Compassion Event

We've been working about one Compassion event a month.  Our latest was for a "Beth Moore" event.  Apparently she was in Nashville at the auditorium where there were 9000 women...but we were at the "overflow" location where 600 woman watched the program on a theater screen.  Weird.  I wonder if they had to pay the same $70 a person?

But anyway, our shift was the last shift of the day and a half event and was only half of the 3 hours we were scheduled to work.  Two people stopped at the table to turn in sponsorship info they had already filled out and the Compassion rep handled them.

So it was two sign-ups during the time we were there.

BUT...

173 new children sponsored over the course of the entire event!!

And that is what it's all about.

Travel Theme: Toy

 A Toy From Tyson

When we visited Kenya in 2011, one of the plans was to visit our sponsor children there.  I had a friend who also sponsored a Kenyan child.  I ended up becoming 'co-sponsor' and therefore could officially visit Tyson.

And what a visit it was!  My friend sent a stuff full backpack of gifts plus we bought food staples in-country.  We went to the family's home... a one room apartment that housed Tyson, his brother (who is the head of the household), wife, and little niece.  

The family was a bit overwhelmed with the gift we brought from my friend.  As we prepared to leave, Tyson grabbed his one toy and handed it to me... asking that I take it back to my friend 'to remember him by'.

She said she laughed and cried when she opened the box I'd mailed it in.

That is what sponsorship is about...

http://wheresmybackpack.com/2015/07/17/travel-theme-toys/

Seeing Compassion Thru the Eyes of a Compassion Child

A short time ago we were asked to work a Compassion event, but it was different than we've done before.  This is a new program called The Compassion Event.  For a quick look at what it is about, take a look here:

http://www.compassion.com/change/about-the-experience-video.htm  

We arrived at the site at Trevecca University to see semi trucks and this set-up...

Hmmmm... looks interesting already.

So let's go in!

The volunteers give each person an ipod with headphones.  It has on it the audio for each exhibit (there were two with our event).

And you head through this door to step into the life of Julian from Uganda.

It is a mock-up of the home and surrounds of a real Compassion sponsor child.  

The ipod tells you what you are looking at in a narrative spoken by a child of that area.  The display keeps you on track with each room you go thru.

See?  It matches the ipod screen.

Even in abject poverty, children play.  And they use things in their surroundings to make toys.

"Julian" told her story about the hardships of her life and how as a very small child she sold yams at the market to help the family survive.

Then she was accepted into the Compassion program.

She was able to go to school and was given a meal each day.

A letter rack for the children.  

Man, this really pinched my heart as I saw the letters waiting for the children... and the slots with no letters.  That does it!  EVERY first Sunday I will be writing my kids and the third Sunday I'll send an email!!!

The children are taught basic hygiene lessons.

Then the story went on to how Julian graduated high school and went on to college in Uganda. 

She graduated from the Ugandan college and was accept to Baylor University in Texas.

Himself and I whipped our heads around to look at each other!  No wonder the story was familiar... 

It was 'our' Julian that we met at the Compassion event in April!!!  It was so awesome to see her story!

If you would like to see if a Compassion Event is coming to your area... or if your church or organization would like to host an event, check out this web site:

http://cts.compassion.com/Events.php   

Mercy Packs

Whenever we visit other churches I enjoy looking at whatever missions programs they are involved in.  At that recent Compassion International event where so many children were sponsored, there were a LOT of projects and programs to look at.  (Which didn't surprise me at all considering how hearts were moved to help the children.)

One of the projects was on a table right next to the front door.

What an excellent idea!!

One of the church members I talked to said it has been a very popular project.  It fills the immediate need and is small to pass out a car window that is barely rolled down.

I'm going to make a few of these up, but use some nonrefridgerated "Lunchables" or some such item instead of the energy bars.  And as the winter comes, some glove too.

Compassion Reigns

This last Thursday I received an email asking if Himself and I would be interested in working a table for Compassion International at a local event.

Well yeah!

We will work just about any Compassion event but it is bonus when we don't need to drive all the way down to Nashville.

