of complaints over the fact that they share a room... those complaints seem so insignificant now. The list goes on. We get frustrated that Jillian uses an entire bottle of body wash in the bath when she plays in there for hours. We have a bath. Our bath is inside our house, our bath is not a bucket of dirty water on the street in our neighborhood, with which we bath in public. The soap can be replaced (although the price of the soap she wastes every month equals the price of a sponsorship... what could we cut out, save on, and make a difference with?)
If you feel led to have your life changed through sponsorship while changing lives... these links are for you!
If you live in Canada, click HERE
If you are in the U.S., click HERE
.
I have to admit, it has been really difficult to write again on the family blog, after having followed these blogs for the last week…
Angie
Melissa
Anne
Shaun
Robin
Spence
Patricia
Pete
Keely
I am emotionally wrung out, and I'm not sure if my heart will ever be the same.
I'm not sure if I'd want it to be.
These folks flew to India as Compassion Bloggers in order to bring awareness to the work that Compassion does, and the difference that sponsorship makes, not only in the life of a child, but in the lives of families and communities. Feel free to read more information on it here.
After having heard about a family of five living in a
How can we live simply, so that they can simply live?
If you feel led to have your life changed through sponsorship while changing lives... these links are for you!
If you live in Canada, click HERE
If you are in the U.S., click HERE
.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Unexpected Treasure
.
As you might have guessed from the widgets on the right side of my blog, I support the work of Compassion International. Although I love that they are a Christian organization, I believe that their universal language speaks for all of us... HOPE and LOVE in action transcends all barriers.
As a Compassion sponsor of two little girls in Honduras, I couldn’t wait to “see” Compassion through the eyes of some of my favorite bloggers. I knew I would never be the same, but yet how do you prepare yourself for what you’ll learn, what you’ll see, and what you’ll hear…? You simply can’t. The images burn into your mind, the stories break your heart, and you know you’ll never see the world through the same eyes, ever again. There is hope, though, hope in a God that calls for us all to do what we can “for the least of these”, to serve the widows and orphans, to help the poor. Hope in the Body of Christ who responds to that call, and sponsors these precious children.
God’s timing was incredible this week. As I read through the blogs daily to witness the Compassion Bloggers’, a letter came from one of the little girls we sponsor. Her name is Emily, she lives on the northern coast of Honduras, and since she is only 4 years old, her mother writes to us on her behalf. What I absolutely love is that her mother tells us through these letters about the changes that our sponsorship has made in their lives, she tells us how much Emily loves to go to school, and that her health has improved because of our sponsorship. She tells us that she prays for our family, and that she is so thankful for our sponsorship. She sounds like such a wonderful mom, I really love her too, this isn’t just about Emily, this is about Emily’s family and their well being.
For those of you who sponsor a child, you are likely familiar with the standard Compassion photos that we get with our initial package, and then again every year or two. I cherish those photos, they are treasured and loved. I have even laminated them, along with the matching prayer cards, because I am so afraid that they will become torn and tattered over time. Along with the letter I received this week, was a piece of orange construction paper stapled to the back of the Compassion stationary. The children usually send artwork along with their letters, so I didn’t remove it right away, but later on, when I did, I got the shock of my life. Tucked away inside the folded construction paper, was one of the most precious photographs in my entire collection. A photograph of Emily and her little sister. I was moved to tears. A bawling mess. I can’t even begin to fathom the lengths that someone, somewhere, had to go through to bless me with this precious gift. There are no words. I can’t help but wonder if Emily’s mom even has a picture of her precious babies. Just knowing that God has led me to make a difference in their lives is enough for me, to hear the joy in their voices is enough for me… this picture, this most unexpected treasure… How do I thank them for this honor? How do I find the words?
I wanted Emily's family to “see” how much we treasure and appreciate this photograph, and I wanted to send them more pictures as well. When we decided to go hiking at the nature park this afternoon, I got an idea, and took the camera, and the precious photo of Emily and her little sister with us. Once we were there, I got pictures of the kids holding the photo. I wanted it to symbolize that they are with us, in our hearts, in our prayers, everywhere we go. It will be the first few photos in a long tradition of photos… our own version of “Flat Stanley”!
