Five Days In Uganda

From January 27th through the 31st, Compassion Bloggers is returning to Uganda after five years of sharing stories of helping impoverished children.  In five days, through blog writing, the goal is to have 400 children sponsored.  

That's not a very big number, is it?

For only $36 a month, you can give a child in poverty the opportunity to hear and learn about Jesus, a good education, hygiene training, health care, good meals and a caring, safe and Christian environment to grow in.  

 Over 1 million children have been sponsored through Compassion International since it began in 1952.  Of the goal for 400, over ten children have already been sponsored!

Somewhere, a little boy or girl is needing the love of Jesus.  They need to know what real love and hope is.  You can give them the care they need if you choose to sponsor an impoverished child through Compassion.

Click this link here for more info about the 2014 trip to Uganda, as well as a Trip Banner that you can share on Pinterest, your blog, or Facebook.

Just imagine living on $1.25 a day.  Wouldn't you want someone to help you and tell you about Jesus?

Now is 400 really a big number?

A Worn-out Coat

 

I live in Kenya. Every day, I walk miles and miles along a dusty road to my little school, grasping my bucket tightly so I can get water for my mother on the way back. She cooks our food and washes our clothes with my water. We also drink from it. It is dirty yellow-brown from all the mud.

I've worn the same torn and tattered coat ever since my big brother grew too big for it. My mother gave it to me and I've played in it until it's become the same color as the dirt that I walk on. But I am thankful for what I have and I will keep on wearing it until it is just a patched-up rag.

Sometimes I wish we had more clothes, clean water and three meals every day. But, like many of my friends, we are poverty-stricken and don't have the money for everything we need. And that is why I still wear my worn-out coat.

(This is a post for Compassion Blog Month. Please join in the fight against poverty.)

Still My Childhood Self

I'm a two-year-old. Or maybe I'm three. Anyway, Mama is grasping my hand so I won't get lost in the crowd of busy shoppers. I'm terribly nervous. Too many strangers.

A woman remarks how cute I am with my short ponytail and chubby face and smiles at me. I frown back. I don't want anyone talking to me.

I'm a shy toddler and I despise strangers. But I have a wonderful trick. It's called a frown. I perform this trick and everyone leaves me alone. It doesn't always work, but most of the time it does. And that is the power of a frown.

But why can't I be friendly? Why is it so hard for me?

Fast-Forward.

OK, now I'm a seven-year-old. My whole family is at a banquet. It's loud and I'm quiet. It seems like everyone has their own friends and I don't. Oh, two girls walk past me. They're chatting and laughing. Maybe they'll let me join in.

I follow from a safe distance. I pass some adults and older kids and continue my walking. Oops, I got too close. One of the girls turns around and looks at me for a moment. I'm so embarrassed! Should I move on and act like I wasn't doing anything? The girl says, "Do you want to play with us?" I slowly nod my head. I don't smile, but I don't frown either.

Hey, I made a new friend.

Years pass. I'm still shy. I can still count the number of friends I've made on one hand. And if I could go back and tell my two-year-old self one thing, I'd say, "Don't be shy. Go out on a limb and make some friends."

And over a decade later, I'm following my own advice.

(Note: This post is for the first Compassion Blog Month Assignment. Please join in the fight against poverty.)

Blessings In Disguise

     You've probably noticed the Compassion Banners I put on this blog that say "Sponsor A Child."
Those banners make me smile because I feel that I'm showing my thankfulness for Compassion International. I never would have had the wonderful experience of getting to know Priscyla, my wonderful, loving girl from Peru. I want others to have that experience.

Last year, 3,159 children were sponsored because of Blog Month. Currently, over 1 million children have been sponsored. That's a whole lot of kids!
So, why not make that number bigger? Find more sponsors for more impoverished boys and girls?
We need to love the least of our brothers and sisters and do more for Jesus.

If one person sponsors a child, that is hope for more children to be sponsored. We need to go above and beyond just speaking, saying we need to act for Jesus. We need to do. That's how so many good things have been started: Someone comes up with an idea and puts it into action and when people see all the good change, it causes something big.

That's what Christians need to do.

Priscyla is a blessing. I want others to see those hidden blessings, those children in poverty. If one boy or girl is sponsored, he or she can grow in Jesus and change the world through Him.

