Compassion

Chris and I have sponsored a child through World Vision since we have been married. I have to admit that I was never really able to personally connect with them and that is all on me. Our "child" was aging out around the time we had started Becca's adoption, so we asked if we could now sponsor a girl from Guatemala. And really until just the past year or so, I found it difficult to connect even to her. Her picture is on our frig and we would mention her now and then. Last year, I had the kids make her pictures for the first time.
I stumbled across the blog of Shaun Groves and he has a passion for child sponsorship. Through reading his blog and some others, I have realized how truly significant it is and how much it matters to the children. A few months ago, David started talking about sponsoring a child, so we had him choose a child through Compassion. We will pay most of the monthly fee, but we will take some out of his allowance, with our goal being to have him pay a bit more each year until eventually he is able to support a child on his own. David chose a 7 year old girl in Guatemala named Nancy. David has sent her two letters with some photographs and he has sent her an email through the Compassion website. The biggest difference is that we have now committed to praying for both girls on a daily basis.
I am already dreaming about the day we can travel to Guatemala to meet them!
A group of people just recently went to the Dominican Republic with Compassion and they blogged about their time there - you can read them all here.
Shaun included this short video on his blog and I was able to share it with my children - WOW! is all I can say!

I also made a new friend online who is making dolls! They are called Compassion Friends and they are $36 - Abbie is donating $26 to Compassion's Global Food Crisis Fund to feed approximately 2 children living in poverty for a month. This is a GREAT gift idea for the holidays - I have ordered mine and can't wait to see them!
Check them out here!
I am so thankful to so many people who are doing so many awesome things to help kids in poverty and thankful that they are inspiring me and many others!
If you aren't already sponsoring a child - DO IT!