Monday, July 21, 2014

What Inspired Me?

This months Compassion blogger assignment was to write about what inspired us to sponsor a child with Compassion in the very beginning.


For me it wasn't one specific thing.  I'd always thought about eventually sponsoring a child, but I wasn't sure on what organizations were out there, what was involved (time/money/writing, etc.).  I didn't research it either though, so at the time it was just a thought that it might be a good thing to do "someday".  I don't know what I was waiting for really. 

In January 2012 we went to a Christian music concert (there were like 6 different bands).  Compassion had a booth and the different artists talked about what child sponsorship was, how they had met their kids, etc.  Tenth Avenue North was one of the groups who talked about it along with Mercy Me.  During a break between artists they did a "packet pass" where you raise your hand if you are interested in sponsoring and volunteers walk around with packets of kids needing sponsors (I have since helped out at many of these events and done this exact same thing for others). 

We decided that we had the funds and we should sponsor a child.  We raised our hand and were handed 5 year old Said from Peru.  He looked so cute.  You can either sponsor the child you were handed or go to the table at the booth and look through the pile of other kids.  We decided to keep Said since we felt that God had them hand him to us for a reason.  Plus, how can you really pick one child over another.....its so hard deciding!  They all need the help so we filled out the form, handed it in, and haven't looked back. 

Said has been a great letter writer and artist.  Now that he's 7 he is finally writing his own letters (before it was his tutors) so it is neat seeing his handwriting improve.  Right after we signed up to sponsor Said I did a ton of research on Compassion.  I learned about how the money helps the kids in various ways, how to build a relationship with them through letters, etc. I found great blogs and Facebook groups to join and learned that I could be a correspondence sponsor as well (where someone else sponsors them financially but they don't want to write to them for whatever reason, so the correspondence sponsor does that instead......and the kid thinks you are their new sponsor).

In February 2012 I signed up to be a correspondence sponsor to Selemani from Tanzania and Priyanga from India.  I was doing great for about a year with those three, and then decided to get a few more correspondence kids.  In February 2013 I decided we could financially sponsor more than one so for my birthday I decided to sponsor someone.  A fellow advocate was posting about Sonia, who was 5 (almost 6) from Rwanda whom Laurent could go visit and take pictures for us when he let her know who her new sponsor was.  To me that was an awesome opportunity so that helped me decide to sponsor her. 

After Sonia, I got a few more correspondence kids and then cut myself off, since I wanted to make sure I had enough time to write to them all every month.  I said to stop at 8, but then they accidentally added 2 more to my account (which I can't say no to since I'm sure God had a reason for it), so after that I had them for sure take me off the list so that I could keep up.  They were my perfect 10.

Then God really tested us.

As I just mentioned I added Sonia in February 2013, bringing our financial sponsorship to 2 (with 8 correspondence kids whom we also sent birthday money to and letters and such).  In April 2013 we took a missions trip to Costa Rica.  We came back to a voicemail from Compassion stating that Flor's financial sponsor had dropped her sponsorship.  We needed to decide if we wanted to pick up her financial sponsorship or let her go out into the system to be sponsored by someone else.  We hadn't received a single letter from her yet since she was only added a few months before (but I had already sent her like 10 letters telling how much we loved her and such).  Now as I said before, I can't say no to any of them, especially once I've told them we care for them.  After talking to Adam we decided we'd take on her sponsorship too.  Now we were at 3 sponsorships and 7 correspondence kids.

Then a month later we were tested again, when we received that dreaded phone call.  Priyanga's financial sponsor dropped her.  She was our first correspondence girl and she wrote wonderful letters to us (in English even), calling us auntie and uncle.  How could I ever drop her either?  After having them delay the start of the financial charges by one month, we picked up Priyanga.  She was told her sponsor dropped her so she wrote a new "first letter" to us again.  It took a little while for her to realize it was still us!  But now we are back to our great relationship. 

After that I was scared that it would keep happening to our correspondence kids.  We can afford 4 right now (since we don't have any actual kids) but I don't want to get into a position where I'd have to give any up if our finances change so that part worries me with correspondence kids.  I just pray and know God will provide...either for us to keep them, or to allow my heart to let them go if that ever does happen. 

We've been fortunate enough to get to go to Peru and meet our 3 kids there (2 sponsored, 1 correspondence).  We are so happy that we were able to keep Flor since I can't imagine not getting to know that sweet girl.

Back in March 2014 our oldest (and first correspondence boy), Selemani decided to move out of his Compassion project area (so he could no longer be part of the program).  He was almost 21 and had finished high school so it was still a great success.  He was moving to find a better job for himself so that is always a good reason!  It was still a sad day.  I decided to replace him with another correspondence child as they were posting that there was a great need for correspondence sponsors at that time.  I received Diane from Rwanda who is 18 and sponsored by a business (so I can be safe that she won't get dropped, thankfully!).  I was back to my round number of 10.  Then there were still kids who needed correspondence sponsors and I took a leap of faith and got 2 more (one of whom is also sponsored by a business so that should be safer too).  I've kept my requests to the same countries:  Tanzania, Philippines, Rwanda, Peru, and India so that I have multiple kids per country (Tanzania is down to 1 kid now though after Selemani left the program).  That way if we are ever able to visit, we can see more than one kid at a time.

I am content with my dozen :) 

That is my long version of why I started with Compassion, how I've grown in numbers, and grown in faith by picking up additional sponsorships, etc.  I've became an advocate, helped spread the word about Compassion, and helped at events.  I just love this organization and all the blessings it has brought me. Thanks for reading my story.

If you feel ready to sponsor your first child, please Click here to see kids waiting for a sponsor  It will bring you to the Compassion website where you can search for a child to add to your family and heart :)  Thanks.

3 comments:

  1. Great Post Katie!! I so admire all you are doing for these kiddos! I'm good to keep up with my three. :) SO glad you are part of the Compassion Bloggers network!!

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  2. It was so fun to read about your journey!! That's so neat that you visited your kids in Peru. And I like that you're sponsoring in just 4 countries. My husband says that when our current kids (from all over!!) graduate, he wants to narrow down to one country so we can save up to visit.

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  3. Thanks. Yeah, keeping them in the same 5 countries has helped me keep it all straight (I can pray by country that way and helps us to make sure we don't miss a kid). Sometimes it would be fun to have more variety in countries but this works for us :)

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