I have mise you for a long time.

Lavin is a beautiful little girl.  She's thirteen now.  I first began to sponsor her when she was ten years old.  Lavin lives in a small shack with her mom and uncle, who she calls her step-dad.  Lavin's dad died some years back.  Lavin absolutely adores singing and dancing.  She's very creative and intelligent.  Lavin is meek and quiet, but when she comes out of her shell, nothing can stand in her way.  She's in the fourth grade.

During the summer of 2009, I was given the opportunity to travel to Kisumu, Kenya and meet Lavin in person.  In fact, I was able to spend an entire week at her school.  Lavin and I became friends over that week.  I was very sad to leave her, and even a year and a half later, I still think about Lavin every day and write her frequent letters.

When in Africa, I was given the opportunity to see just how much I blessed Lavin's life through my sponsorship.  I first began to sponsor Lavin when I was fifteen years old and a freshman in high school.  I sacrificed money that came out of my allowance, but I felt that it was worth it.  After visiting Kenya, Africa, I saw how "worth it" my small sacrifice truly was.

After I sponsored Lavin, she was allowed to attend school and receive a real education.  My sponsorship will last through vocational school or a university, so Lavin can become whoever she wants to be.  Lavin is given clothes, a school uniform, and good school shoes.  Lavin is taught spiritually.  She has asked Jesus into her heart.  She has memorized Bible verses for school.  She attends church each Sunday.  She receives three meals a day, which is much more than she would have gotten without a sponsor.  If she becomes sick, Lavin is given treatment at an on-campus clinic.  Lavin receives letters from someone who lives across the world -me- and knows now that she is loved and cherished.

I was blessed after meeting Lavin as well.  Her obvious joy that came from the Lord, her maturity, and her sweet, crooked smile changed the way I viewed my own life.  You can read my journal from when I spent two weeks in Africa here, on my website.

I very recently received a card in the mail from Lavin. I love it.  My little girl is so creative and talented.  I loved to see her drawing of a mud hut, possibly based off of the one in which she lives.  The letter is precious.  I'll go ahead and let you read what it says.

Dear Emily,
Dear Emily I hope that you are fine too.  I have mise you for a long time.  I am writeing this latter for reminding you that I mise you and your famliy too.  I ama working hard in school and at home.  I am helping my parents.  Emily, I want you to come back again with your familiy your sister Am and your brother luke and you also.

Romans 16:19
I like this memori vac [memory verse].
Say that for your obedience has become known to all.  There I am glad on your behalf, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.

Philippians 2:11
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the grolry of God and the Father.

If you don't think that's adorable, check out some of Lavin's drawings in the photo above with your own eyes.  So sweet.

I try to write Lavin letters as often as I can because I was able to see how much the letters actually meant to the sponsored children at Lavin's school.  When a child received a letter, she was literally mobbed by other students, who examined every word, photograph, and sticker sheet.  Children keep letters from their sponsor forever.  Most could quote facts about their sponsors and their sponsors' families... just from the letters.  Letters from people in America who care mean so much to these kids.  If you sponsor a child, please write him or her a letter at least twice a year.  It's so important to them.  I can't stress that enough.

I used to wonder as a sponsor if my money actually went anywhere or helped anyone, or if it merely lined the pockets of pompous, greedy executives.  I don't know about other humanitarian organizations, but I do know that Christian Relief Fund strives to truly help as many children as they possibly can.  I was able to witness multiple lives that were changed because of the ministry of CRF.  Without CRF, many children would be dead right now from starvation and disease, possibly even including Lavin.

There were children dressed in ragged clothing standing at the gates of the school, waiting for scraps of food to be given to them for a meal.  They were the unsponsored children.  I turned to look at the sponsored children with their uniforms and big smiles, laughing, singing, and playing lighthearted games before returning to class.  What a difference my sponsorship made on Lavin's life.

If you do not sponsor a child, I strongly recommend you to consider the idea.  When you sponsor a child through Christian Relief Fund, you will receive progress reports, school report cards, personal letters and drawings from your child, and yearly photo updates.  You will be changing a child's life forever, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  When you receive letters and cards from your special child, you will feel touched and excited, eager to see how you have blessed someone's life.

There are so many children waiting for a sponsor right now, eager to have their lives changed.  You could be the one to change a life.  Perhaps God has that purpose for you.  Go to the Christian Relief Fund website here and click on the link that says "Sponsor a Child."  You can also sponsor a family or school.  If you simply do not have the funds to monthly sponsor a child, you can give a seasonal gift by clicking on this link.  There are all sorts of ways that you can give to change a family's life, such as a chicken, a mosquito net, a home in Haiti, and so much more.

I wish I could return to Kenya, just like Lavin asked in her sweet letter.  I wish I could with all of my heart.  When I find the funds to allow me to return to Kisumu and embrace my little girl again, I will speak with her for ages, teach her brand new songs for Jesus, talk to her about her future, and encourage her as much as I possibly can.

For a little girl who lives halfway around the world, for a little girl with whom I've only spent a week of my life, I sure love Lavin.  And if she is this precious to me, I can't even imagine how much Jesus Christ cherishes her and wishes her -and every single other child who lives in a third world country- the best life imaginable.