The concert was a small venue so it was just the two of us working.  We've done a lot of concerts so we did a quick 'look over' of the table and were ready to go.  We both have Compassion T-shirts because it makes it so much easier to get into a venue, plus we are recognizable if someone has a question.  The other piece of equipment Himself keeps on hand is a set of ear plugs as most of these concerts are LOUD.

The Compassion Artist was Matthew Smith.  He has a unique style of taking old hymns and putting them to new music.  Very nice music.  Himself didn't need those ear plugs at all.  In fact, I'll be ordering a few CDs off his site after I've had time to review which ones I want.

But the very best thing that happened was about the children of the Compassion program.

A small church, Christ Presbyterian ( http://www.clarksvillepca.org/index.html ) 

  hosted the concert and it was mainly its members who attended.  There were about 80-90 adults there.  

Sixteen children were sponsored!

OK, at first glance that doesn't sound all that fantastic.  But figure the percentage of children sponsored for the number of attendees.  It's 18-20%!  Bravo to the very mission minded members of this church!

I've never worked any event with that sort of sponsorship percentages.  I wish it happened every time...

Compassion Sponsorship From the Other Side

Last weekend Himself and I had the opportunity to work another Compassion International concert.  It was a bit different this time as it was an outside venue. 

The pianist is Aaron Shust (“My Savior, My God”). 

And these were the other acts – the band is MikesChair with Jonny Diaz joining them.

But this is what it is all about for me… telling people about the kids.  Our co-worker Rachel loved showing the packets to this family.  That mama is raising those babies right – explaining to them as best she could about the program.

Look at all those precious faces.

Her packet says a whole lot.

But what made this event unique is another girl from Uganda.  One who had been like sweet little Pretty… a child in a sponsor packet.

This is Juliana.  At one time her future was bleak.  Her father died and her mother couldn’t afford the fees for her to go to school.  The little girl sold yams in the market.  Then someone told them about Compassion.  Juliana was enrolled in the program.

One day a family picked up a packet at some concert and fell in love with the sweet face they saw.

Juliana was sponsored.  Her sponsor family encouraged her and helped her to believe she could live her dreams if she worked hard.  She made it thru school with high grades and was accepted into the Compassion Leadership Program.  She made it thru college, earning a Bachelors.  

Then she was accepted into Baylor for her Masters in Social Work.  Juliana graduated last May and by now is heading home to Uganda where she will work for Compassion to make a difference in children’s lives.  She also has a woman’s self-help venture where ladies learn to make beads to support themselves. 

And she had closed the circle… Juliana is the sponsor of a little Ugandan girl.

It’s humbling to stand next to a true hero.

If you are interested in helping a child, go to www.compassion.com  

Encyclopedia of Moi: S

Scotland – I have wanted to go here since I was about 15 years old, and this fall it finally happened.  It was everything I hoped for and more.  

Shortbread – One of my favorite cookies.  Crispy tender and buttery.  Is it a coincidence that it’s from Scotland?

Sean Connery -  The Great Scot.  Need I say more?  

Silver – I’d much rather have a piece of silver jewelry than gold.  It looks better on me and I find it more pleasing to my eye.  This is a good thing since I can afford to buy more of it!  LOL

Sasha – Our “puppy niece” Rat Terrier who belongs to Best Friend.  We were there when Best Friend picked her out from a litter of puppies belonging to an Amish farmer we bought flowers from.  This puppy princess may have been born in a barn… but she is living like royalty now!  

Shaved Ice- One of my favorite summer treats.  The perfect frosty crunch.  Can’t wait to introduce Little Bird and Little Hoss to it next summer!

Sundar -  Our youngest Compassion sponsor child.  He is from India.  In his letters to us, we are his “beloved Uncle and Aunty”.  

Sushi -  a favorite meal.  I enjoy both cooked and raw, tho I really haven’t gotten into the exotic rolls and nigiri.  My favorite local restaurant is Fujiyama and I like sitting up at the bar so I can watch them make the different rolls.  In fact, that is where Himself and I are eating tonight!