Why take my word for it when you can discover the joys of sponsorship for yourself? I encourage you to go to Compassion's website, and find out how you can make a change in a child's life... and in YOUR life... TODAY.
If you live in Canada, click HERE
If you are in the U.S., click HERE
.
As you might have guessed from the widgets on the right side of my blog, I support the work of Compassion International. Although I love that they are a Christian organization, I believe that their universal language speaks for all of us... HOPE and LOVE in action transcends all barriers.
As a Compassion sponsor of two little girls in Honduras, I couldn’t wait to “see” Compassion through the eyes of some of my favorite bloggers. I knew I would never be the same, but yet how do you prepare yourself for what you’ll learn, what you’ll see, and what you’ll hear…? You simply can’t. The images burn into your mind, the stories break your heart, and you know you’ll never see the world through the same eyes, ever again. There is hope, though, hope in a God that calls for us all to do what we can “for the least of these”, to serve the widows and orphans, to help the poor. Hope in the Body of Christ who responds to that call, and sponsors these precious children.
God’s timing was incredible this week. As I read through the blogs daily to witness the Compassion Bloggers’, a letter came from one of the little girls we sponsor. Her name is Emily, she lives on the northern coast of Honduras, and since she is only 4 years old, her mother writes to us on her behalf. What I absolutely love is that her mother tells us through these letters about the changes that our sponsorship has made in their lives, she tells us how much Emily loves to go to school, and that her health has improved because of our sponsorship. She tells us that she prays for our family, and that she is so thankful for our sponsorship. She sounds like such a wonderful mom, I really love her too, this isn’t just about Emily, this is about Emily’s family and their well being.
For those of you who sponsor a child, you are likely familiar with the standard Compassion photos that we get with our initial package, and then again every year or two. I cherish those photos, they are treasured and loved. I have even laminated them, along with the matching prayer cards, because I am so afraid that they will become torn and tattered over time. Along with the letter I received this week, was a piece of orange construction paper stapled to the back of the Compassion stationary. The children usually send artwork along with their letters, so I didn’t remove it right away, but later on, when I did, I got the shock of my life. Tucked away inside the folded construction paper, was one of the most precious photographs in my entire collection. A photograph of Emily and her little sister. I was moved to tears. A bawling mess. I can’t even begin to fathom the lengths that someone, somewhere, had to go through to bless me with this precious gift. There are no words. I can’t help but wonder if Emily’s mom even has a picture of her precious babies. Just knowing that God has led me to make a difference in their lives is enough for me, to hear the joy in their voices is enough for me… this picture, this most unexpected treasure… How do I thank them for this honor? How do I find the words?
I wanted Emily's family to “see” how much we treasure and appreciate this photograph, and I wanted to send them more pictures as well. When we decided to go hiking at the nature park this afternoon, I got an idea, and took the camera, and the precious photo of Emily and her little sister with us. Once we were there, I got pictures of the kids holding the photo. I wanted it to symbolize that they are with us, in our hearts, in our prayers, everywhere we go. It will be the first few photos in a long tradition of photos… our own version of “Flat Stanley”!
Why take my word for it when you can discover the joys of sponsorship for yourself? I encourage you to go to Compassion's website, and find out how you can make a change in a child's life... and in YOUR life... TODAY.
If you live in Canada, click HERE
If you are in the U.S., click HERE
.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
"Grow" (2005)
.
I had written this for the kids and included it in a scrapbook page back
in 2005. From time to time, I like to go back and copy some old journaling
and include it in my blog in order to be able to look back through the years
and see how I've grown since then. Enjoy....
Brandon, Joshua and Jillian,
I am sure that I have shared my greatest love, my passion in life, quietly from time to time... if not by words, I hope I've shown it by example. The ability to express it with words or pictures and do it justice seems to elude me. Since it is such a large part of who I am, though, I feel it is well time that I share it through my scrapbook album.
My goal is to inspire you, Brandon, Joshua and Jillian. I want you to know not only who I am, but to find strength in who you are.
