At some point over the summer, Caroline discovered The Justice League cartoons. Here is where I could go into a long tirade about how I’m not really a fan of Flash Gordon and confess that Spiderman kind of creeps me out, but I’ll save that gem of a post for another time.
Caroline became intrigued with the whole concept of superheroes, especially Wonder Woman. If she’s like her mama then it’s because of the cool red boots and the great hair that is always in place, but I suspect it’s because Wonder Woman isn’t afraid to use her Golden Lasso and save some folks from danger.
And somewhere deep down in us, don’t we all have a little bit of a desire to be a superhero, with or without the kicky red boots and silver wristbands?
This week is your chance to become a superhero.
All of the bloggers on this trip have talked a lot this week about the difference you can make by sponsoring a child through Compassion because we are in the midst of an incredible opportunity to see the change that sponsorship can bring in a child’s life.
Yesterday we went to another project to meet two girls who are part of a Compassion program called LDP (Leadership Development Program). This is a different type of sponsorship program that provides a college education for impoverished high school graduates.
We were able to watch two beautiful young women with the brightest smiles I have ever seen tell us about the difference that Compassion has made in their life.
Mariolvis told us that she became a sponsored child when she was five years old. Her sponsor wrote to her and encouraged her all the way through high school. She is now twenty-three years old, attends college with a major in Marketing thanks to the LDP, and told us that she still reads the letters she used to receive from the family that sponsored her throughout her childhood.
And when we went to her home, she pulled the letters out and showed them to us.
SHE STILL READS THE LETTERS.
Julia was the other girl we met and she had more personality than should be allowed. She is currently attending college studying Engineering and Computer Science. I’m considering asking her if she could tutor me by email because I could use some computer education.
We were able to go to Julia’s home as well and meet her sweet mother. When we asked her mother about the difference Compassion has made in their lives, she literally threw her hands up in the air and waved them around. She had no words.
Julia had slipped back to her bedroom because she wanted to show us her high school graduation photo and some academic medals she had been awarded. As she walked back in the room she had tears in her eyes and shared with us that she vividly remembers being a young child and being picked to become a part of Compassion’s child sponsorship program.
She had to have her picture taken for her sponsorship packet, but literally didn’t have clothes to wear for the photo. As tears streamed down her face she told us of how she had to wait in the bathroom with no clothing, while seven other little girls took turns changing into the same dress for their sponsorship photos. That dress was all they had.
The shame and sadness of that memory filled her with grief even fifteen years later.
But now she is a beautiful, vivacious twenty-year-old woman on her way to earning a degree in Engineering.
We asked her about the difference Compassion made in her life and this is what she said:
“People who sponsor children through Compassion are the superheroes of the Earth.”
You may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but you can be a superhero of the Earth by sponsoring a child.
And I think that’s pretty cool.
Please sponsor a child today or if you are already a sponsor, please think about sponsoring an additional child. I can’t even explain the impact that sponsorship has on the lives of these kids. These children are holding out for a hero. (Don’t make me bust out the song from the “Footloose” soundtrack because I totally will.)
Stacey in Texas says:
What a moving post. Wow. I sat at my desk yesterday reading the blogs being written this week and was convinced that I need to sponsor a child. After all, we have soooo much and $32/month is nothing. I have to admist that I let fear creep in after the election results yesterday and wonder if we would reach a point where I couldn’t take care of my own children. However, I know GOD will take care of us no matter what. Your story has truly touched me this this morning and given me a wake up call. I’m going to spend some time in prayer and seek God’s desire for me and have Him help me choose the right child to sponsor. God Bless you and your fellow bloggers for taking this journey and bringing the truth to light for a lot of us.
November 6th, 2008 at 6:23 am
Joan says:
All of your posts move me to tears. This trip is so important and I hope many people will sponsor a child because of it. It would be nice to know how many children are sponsored because of Compassion Bloggers. I’ve blogged about the trip and I have buttons on my site, I also sponsor a child. I pray people are moved to act.
God bless you and keep you!
November 6th, 2008 at 6:50 am
Michele says:
My boys and I scrolled through the DR pictures last night and chose a little girl. One child at a time we should begin to make a difference. I prayed for you this morning.
November 6th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Marie J says:
Please don’t take this question as rude, I mean it with sincere curiosity.
The homes of these older girls seem so much nicer. Can you tell more of the story of why they are not living in the awfulness of the other. Did compassion provide them with the homes? Or their educations allow them better jobs?