The least of people can change everything. We need to start giving these kids hope, giving them the care and love and life they need to put them on a path for Jesus.
 

And you can help by sponsoring a child, whether in an AIDS-affected area or waiting over 100 days for a sponsor. You can show that you care. They aren't destitute when they know Jesus loves them.

These impoverished children are blessings in disguise.

(This is a post for Compassion Blog Month. Please join in the fight against poverty.)

Compassion Blog Month is Back!

If you read my earlier Compassion Blog Month Post, you probably know what I'm talking about...If not, let me refresh you...

Beginning Tuesday, September 3, Compassion International will email a weekly writing assignment to members of the Compassion Bloggers Network and will publish each assignment on compassionbloggers.com.

The goal is to find sponsors for at least 3,160 waiting children. If you help, that will make a huge difference.

And there's prizes if you get children sponsored.

The grand prize is a spot on a 2014 Blog Trip.
The first prize winner and second prize winner has the option to attend the 2014 New Media Expo presented by BlogWorld or the 2014 Blissdom conference.

To be eligible for the above prizes you must get at least five children sponsored during Blog Month.

Also, Compassion has five prize packages to give away!  To be eligible for these, you must get at least one child sponsored.
Each prize package includes the following and more:
~$25 iTunes gift card
~16 oz. Compassion stainless steel mug
~12 oz. bag of fair trade organic whole bean coffee

All you need for entering is a blog and signing up to the Compassion Blog Network. Compassion Blog Month starts September 1st, so get ready if you're interested! Oh, and one last thing: 

Each blog post you write will earn you 10 contest entries after you enter the URL to your post in the Rafflecopter widget on Compassion Website. Submitting more than one blog post for each assignment is allowed, but each post must be unique and different...no copying! :)

For more info, click the link here

Let's help save children from poverty.

World Malaria Day

Today, April 25th, is World Malaria Day.
Malaria kills approximately 655,000 children each year. It develops symptoms that usually include fever, chills, sweating, nausea, and headache. In severe cases, it can advance into coma or death.
 It is a preventable and treatable disease, but a child dies of malaria practically every 30 seconds.

Compassion International helps prevent malaria by : giving mosquito nets to families at risk of malaria, treating and educating families on malaria and how to prevent it.
You can support Compassion's Malaria Intervention by donating at this link.

A net gives protection from mosquitoes and the diseases they carry such as malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever.
Please give so others can live.

To Change The Story

April is coming on fast and Compassion International (along with numerous sponsors) will doing something special on April 21st: Compassion Sunday.

{Click on the above image to learn more about Compassion Sunday}

Compassion Sunday is a yearly event, drawing the attention of the Church to the needs of  poor children...And I, as a sponsor, am participating! I get to talk about my story of Compassion here on my blog and at my Church.

Check out my Compassion Sunday page!

If you have read any of my past assignment posts for Compassion, you may have learned bits and pieces of my Sponsorship story. But here's the whole story from beginning to end:

      For Christmas 2012, I received Alex and Brett Harris' book Start Here. Near the back of the book is 100 Hard Things, one of which said "Sponsored a child through Compassion International."
After reading those 100 hard things, I wanted to complete at least one of them. So I chose to sponsor a child (not knowing the money involved, or anything for that matter!).

On Compassion's website, I eagerly chose my preferences of gender, Where in The World, and age: Girl (I definitely wanted a girl!), somewhere in Asia, and ages 3-10 would do.
So many profiles came up before my eyes! Out of all of them, I figured a little girl from Bangladesh was the girl I would sponsor. Though, strangely enough, God had other plans in mind...The five year old girl in Bangladesh was sponsored by someone else before I even started talking with my parents about sponsorship! Disappointed at this (though also very happy that the girl was sponsored), I moved my preferences from Bangladesh to Peru. I found the profile of a nine year old Peruvian girl and this time, I thought long and hard if I would sponsor her. $38.00 was a lot for me to bring in every month ($456 a year!).
With my Mom's permission, I selected my girl. Only problem? I didn't count my money and I had less than I had thought. Nothing extra, I had little more than $38...And I wasn't very happy.
I wrote in my journal "Now I'm in a heap of money trouble. When I gave Mom the $38, I said it was worthless because I spent all my money on a girl for a whole year and I only have enough for one month."