Simply put, my passion in life is a deep spiritual faith in God's love and purpose for us, especially in troubled times. It would be easy to resent the pain and conflict in my life, to ask "Why me, Lord?" time and time again, when it seems as though hardships have plagued my existence from my earliest years onward. I love that I can trust God, put my life in His capable hands, and say "Let Thy Will Be Done" with absolute faithfulness, even when it would sometimes seem that He has all but abandoned me. Instead of becoming bitter or angry when I suffer, I faithfully fall to my knees, and I express thankfulness that as God's beloved, when I am physically and emotionally crushed like the petals of a precious flower, rather than being destroyed, I am made stronger. My worship and love for God deepens. My soul, much like that crushed flower, emits a fragrance so beautiful and pure that angels weep in quiet understanding. That's how I GROW as a Christian, as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend.
Rather than to shelter us, like the most fragile of flowers, God lets our hearts bleed. It's His love for us that inspires Him to let us feel pain in its rawest form. He created us to withstand everything we experience in life; every ounce of joy and pain is redeemed by God to fulfill his purpose in us. Triumphs and heartbreaks make us GROW closer to Him, makes our faith GROW strong and pure, unwavering, perfect, and ultimately all-consuming.
God's love and purpose for us is my greatest love. As you GROW through life, may it become your greatest love.
Love,
Mommy
.
I had written this for the kids and included it in a scrapbook page back
in 2005. From time to time, I like to go back and copy some old journaling
and include it in my blog in order to be able to look back through the years
and see how I've grown since then. Enjoy....
Brandon, Joshua and Jillian,
I am sure that I have shared my greatest love, my passion in life, quietly from time to time... if not by words, I hope I've shown it by example. The ability to express it with words or pictures and do it justice seems to elude me. Since it is such a large part of who I am, though, I feel it is well time that I share it through my scrapbook album.
My goal is to inspire you, Brandon, Joshua and Jillian. I want you to know not only who I am, but to find strength in who you are.
Simply put, my passion in life is a deep spiritual faith in God's love and purpose for us, especially in troubled times. It would be easy to resent the pain and conflict in my life, to ask "Why me, Lord?" time and time again, when it seems as though hardships have plagued my existence from my earliest years onward. I love that I can trust God, put my life in His capable hands, and say "Let Thy Will Be Done" with absolute faithfulness, even when it would sometimes seem that He has all but abandoned me. Instead of becoming bitter or angry when I suffer, I faithfully fall to my knees, and I express thankfulness that as God's beloved, when I am physically and emotionally crushed like the petals of a precious flower, rather than being destroyed, I am made stronger. My worship and love for God deepens. My soul, much like that crushed flower, emits a fragrance so beautiful and pure that angels weep in quiet understanding. That's how I GROW as a Christian, as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend.
Rather than to shelter us, like the most fragile of flowers, God lets our hearts bleed. It's His love for us that inspires Him to let us feel pain in its rawest form. He created us to withstand everything we experience in life; every ounce of joy and pain is redeemed by God to fulfill his purpose in us. Triumphs and heartbreaks make us GROW closer to Him, makes our faith GROW strong and pure, unwavering, perfect, and ultimately all-consuming.
God's love and purpose for us is my greatest love. As you GROW through life, may it become your greatest love.
Love,
Mommy
.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Sea Glass In The Sand
.
Originally written in 2005...
Sea Glass
On a recent trip to a beach on the southern shores of Nova Scotia, I found a beautiful cobalt blue chunk of sea glass. With the intent to keep it as a trip souvenir, I placed it in my pocket.
Subsequent visits to beaches near our home revealed more sea glass treasures. With soft shades of green or white, along with the occasional amber or orange, or my favorite, cobalt blue, our collection grew with each new visit to the shore.
In little time my love of sea glass took on new heights, and I become more intrigued. Where did it come from? What did it used to be? How many years had it rolled around in the ocean before finding its final resting place? Who had it in their hands...?
In so many ways, sea glass reminds me of our journey in God's care. We are born, as fragile as glass, and then tossed into life as a bottle might be tossed into the ocean, with a message and a purpose. Years of being seasoned by the waves and the sand takes their toll, but in the process, a beautiful treasure emerges, shaped by the elements and experiences that life has brought.