Thanks for the question, Marie. The homes actually appear better in these photos than they are. There are a few shots of Mariolvis’s home on Pioneer Woman’s blog post today that show what it really looks like. As for Julia’s home, it was a little nicer but it wasn’t the home she grew up in. They have only lived there for 18 months and they rent it. Her family is doing a little better now because her older sister was also part of the LDP and is now working to help support the family.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Sufficient Grace says:
I love the picture of Mariolvis with her smile in front of her graduation photo. I think that is the photo to define your trip. What an awesome opportunity the Lord has given you this week. Thank you for sharing with us and encouraging us to take part in the lives of these children.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:04 am
Amelie says:
Your post brought tears to my eyes and is motivating me to try to find a way to fit a sponsorship in my budget. Thank you!
November 6th, 2008 at 8:44 am
BooMama » Nothing I Want To Say Could Be More Important Than This says:
[…] Please. Don’t. Miss. It. […]
November 6th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Alesha says:
You TOTALLY had a rotating/cycling link in that post!!!!!
I need to know how to do that!!!!!!!!!
(Btw, I don’t sponsor a child from Compassion. I adopted a special needs kiddo here in the US. I’m glad God leads us to different passions, so that all the world is touched with His love.
)
Now, about that link…
lol!
Alesha
November 6th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Sarah says:
Melanie,
I have loved reading these posts. Ben and I have 2 Compassion children in 2 different countries. And it is hard to feel connected through the letters, but you have really given me a picture of what their living and family situations might look like. It is so encouraging that our support and letters ARE really important and can make a huge difference in their lives. Thanks for sharring your experience and pictures. It is a blessing for me.
sarah halbach
November 6th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Upside Brown says:
No doubt little Ana will be changed forever because of your influence over the next few years. Thanks for living boldly and showing us how we can as well. I call these posts “upside brown” moments because you’ve literally turned my heart upside down in compassion! Praying for God’s direction…
November 6th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Amanda says:
For so many reasons…wow.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:30 am
lynn says:
This is amazing - I am brought to tears.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Photoqueen says:
I don’t know if you have time this week to read through all your comments. You have a lot of readers!
But I want you to know how deeply your words are touching my heart. And your photos, too. God is doing a work in me - through you. If that’s not cool, I don’t know what is!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Carolina Mama says:
Thanks for bringing these stories home to us. Prayers for your trip.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Lori says:
I am heading to sponser a child now!
November 6th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
littlesanctuary (Kim) says:
My husband and some other pastors from our area… today visited a Compassion site in Berkina Faso. To say they were moved would not begin to express what they experienced.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
jessica says:
This is just beautiful! It makes me happy to see how much of an impact just $32 really makes in the life of our sponsored child! Thanks for sharing these stories with us!
November 6th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
The Pumkin Patch says:
Such an inspiring post!!!! God Bless all of you that are there making a difference!
November 6th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Kristine says:
What a beautiful way to capture the meaning that Compassion sponsorship has for sponsored children… well into adulthood.
November 6th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Tina says:
Thank you for sharing your stories with us, I also have been reading the other bloggers as well, and am getting a kick out of the young boy’s blog!! I have been sharing this with my daughter as well, and we have decided to sponsor a child!!! $32 really is not that much money when we have so much. I have to admit though that I, like Stacey in the first comment was a little bit (ok ALOT) concerned after the outcome of the election this week, but also know that God is in control, and I have peace with that!
November 6th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
pam says:
I sit here with tears gushing down my cheeks as I read about Julia. I thought the very same thing might have happened when we received our Juana’s sponsorship packet.
We want to sponsor another child at some point, but for now I think God is prompting me through your posts to step up the frequency of letters to our sweet five-year-old girl.
The fact that she may still have them 20 years from now will not leave my mind. What better reason to get writing! Thank you, dear Melanie, for sharing your heart and the opportunities God is using via your trip to DR.
November 6th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Amy says:
We sponsor a little girl through Compassion, but I just went to their website and now we are sponsoring a little boy too. We had picked the little girl because she had the same birthday as our little girl, and I just gave birth to a little boy 4 weeks ago, so I found a little boy with his birthday as well. Compassion is such an awesome program. I know so many people who sponsor children (my Dad just sponsored another child…my mom says he is addicted. I think they are at about 7 kids now!). I hope lots of kids get sponsored because of this blog tour. $32 a month is nothing, it’s a week and a half of Starbucks!
