I think I did say NO to more kids. Emphatically. But the coolest thing has happened over the years that I want to tell you about. I have been having more and more kids - so to speak. I am so excited about sponsoring children in developing countries through Compassion International. I think I'm up to 6 kids now. Pull up a chair and let me tell you about them.
First, it started with Eric. He's from Kenya, Africa. He says he can see Mt. Kilanmanjaro out his window - how cool is that? We've been writing letters back and forth for probably 5 years now, maybe longer. I don't think he could write his own letters when we started and now his English is so good he doesn't need a translator. He loves to play soccer and help around the house. He's got 4 years left of schooling and then he'll be an official adult. I've got to ask him what rights of passage he goes through when becoming a man. (unless of course it has to do with circumcision...)
After having Eric for a couple of years, we decided to sponsor Darwin. Can you guess where he's from? Yeah, Ecuador where Darwin did much of his observations for his theories of evolution. (boring book - tried reading it recently - fell asleep on multiple occasions!) Darwin is 14 years old and lives with both his mom and dad. He and his dad play music at their church and it sounds like he loves it. I love getting letters from him as they're in spanish. I try to pick up a few phrases now and then, but I'm thankful for a translator. We might try to visit Darwin when we are in Ecuador in November, but with the tour we're taking we're limited to availability. I'm praying that it happens. I'll keep you blogged.
Our first two were boys so we decided to try for two girls, Happiness and Muhoza. Muhoza is from Rwanda where the average laborer makes $12/month. Both Muhoza's parents have to work, as you can imagine, just to make ends meet. Muhoza is 8 years old and a beautiful little girl. Happiness is from Tanzania and lives with her mom. The average person in Tanzania earns just $10/month. Crazy. Happiness is this adorable little girl and if her pictures are any indication, she's a spunky little one. I have to tell you that Happiness just had a birthday in June and she turned 5. Through Compassion I am able to send monetary gifts for Christmas, birthday, family etc., so I sent a small gift of $25. I just received a letter from her where she thanked me for her birthday money and I quote (through a translator/scribe - she's 5) "She thanks you so much for good gift you sent her, an amount of $25. She says that she bought shoes, bag of clothes, rice, sweater and slippers. She says that she has enjoyed so much her gifts." THEN there was a picture attached of Happiness and her mom with her pile of treasures. Both Happiness and her mom were grinning ear to ear. So much for so little.
I have to say that the letter and picture gave me so much hope for these children. I think many of us are cynical about relief organizations, with good cause. Man is a sinner and often when given opportunity to be greedy, we take it. (Of course I mean Man in the general sense, not in the gender sense.) Unfortunately those moments are often what the media latches onto and gives more fuel for the fire of cynacism. BUT, Man does have the ability to be good, kind, loving and to spread hope. There are plenty of people out there who are doing good, loving people, putting others above themselves. I was so excited and encouraged by Happiness's letter and picture because it is proof that good is happening - people's needs are being met - that we're not hoarding the resources God has given us. I have enough. Other's do not. So I am so glad that I am partnering with Compassion International to love on these children around the world. It's exciting and empowering and I want everyone I know to sponsor a kid. How? It's so easy. Just go to www.compassion.com and click on the link "Sponsor a child" For $32/month your sponsorship allows them to go to school, have basic needs met like health care and nutritional food. It's crazy how little it costs and how far it goes.
Have you read the book "Three Cups of Tea" the story of Greg Mortenson? He's a climber that got lost in Pakistan (after attempting to summit K2) and was welcomed and cared for by a Muslim village. In turn he vowed to come back and build that community a school. It's an incredibly powerful book and I highly recommend it. One of the lasting impressions I walked away with was we can change the world. We can make a difference. We can suppport people who are on the front lines. Greg Mortenson is making a difference by building schools for Muslim girls in Afganistan and Pakistan (war on terror right there) and Compassion is meeting the needs of children in poverty so that they can have hope and productive lives. It's awesome.
I encourage all of my friends to think about adopting a boy or girl through Compassion (or World Vision) so that they too may have hope for a brighter future. I have to tell you that you won't ever miss the $32/month - it truly is pocket change for us - but you will miss the opportunity to change a life. That's awesome!