Unique, beautiful, and colorful. God never loses sight of where we are, and He always knows just when we'll be ready to rest on the shores of life at the end of the voyage. Once there, He will hand pick us and bring us Home.
.
Originally written in 2005...
Sea Glass
On a recent trip to a beach on the southern shores of Nova Scotia, I found a beautiful cobalt blue chunk of sea glass. With the intent to keep it as a trip souvenir, I placed it in my pocket.
Subsequent visits to beaches near our home revealed more sea glass treasures. With soft shades of green or white, along with the occasional amber or orange, or my favorite, cobalt blue, our collection grew with each new visit to the shore.
In little time my love of sea glass took on new heights, and I become more intrigued. Where did it come from? What did it used to be? How many years had it rolled around in the ocean before finding its final resting place? Who had it in their hands...?
In so many ways, sea glass reminds me of our journey in God's care. We are born, as fragile as glass, and then tossed into life as a bottle might be tossed into the ocean, with a message and a purpose. Years of being seasoned by the waves and the sand takes their toll, but in the process, a beautiful treasure emerges, shaped by the elements and experiences that life has brought.
Unique, beautiful, and colorful. God never loses sight of where we are, and He always knows just when we'll be ready to rest on the shores of life at the end of the voyage. Once there, He will hand pick us and bring us Home.
.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Dear Sponsor Child... Extras!
.
It's the icing on the cake...
It's the icing on the cake...
The cream in the coffee...
The cherry on the sundae...
When it comes to writing to our Compassion children, the extras that we include with the letters can be so much fun!!
Unless we're at a loss as to what in the world to send!!
It's one of the things that I discuss the most with fellow sponsors, because we never know when we'll stumble upon someone's fabulous idea and
As a photographer, photos are in abundance, and they're a standard item for us to include in our letters to our Compassion children. I usually have a theme in mind when I write to the children, and either gather photos to fit the theme, or take photos to match the theme. If you don't have an abundance of photos, take more, or use the ones you have! Your Compassion child will appreciate seeing the world through your camera lens!
Some photos we've sent: Family, the kids, our pets, parks and nearby attractions, nature/scenic/landscape, animals, flowers.
Ensure that your photos respect the cultural and economic differences -- no inappropriate clothing, and no photos of your house or any significant material possessions that would accentuate their poverty.
If you're still "stuck", there's always........... Stickers! Remember the good ol' days in third grade, when the biggest excitement about getting an "A" on your work was the Scratch & Sniff sticker you'd get as a reward? Close your eyes and take yourself back to that time... you can smell it, can't you? Lean closer.... closer.... scratch your screen.... ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
It's universal, it seems... children seem to love stickers. It's one of the first things I was told to bring on Compassion trips... stickers! In abundance!
We normally purchase the large sheets of small stickers at the dollar store, and cut them into smaller sheets the size of business cards. That way, the children can feel free to swap with friends, share, keep some, use some, do whatever they'd like! I normally put them in a small snack sized Ziploc bag. I just label the bag, and include it in with the letter. We have a lot of fun searching for large quantities of stickers we haven't sent yet, although I'm sure they don't mind getting duplicates from time to time!
I like lists, so why don't I do the rest in list format? (I heard a sigh of relief out there in Blogosphere! Come out, come out, where ever you are!)
Coloring books
Mazes activity books
ZonderKidz books **
Maps
Postcards
Bookmarks
Paper dolls
Small Calendars (5x5)
Valentines
Hidden Pictures (SchoolZone or Highlights)
Birthday and holiday cards
Flash Cards (a few at a time)
Puzzles (24 piece puzzle, a handful of pieces at a time, number the back!)
** Since some of our Compassion children speak Spanish, we have really enjoyed sending them the ZonderKidz "I Can Read"series of bilingual (English/Spanish) Bible story books such as this favorite:
There are a ton of other books in the I Can Read series, even Christian ones, that are wonderful to send along with a letter. They're the perfect size, and the illustrations are sweet! One of my favorite was "Snug As A Bug", and "Mommy, May I Hug The Fish?"
What are some of your favorite things to send along with your letters?
Would you like to build a relationship with a child who needs your time and love? Consider sponsorship today!
If you live in Canada, click HERE
If you are in the U.S., click HERE
.
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