Secretariat – 1973 was an exciting year in horse racing as this super star dominated the race tracks.  Dad and I watched almost every race.  Who could forget that 31 length victory in the Belmont?  

Scallops – YUM!  A special treat.  I like mine simply prepared… quickly seared in butter. 

Guest Blog: Kristen Welch - Heroes Don't Always Wear Capes

Vincent

This was originally posted on the Compassion bloggers web site. It's a beautiful post about how much your sponsorship means to your sponsor child.

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I sat in a crowded, dank space and listened to the rain water dripping.

I squinted in the dark and leaned in to hear the quiet voice of Vincent, a sponsored child, living in the heart of Kenya, in the middle of Hell, known as Mathare Valley. He was an orphan, a child thrust into adulthood too soon, leading his family of siblings, alone.

He answered our questions with a kindness in his eyes, eyes that lit up when we asked about his sponsor. He said his sponsor’s name in a revered tone and told us words he’d memorized from his last letter. Someone in our group asked if he had a copy of a letter.

He sat on the edge of his couch/bed and reached behind the thin, tattered sheet that divided a small sleeping place and pulled out a much loved, worn letter from under his blanket. Vincent held the paper and grinned as he held up a picture of his sponsor, lightly touching the edges, pride evident on his face.

In that moment I realized the significance of sponsoring a child through Compassion International. Child sponsorship is a small part of our busy lives, but in many ways and circumstances, it is a child’s life. Without sponsorship and the concern and involvement of Compassion, Vincent, in his words, would probably be dead.

In my busy American life, child sponsorship was a dedicated $38 that I didn’t even miss. It was an occasional letter and maybe $10 for a birthday gift. Maybe. Sponsorship was something I did without thinking about every week or even every month. It was another thing, albeit good, that was on my long list. But I couldn’t help think how insignificant it had been to me: a few letters a year, little prayers whenever I remembered …

In many ways, child sponsorship was like an ending for me, something that made me feel good about myself, my contribution, a check off my list. But it is a beginning for a child, a new chance.

Seeing child sponsorship from both perspectives changed mine as I watched Vincent cherish his letter. It came alive to me in that tiny shack. In his soft voice he spoke sincere words I’ll never forget. They echo in my heart: “I pray for my sponsor. I pray for him every day.”

Vincent’s sponsor is a blessed man.

It was something we heard every time we asked a sponsored child about his or her sponsor. They would run and get their letters and say, “I pray for my sponsor.”

If sponsorship rescues a child from poverty, that makes a sponsor a hero.

It’s time I started acting like one.

New Sponsor Child - Mairiamu thru Compassion

Last summer in the magazine Compassion sends to its child sponsors, there was an article about a boarding facility for Maasai girls who had run away to escape female circumcision and an early age (11 to 14 years old) marriage to a much older man. Not only that, these girls dreamed of being allowed to stay in school and maybe even have the chance to go to university.

If you would like to read the article, it will take you a few 'clicks' to get there but it's worth the effort. Go to: http://www.compassion.com/sponsordonor/compassionmagazine/default.htm On the left side of the page is a column. Click on "Compassion Magazine". When it expands, click on the Summer '09 edition. It's a PDF so it will take a moment to open. Once open, it is page 8 of the PDF file.

We had just ended our sponsorship of a Maasai girl with another organization due to some "discrepancies" in their operations. So when we read this article we knew we had found a way to help a young girl with an organization that we fully trust.

I called Compassion and requested to sponsor a girl at this place the girls call "the rescuing center". Apparently I was not the only one, as there were no girls needing sponsorship. So I requested to be put on a waiting list.

The other day I had a wonderful surprise when I opened my mail box! In it was a sponsorship packet for a girl from the school. And in a confirmation that this was indeed our new sponsor child... her birthday is the same day as my sweet little Hanna's birthday! (Different year, of course).

So I'd like to introduce you to Mairiamu (mah-ee ree ahmoo). She will be 12 years old in August. She has 5 siblings. Her favorite activities are volleyball and other ball games. Her school performance is above average. She regularly attends church and is in the choir.