It doesn't sound like I was really wanting to sponsor, does it? My Mom replied, "You mean you spent money...for a girl you don't even want?" Oh dear! But once I started working to bring in the necessary dollars to support my sponsored child, I soon realized it was a good choice. My first letter from her was exciting and I wrote one back soon after. She wrote me that she loved me, and I've never regretted my decision to sponsor her.

And that is how my life was changed by one girl in Peru, South America, one book, and an amazing ministry helping children in need.

Share Some Love

Christmas is arriving. But families in poverty may not receive any gifts.
While we sit around the tree, opening up our packages or smiling for the camera, holding up our stockings in our Christmas pajamas, there will be children who will be sitting on dirt floors, never getting the chance to know what a gift is.

But you can help give a family in destitution two special gifts: love and safety.
This Christmas, why don't we give instead of receive? Compassion International aims to raise $20,000 through their Gift Catalog. Your donation will help these families not only thrive, but show them that someone in the world is caring. And showing that you care is a gift in itself. 

Jesus gave Himself to us, and He was (and is) the greatest, most precious gift we will ever receive. Why not give for Him?

By giving love, time, and sometimes money, you will abound in happiness. Give generously and without resent ...you are doing a good deed.

"But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you —see that you also excel in this grace of giving." (2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV)

"Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8b NIV)

"Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you."(3 John 1:5 NIV)
THANK-YOU,
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!

What does Giving mean?

When I really think about giving, I think of many different things. Happiness, love, charity, peace, joy, emotions.
There are so many ways to give.
Soup kitchens, volunteering your time, money, love and friendship to do something for someone, schooling, giving the Good News to someone in need. But, as James 1:15-16 says, we should not just say what we should do, we should do what we say.
And, every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17), from God.

I collected a "survey" of what my friends and family think the phrase "It's About Giving" means:
My Dad- Willingness to give: When you want or own something, but you give it to another person who needs or wants it.
Little Brother-"When you give somebody something."
Little Sister-"You give somebody something."
Big Brother-There are lots of ways to give, not just gifts.
My Mom- Give with a cheerful heart.
A Family Friend- Christ crucified is the epitome of giving for all ages. An honest account of giving is...“Ouch!” It is painful, BUT God has directed His creation of us such that the joy in giving exceeds the suffering, and ultimately refined through Him, the joy dissolves any remnants of suffering.
The gift from our eternal Father of his only begotten Son is again the model for an answer: The pouring out of oneself is the Grace of the gift, of love. There is disappointment in a gift refused, but no diminishing in the love itself. Love is giving of self.
A Friend- It looks like someone cares, it sounds like something nice, it tastes like something sweet, and it feels good. Babies love their mom but they can not give her anything but love. It is the feeling of knowing you helped someone, give the word of Jesus to others and share about Him.

And this gift can be given to people whom you do not even know! Give a gift of love, care and assistance to someone in need with Compassion's Christmas Gift Catalog! Give a family livestock, safe drinking water, food for malnourished children, and more. 
 
And, some quotes for Giving (Before Saturday's Selections!):

Here are a list of Bible Passages for thought:
Deuteronomy 15:11  Open your hands wide to the poor and give.
Proverbs 21:13 Listen to the poor.
2 Corinthians 9:6-12   God loves a cheerful giver.
Romans 11:29 The gifts of God are unchangeable.
Matthew 2:11 The wise men gave gifts.
Romans 12:6 We all have different gifts, use them.
1 Corinthians 12:4 Many differing gifts, same in Spirit.

My Sari!!!!

A sari is a long strip of cloth. But not just any strip. The details are amazingly done. Sometimes, they are even handpainted.  And I own one myself.
Ever since I saw a family friend (who happens to live in India) in a sari I've wanted one for myself. My new thing to look up was the Indian Sari. All different colors. 

Once, in Walmart, I saw a Indian woman wearing one! It was gray and black (not really my colors but it was pretty) and it was amazing to me. Of all places to see one, Walmart! And, I had never seen one outside of a picture.

I  told my Mom and Dad that I really wanted one for special occasions. I chose a violet-red one.

My parents bought it for me (even though I could have bought it myself) and it took a while to come. I was just waiting for even a small look at my first sari. I thought about drawing it and doing all sorts of things with it. 

