Blogger Month is almost over at Compassion International. There’ve been so many great posts raising awareness of impoverished children. As of Monday Sept 24th, nearly 2,300 new children had sponsors! But there are so many more who need help.
This week’s assignment: write a post AS your child, from his/her perspective. I chose to write from Alexandra, our 10 year old in El Salvador:
Hello Mrs Susan’s friends,
My name is Alexandra and I live in the mountains of El Salvador in a village named Jerusalem. I live at home with my mama, Carolina. I have a little sister named Ligia and my new baby brother, Jose Fernando! I asked Mrs Susan to pray that my little brother will grow healthy and strong.
Our house has two rooms with beds, and a metal roof. The kitchen is outside because of the smoke, and there is a garden nearby with a lemon tree and a nance tree. Nance is a delicious tropical fruit.
My birthday is coming soon. On October 17th, I will be 10 years old. Last year on my birthday, I got a special treat – $25 from Mrs Susan’s family! I used the money to buy chicken, rice, oil, sugar, soup and milk. And macaroni! It was a great blessing to my family.
I like my small community. There is a park where I play with my friends. There is also a city hall, and a place where families can go to take showers. It is called a “Nacimiento” and it is very nice.
I also like to go to the Compassion International Student Center. The name of the center is “Amor y Fe” which is Spanish for “Love and Faith” and I get help with my schoolwork. Doctors come there sometimes to give medical care and information so we can stay healthy.
Something else exciting happened at Amor y Fe: I learned to use the sewing machine to make tablecloths!
I also learn about Jesus at Amor y Fe. I go to church each week with my family, and we remember Mrs Susan in our prayers always. We ask God to bless her and her loved ones very much.
Goodbye to you now, with much love in Jesus Christ!
Love, Alexandra
Some of those lines were copied verbatim from recent letters. Alexandra is so sweet and she often asks me to pray specifically for their safety. Central America is full of drug runners and human traffickers, and with the high unemployment rate in El Salvador, people are desperate. She’s too young to understand a lot of that, but she understands there is danger.
She also understands that it’s helpful to PRAY, and she closes every letter asking me to pray for her and her family.
My little Alexandra is just one of thousands of impoverished children in the Compassion International arena. For less than $40 a month – the cost of dinner at a restaurant – you can make a huge difference in the life of a child.
Won’t you consider sponsoring a Compassion International child?
Susan, this letter touched my heart. You know, it’s amazing. What we’d spend $25 on, she has to spend it on the nesessities of life. We have so much that we take for granted…it’s unreal at times. I didn’t know you sponsored a child until after reading these recent posts, but that doesn’t surprise me. Knowing you and knowing your heart, I can see you doing that. Honestly, I’m surprised you don’t sponsor more than you do. Alexandra is blessed to have you in her life…even if it’s not physically. I know how she feels, because I’m certainly blessed to have you as a friend and prayer partner. Love you, sweet friend!
Thanks so much, Jamie. Actually, we sponsor a little boy in El Salvador too. Each of my Compassion kids is exactly 10 years younger than my own! I hope I get to visit them one day. It’d be awesome to go with CI on a blogger trip.
And you’re right – what they can buy for $25… Maybe when we’re not “sponsoring” two kids in college we can pick up a couple more CI kids
Love you!
This is so precious, Susan. Well said.
Thanks, Di
This is so beautifully written, Susan! When I visited Ecuador, I was exposed to a lot of this poverty and dangers you’re referring to. It certainly was a culture shock for me and some of their sights and realities are forever etched in my mind and heart. Thank-you for bringing all of this back to the forefront of my mind and for sharing this precious little girl’s heart with the rest of us. Hmmm… the cost of a dinner out? Something to think about, huh?!
Thanks, Marisa. My cousins have been to Ecuador twice and are going again next summer. It’s hard to imagine such a lifestyle, especially when we’re surrounded but such abundance. And extravagance.
I’m going to Belize in 3 weeks to meet with some missionaries. I’ll be sharing about that later, but I’m excited to see what opportunities we’ll find there!
Susan, this is so moving. We’ve never sponsored a child, but perhaps it is time. Thank you for poking my heart.
Thanks, Julia. Your kids would love having that connection, and you can choose a child based on several different categories. Maybe you could get the kids to help you choose your CI child!
Thank you for this post. It reminded me of my trip to Moldova, one of the former Soviet Union countries. It revealed to me the things we take for granted here in America. Thank you for the reminder.
Wow, Vonda — my nephew Asher is from Moldova! We’re celebrating his third year here with us (he’s now 6). You’re right – we take so much for granted. It’s embarrassing the things that frustrate us.
I think what all you guys are doing for Compassion is awesome! Isn’t it fun to get letters from them? I’m always excited to get that envelope in the mail from Israel or Honduras. I am praying that the goal to have children sponsored is exceeded beyond everyone’s wildest dream!
Oh if these letters don’t tug on your heart strings, I don’t know what will!
beautifully written…
When my now hubby and I started dating, we chose a Compassion child together to sponsor. I cried last winter when she graduated from the program 15 years later. I was so proud of how far she had come! And then we got to pick a child our son’s age and I’m trusting they can become great pen pals as they both grow older together.
No…there’s no negative aspect to this Compassion business….
So blessed by you, Susan! (and heads up, I may be mentioning you in Monday’s post. Hope you don’t mind!)
No negative aspect to CI – you’re right about that, Nikki! And I’m HONORED for the mention
Thank yoU!
I feel so ashamed after having read this. How can I complain and carry on about the messy laundry room or any of the other frivolous things that can consume me when there are precious children around the world worried about drug runners and sex trafficking at the innocent and tender age of 10? Sobering…just sobering.
Thank you for shedding light on the reality that so many live daily while the rest of us enjoy freedom and security in this country. Praying for Him to show me what we can/should do as a family.
What a precious little girl. To spend her birthday money on food for her family. My daughter’s father’s family lives in El Salvador in a fishing village, and they have it so much better than this. I also pray for her safety, because I have heard that El Salvador is the 2nd most dangerous country in the world, and there are many perils. God bless her family.
Thanks so much for checking in! I’m happy to report that CI SURPASSED their goal! Almost 3,200 children received sponsors in September!
What a fabulous ministry. May all these children come to know Jesus as Lord!