I look forward to getting to know her!

Guest Blogger: Himself - “A Woman Named Grace”

Please enjoy this story my husband wrote about a happening during our trip to Kenya.


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Sometimes things happen that you can’t anticipate. This happened to Teri and me at a most unusual time—when we were broke down alongside a road. Actually, we weren’t even on a road; we were in the middle of nowhere in some semi-desert scrubland in the Rift Valley in Kenya on our way to see a Maasai child we sponsored thru Compassion International.



In the more remote places in Kenya, you don’t drive on a road—you just drive. And it usually isn’t you driving. You are driven by a Kenyan assigned to a vehicle who seems to know where he is going, at least in theory. Good thing he knew--I swear we passed the same anthill and wildebeest herd a dozen times! Driving along the bumpiest terrain I have ever been jostled along, we rode along in our Land Rover hanging on tight.

Too dry for mosquitoes, the land was prime for dust. No matter how clean you started out, you arrived at your destination dusty. Not that ‘your’ family would notice—they live literally...in the sticks. Their African huts were made of sticks, grasses, ashes and cow dung. (In some of the drier areas, you can’t even get mud...hence, sticky cow dung which helps hold things together.)

Moses

Besides our driver, we had a Compassion representative named Jim, and an older man named Moses who had been our driver to see another Maasai child from another organization. Though a native Kenyan, Moses was a city boy who had never been ‘out there’ seeing such stuff. He indicated he wanted to go—stating that ‘it was like being on vacation’ being out in the wilds at the bottom of the Rift Valley. All we had been requested to do was to pay his employer Moses’ daily wage of $7. We did.

Somewhere along all this we broke down. Great... Don’t recall just what went wrong but soon there were Kenyan butts sticking out from under the vehicle. All of them saying the Swahili word for, “Hmmm...” Not a good sign. Teri and I? We found us an acacia tree to sit under to get out of the sun. Once cooled off we would walk around looking at exotic rocks, plants, and things that slithered. Off in the distance we saw a small family settlement called a ‘boma’--an enclosed camp of Maasai natives and their animals—(Maasai families slept with some of their animals right in their hut.) From this boma we would occasionally see wide-eyed curious kids—but they mainly stayed hidden and would not come near us.

Running out of things to look at I fished out the soccer ball that we were to give our Maasai child, ‘Ntikoisa’. Compassion rep Jim was all for booting it around with me because one, soccer is a bigtime sport for these people, and two, he was as bored as I. A city boy also, he left fixing the vehicle to Moses and the driver, who were still going, “Hmmm...” Teri? She watched Jim and me for a moment...then her eyebrows started going up--which is ‘hmmm...’ for her. Why? Because nearly every bush on the ground had thorns. Informed by Teri that, ‘if ONE thorn punctures this brand new soccer ball, an American AND a Kenyan would be in trouble’; Jim looked between Teri and me. Recognizing the universal sign of ‘woman-with-hands-on-hips’ as trouble already arrived, the soccer ball was soon put up!

After awhile Teri noticed a Maasai woman who was slowly approaching our broken down Rover. She had being walking ‘back and forth’ for some time, finally stopping a good distance away—watching us intently. Teri had watched her just as intently. Then Teri waved. That was all it took and soon she and her infant son were over to visit. A short time earlier help had arrived from the nearest village and with the help also came the headmaster of the Compassion center. He soon found himself translating as these two woman from two different worlds...shared.

This Maasai lady explained that she had seen our crippled Land Rover and had felt helpless to do anything that could assist us. Initially seeing only men from the distance she was afraid to come closer. She then explained that she did the only thing she could—she prayed for us. However, when she saw Teri wave and realized there was a woman with the group, it was then alright for her to come over. Their talk continued on to families, children (including the baby she had strapped to her side), goats and husbands.

Too soon the village mechanic had the Rover fixed and it was time to move on. But before we left, this woman removed a beautiful beaded bracelet from her arm and, catching Teri by the hand, slipped it onto Teri’s arm with the words “remember me”. With the same words in return, Teri removed the bracelet she had put on that morning and gave it to her.

