Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Compassion International again

I'm SO completely excited about being able to sponsor a child again. It's been a long time since I sponsored a child and I'm really looking forward to sharing my love, little gifts, and the Word of God with another little one across the world. This isn't something I can really afford but I'm stepping out in faith that God will provide me the money each month to be able to sponsor little Jocelyn because I'm doing this out of gratitude for God's faithfulness. I am looking forward to the time when I'll be able to sponsor more than one child. If I could, I'd take in a whole handful. Hopefully someday (soon.)

One of the reasons I picked Jocelyn was because she was on the "Longest Waiting" list, but I also picked her because of her picture. She looks a lot like a child who I loved very much. Actually, I looked at pictures of a lot of children. I looked at sad eyes, angry eyes, happy eyes, weary eyes. I said lots of prayers and wondered about lots of the children. Wondered what was going on in their minds when their photos were taken.

What would make a 5 year old look so angry? Why would a 4 year old look so hurt? It isn't too hard to guess, of course. These children are living in extreme poverty. Some are orphans. Some have handicaps. Many of them are affected by AIDS. Many of the children are doing things that children just shouldn't have to be doing yet, like a 4 year old having the job of hauling well-water back and forth in a bucket to her home. I wish with all my heart I could take that little one in, and allow her to play dolls and games all day, spoil her with new clothes and kisses on her cheek at night.

And some pictures surprised me: the happy ones. Some of the children are, in fact, smiling in their pictures? What do they know that others don't? Is it possible that some of these children already realize what some adults in the United States still don't... that our level of happiness isn't dependent on our circumstances? That we can have joy even when things around us are difficult... that we can find things to be grateful for and happy about, even when we face tough times. "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12)

Anyway, I'm so grateful to be able to help Jocelyn and her family. I am praying that God will let them know that help is on the way for her, and her time of waiting for a sponsor (over 6 months) is finally over.

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