I'd have to be very careful with it. I'd have to learn the "technique" of wrapping it around me (and believe me, you need patience, self-control, and an optimistic view of things to get that done!). 

And, oh, the little kids wouldn't stop touching it! This was my sari, I just got it, it had just been unfolding, and already kids were commenting on it, touching it, and my baby brother was 'all over it'! He was telling me in his baby talk all about it. 

The photo above was my first attempt so far of wrapping it. If I was allowed to show my face online, you could see just how excited I was! I was all smiles!

Click on the link below to check out the sari I bought: 

Oh, and I plan to keep myself better concealed in clothes more than the lady above! The price is pretty high but it was worth it! I love almost everything about it, (although the blouse comes unsewn)! In fact, I plan to buy another one as soon as I have extra cash put aside. My Sponsorship takes up most of my money! But I enjoy it.

This is the one I plan to get: 
This is my personal thought of Indian Selections' saris sold on Amazon.com. I hope this was helpful.

From the heart

To quote part of the email I received from Compassion, "It's time to wrap up Blog Month but not without one last effort. For this assignment, we want you to blog as if you are a sponsored child. God told us to become like little children. Remember? This assignment is about aligning with the heart of children in poverty. Write a poem about the sights, sounds and smells of poverty or write a letter to your sponsor, of 13 years or 13 minutes. Write about your feelings, fears, hopes and dreams, or imagine you've switched places with your sponsored child and write about the shock, stress and adjustments you have to make. You are a child living in extreme poverty. What do you have to say?"

Oh, dear! This is going to be tricky! I have never been very close to personal Poverty. AT ALL.

OK, I'm thinking.......

My Poem:

This is what I have to say

Living in poverty is a troubling way

To live, to be, to hear, to see

To have to know what it really means

Ten thousand babies without a life
A man with his children but not his wife
Many people who are poor
Don't know what they're living for

The hunger, the stress

My absolute best

To try to live in 

A world like this

And it's filled and filled and filled with

Poverty 

  

Just a little note: This poem was hard to make (I have never, in all my life, created a poem as big as this!). 

This was the last assignment from the September Blog Month  and guess what! On the 23rd of this month, 2,297 children were sponsored! That deserves something special!

Praise God for Compassion International! I'm glad I heard about this wonderful fight against poverty!

 

A letter to God

For week two at Compassion Blog Month (I'm a bit late, sorry about that) I am assigned to write a letter to God about letter-writing (fun, right?!).
So, here goes!


Dear God,
I have never written a letter to you before I'm supposed to be writing about letter-writing. This is going to be interesting! (:
Since I heard about Compassion Int. in Alex and Brett Harris' Start Here book, I've had a lot of fun sponsoring Priscyla! She's been writing awesome letters to me, giving all her love to me. She's impacted me a lot! (:
She is amazing and a great Christian girl. Priscyla writes to me about her schooling, friends, and prayers 
(She asks me to pray for her). I write about things like that, too. I tell her about events in my house, I ask for her to pray for me (It gives me more peace of mind telling her!) and I always send her stickers!
 I try to write so she can picture in her mind what I saw in her mind. 
I'd write tons of letters to her if I had more stamps! Writing letters and getting her sweet handwriting in my family's mailbox is wonderful!
Well, I've got to admit-Writing to You is fun. I have to do it again!
With Love,
Nutmeg

So, that is my first letter to God. Wow, that was incredible! (:

 

Compassion Blog Month!

Dear Readers,
September is Blog Month over at Compassion International! Please click the link here to sponsor a child or to pray for the children and their spiritual lives with God.

This is changing the lives of thousands of children around the world, turning their eyes to Christ and getting to know Him personally. Help spread Compassion to the far corners of the earth!

"She loves me and I love her. What more can I ask for?"
Compassion's goal is to get 3,108 children sponsored between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30. Help to end poverty right from where you live. Let God use you to give even more love to these children. Give them the care they need: schooling, food, medicine, and more.

Girls and boys all over the world need sponsoring. Give them that love and sponsor them. I sponsor a girl from Peru and in every letter she sends me, she says she loves me. What a great feeling I get from reading those letters! She loves me and I love her. What more can I ask for?

Sponsor a child today and help spread the Word.