As the Rover chugged back to life, Teri quickly gave her an additional present for her husband... a red baseball cap. It was something he would proudly wear because he had been honored. As we drove off, this Maasai lady full of grace waved good-bye.

This woman’s name? Grace. A woman named Grace. Fitting.

Using One Word to Fight Your Personal Spiritual Poverty in 2010

An interesting blog from the Compassion blog sight.

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Using One Word to Fight Your Personal Spiritual Poverty in 2010
Written by: Chris Giovagnoni
Posted using ShareThis

Do you talk with God? Or do you talk at Him or to Him?

How much of your prayer life, your conversations with God, is about you? You talking. What you want or need. What you think should happen.

When you’re listening, are you interested in what’s on God’s mind? Or are you really just listening for God to talk about the subjects you choose?

I mostly talk at God. That’s a 99-percent most. God usually can’t get a word in edgewise in “our” conversations. I’m talking. And I’m talking about what I need and what I want, as if they are somehow different, and as if I know better than God what I need.

“Hey God. I’m not interested in that subject. Why do you keep bringing it up?”

But once a year, at the beginning of December, I make an extra effort to get over myself. I ask God, “What do you have planned for us next year?”

It’s like asking your father, “Hey, Dad! What are we going to do this weekend?”

2010 in One Word

So, even though I’m not your father, you should do this:

Ask the Holy Spirit what He has in store for you in 2010. Ask Him to give you a one-word theme for the upcoming year. Not a phrase, not a statement, just a single word.
That last sentence is more for you than for the Holy Spirit. He knows what’s going on.

But this is for you – One Word. It’s a document for you to download, written by Dan Britton, Senior Vice President of Ministry Programs for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

One Word contains suggestions to help you make this “one word” thing a spiritual discipline rather than some nifty hoot of an idea that will quickly fade away like a worn out New Year’s resolution.

This practice of asking God for His yearly theme in my life gives me strength in the tough times. It renews my spirit, giving me a sense of purpose when I feel hopeless, annoyed, angry, afraid … anything but in control and confident.

It helps me stay connected with Christ and His plans for me throughout the year. Not perfectly, but definitely in times I probably would not.

Every year, with a little prayer time, I have found God eager to tell me what He has in store for me in the following year.

Remember this, and I can’t emphasize it enough, you’re not choosing a word. The Holy Spirit is giving it to you.

In 2009, the Holy Spirit laid the growth card on me. And when I told you about it last December, I said it sounded painful.

Well, 2009 wasn’t really painful. But it wasn’t easy either. I got to grow through a lot of old habits and immaturity.

And even though 2009 is almost over, the growth isn’t. The words the Holy Spirit shares with us each year establish the foundation for the words we get in the future, which means I’m going to be growing the rest of my life. Duh!

For me, 2009 was a year to begin getting beyond my “only child” behavior, which tells people the world revolves around me and they should wise up, stop resisting and get with the program.

It seems I’ve made a little progress, because for next year God’s word to me is:

SHINE

It sounds promising.

ELITE LIST: 10 Most Fiscally Responsible Charities

ELITE LIST: 10 Most Fiscally Responsible Charities

Posted using ShareThis

The short list:

1. GIVE KIDS THE WORLD
2. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND
3. COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL
4. TEACH FOR AMERICA
5. THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
6. MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION
7. HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
8. INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
9. BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY
10. WORLD VISION

Sundar - sponsored thru Compassion

Since I’m writing about our sponsor kids, it’s time to tell you about Sundar.

In January-ish we lost our sponsor child from Ethiopia. At the same time, my favorite writing buddy lost his sponsor. Compassion called me to let me know and to ask if we would like to become his new sponsor. That was a quick “Yes!”.

Sundar lives in India. He is 8 years old and lives with his mother. His father is deceased. His mother’s occupation is listed a “Laborer – rice mill coolie”.

He likes to play group games including ball and hide-and-seek. He also enjoys reading.