By the way, my 5th and 6th kids are Karimi (who's in Eric's village - how cool is that?) and Arnest. They both are 18 and live in a AIDS affected community in Kenya. I can't believe I'm so excited about having more kids.
First, it started with Eric. He's from Kenya, Africa. He says he can see Mt. Kilanmanjaro out his window - how cool is that? We've been writing letters back and forth for probably 5 years now, maybe longer. I don't think he could write his own letters when we started and now his English is so good he doesn't need a translator. He loves to play soccer and help around the house. He's got 4 years left of schooling and then he'll be an official adult. I've got to ask him what rights of passage he goes through when becoming a man. (unless of course it has to do with circumcision...)
After having Eric for a couple of years, we decided to sponsor Darwin. Can you guess where he's from? Yeah, Ecuador where Darwin did much of his observations for his theories of evolution. (boring book - tried reading it recently - fell asleep on multiple occasions!) Darwin is 14 years old and lives with both his mom and dad. He and his dad play music at their church and it sounds like he loves it. I love getting letters from him as they're in spanish. I try to pick up a few phrases now and then, but I'm thankful for a translator. We might try to visit Darwin when we are in Ecuador in November, but with the tour we're taking we're limited to availability. I'm praying that it happens. I'll keep you blogged.
Our first two were boys so we decided to try for two girls, Happiness and Muhoza. Muhoza is from Rwanda where the average laborer makes $12/month. Both Muhoza's parents have to work, as you can imagine, just to make ends meet. Muhoza is 8 years old and a beautiful little girl. Happiness is from Tanzania and lives with her mom. The average person in Tanzania earns just $10/month. Crazy. Happiness is this adorable little girl and if her pictures are any indication, she's a spunky little one. I have to tell you that Happiness just had a birthday in June and she turned 5. Through Compassion I am able to send monetary gifts for Christmas, birthday, family etc., so I sent a small gift of $25. I just received a letter from her where she thanked me for her birthday money and I quote (through a translator/scribe - she's 5) "She thanks you so much for good gift you sent her, an amount of $25. She says that she bought shoes, bag of clothes, rice, sweater and slippers. She says that she has enjoyed so much her gifts." THEN there was a picture attached of Happiness and her mom with her pile of treasures. Both Happiness and her mom were grinning ear to ear. So much for so little.
I have to say that the letter and picture gave me so much hope for these children. I think many of us are cynical about relief organizations, with good cause. Man is a sinner and often when given opportunity to be greedy, we take it. (Of course I mean Man in the general sense, not in the gender sense.) Unfortunately those moments are often what the media latches onto and gives more fuel for the fire of cynacism. BUT, Man does have the ability to be good, kind, loving and to spread hope. There are plenty of people out there who are doing good, loving people, putting others above themselves. I was so excited and encouraged by Happiness's letter and picture because it is proof that good is happening - people's needs are being met - that we're not hoarding the resources God has given us. I have enough. Other's do not. So I am so glad that I am partnering with Compassion International to love on these children around the world. It's exciting and empowering and I want everyone I know to sponsor a kid. How? It's so easy. Just go to www.compassion.com and click on the link "Sponsor a child" For $32/month your sponsorship allows them to go to school, have basic needs met like health care and nutritional food. It's crazy how little it costs and how far it goes.
Have you read the book "Three Cups of Tea" the story of Greg Mortenson? He's a climber that got lost in Pakistan (after attempting to summit K2) and was welcomed and cared for by a Muslim village. In turn he vowed to come back and build that community a school. It's an incredibly powerful book and I highly recommend it. One of the lasting impressions I walked away with was we can change the world. We can make a difference. We can suppport people who are on the front lines. Greg Mortenson is making a difference by building schools for Muslim girls in Afganistan and Pakistan (war on terror right there) and Compassion is meeting the needs of children in poverty so that they can have hope and productive lives. It's awesome.
I encourage all of my friends to think about adopting a boy or girl through Compassion (or World Vision) so that they too may have hope for a brighter future. I have to tell you that you won't ever miss the $32/month - it truly is pocket change for us - but you will miss the opportunity to change a life. That's awesome!
By the way, my 5th and 6th kids are Karimi (who's in Eric's village - how cool is that?) and Arnest. They both are 18 and live in a AIDS affected community in Kenya. I can't believe I'm so excited about having more kids.
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