November 6th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Melissa H. says:
First off, I have to say that my daughter discovered the Justice League at age 4 (she’s 6 now), and for a while she would only answer to “Wonder Woman!” I also wanted to say that a year ago, my family and I began sponsoring a Compassion child in El Salvador. He is the same age as my daughter, and he is precious. My kids love to exchange letters with him. It has been such a blessing for us to be involved with Compassion!
November 6th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Susan says:
So beautiful — the hand of God.
November 6th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Leslie says:
I have been reading your blog for a long time and have never left a message. Just wanted you to know that my 7 year old daughter and I picked a little girl from the DR born one year after my daughter. Addi picked her out herself and will be doing chores each month to help support our girl. We are very excited to watch her grow and hope to sponsor her until she is 18!
November 6th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Jill_in_AL says:
It’s great to read that in preparing for Christmas….we could all have a gift of Compassion under our tree. Thank you for inspiring and educating.
November 6th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Kelly says:
Thank you so much for writing about how much the letters mean to the children. I sponsor a 15 year old girl that I met on a mission trip to Aguascalientes Mexico. I send money for her school every month but I have not been sending her letters. Starting this week, I am going to write her letters of a consistent basis.
Thank you for the reminder!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Melanie says:
You have just reminded me to write my sponsored child! Thank you!
I often wondered why many of the children in the photos are wearing a dress or clothes that look like they borrowed them. They have. I am so glad to hear this young lady’s story!
November 6th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
lissilulu says:
Hi Bigmama, I have been reading but short on time for posting but have to encourage others in this post.
A few years ago my now 17 year old daughter went to a Rebecca St. James concert, when she came home she had a Compassion profile of a little boy.
She asked me if I would consider. I said I couldnt. You see my 15 year marriage had just ended…bitterly for my 5 children and I, we were an emotional mess and not sure what our financial future looked like.
God had other plans. We do sponsor that little boy. And I am so proud and honored to be part of Gods plan for his life.
I am a 38 year old single mama to 5 children, go to college full time and homeschool my kids. We live on child support and financial aide at this time in our lives.
Money is not a fluff in our life, neither is supporting Nilton…it is a necessity like supporting him is.
There is not a choice in my heart to include this sweet boy in our family.God never fails us financially either….I believe we are living in His blessings in what we are doing.
I hope by someone reading our testimony it will encourage them to sponsor a child and join in Gods many, many blessings that come along with receiving another of His children into His Kingdom.
In Christ,
Lori
November 7th, 2008 at 3:43 am
Sara says:
Spreading the word and praying for all of you as you wind up your trip.
http://www.tablegrace.net/?p=450
November 7th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Amy from Texas says:
I plan to sponsor a child! Thanks for your wonderful writing and bringing this to people who may not have known about it. I bet you’ll be glad to be home!! Hug Caroline for me:-)
November 7th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Tania says:
I challenge anybody who says they cannot spare the $32 (or £18 in our case here in the UK) for sponsoring a child to their bank statement over the last month and highlight how much has been spent on non-necessities and impulse buys. Even the odd bar of chocolate or shop bought drink here and there adds up - you’d be amazed.
Tania
November 7th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Melanie says:
I have wanted to sponsor a child for a while now and this is exactly the motivation I needed. I have a 6 month old and I don’t think it’s ever too early to start teaching our children just how lucky they are to be born in the most prosperous country in the world. Thank you for reminding us with this trip.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
the roost says:
That is awesome! I am gong right now and thank you for sharing!
November 8th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Bev Brandon says:
“Still reads the letters.” Wow! That paper trail will last through eternity. Very moving Melanie! Praying for you as you pour out the beautiful God that so fills you up - Psalm 50:2. Bev
November 8th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
katiegfromtennessee says:
Hey Big Mama,
This post is very moving. I knew about Compassion International, but this is good to hear about the personal stories:)
katiegfromtennessee
November 9th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Fuzzytop says:
I’ve been sponsoring a little girl named Sandra from Bolivia for several months now, well ever since BooMama and Shannon made their trip to Uganda.
Your post made me really realize how much sponsor’s letters and photos mean… I am reminded I need to be faithful in writing to Sandra.
Thanks for following God’s voice and making this trip.
Hugs,
Adrienne
November 10th, 2008 at 9:26 am