Day 21: A quote or Bible verse you try to live by.

Now that I'm finally back to blogging (it seems like it has been an eternity), I'd like to share one of my favorite verses in the Bible, James 1:27, which says:

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Let me share a story with you I don't think I've ever shared on this blog before. 

About a year ago, I attended a Christian concert at a fairly large church in my city.  This church had recently made some huge renovations, apparently spending millions of dollars on building upgrades, including a huge circle-shaped auditorium created solely for concerts and performances.  While looking around, I was informed that the two huge screens on each side of the room cost half a million dollars... each.  The church had an indoor arcade, skateboarding arena, multiple basketball courts... I couldn't believe my eyes.

About halfway through the concert, they began to play a video.  It was for Compassion International and it contained typical tear-jerking scenes: African kids standing in the streets of their slums, ankle-deep in sludge and dressed in nothing but rags and flies.  Heartbreaking video footage, a couple of Christian celebrities asking the audience to sponsor a child... if you've ever been to a big Christian concert, you've probably seen something like this before.

Anything Africa tends to fill my heart with fire, but I rarely cry when I see those videos.  (Okay, I might tear up a little now and then.)  However, as I sat there and watched the Compassion video, I immediately began to cry.  Pretty obviously crying too (tears rolling down my cheeks, sniffling, lip quivering kind of crying).  My mom turned around and gave me a look like, "What on earth are you crying for?"

The reason I cried was because I was disgusted.  My heart felt like it had been snapped in half.  In that moment, I felt horribly embarrassed and was glad no one from the slums of Africa was there to see what was happening.

On two half-a-million dollar screens played a video sharing statistics about poverty and starvation.  The video was asking the audience to donate $35 dollars a month, but imagine how many children could be helped if they'd sacrificed one of their luxurious screens... or their arcade... or their Wiis... or their skate plex.

And you can say, "It's their business.  It's their church."  But we're the church.  Every one of us.  We are the body of Christ and as a member of this body, I'm calling a problem out into the open.  We're so focused on prosperity and the American dream... and serving the poor comes second.  How is that anywhere near what the Lord has called us to be?

I've been told that the reason all of these huge attractions have been put into churches is to attract more unbelievers, and I do believe we should keep our churches looking nice out of respect for the Lord.  But what I keep hearing, in a nutshell, is... as long as we focus on the things of the world--material possessions, the American Dream--we'll get more members?  Sure, if we act like the world, the world will eagerly embrace us. 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.

We've kind of forgotten that part.  I wish I could plaster James 1:27 on the walls of every church to remind everyone (including myself) about what God intends for us and calls for us to do.  He has called us to help the needy.  His heart is with the hurting and the suffering. 

After visiting that church, a song came to mind.  It's by Todd Agnew and it's called "My Jesus."  Let me share a few lines with you:

I want to be like my Jesus.  Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus. You see, I'm tired of living for success and popularity. I want to be like my Jesus.

It's Christmas time.  It's easy to become absorbed in gift-giving and possessions.  I'm not saying that getting and receiving gifts are wrong.  They make special memories and they are a nice part of Christmas, as long as they aren't put first.  Let's make sure to give some of our time volunteering this Christmas season without expecting anything in return.  Let's give a portion of our--or actually, the Lord's-- money to the poor. 

Let's follow James 1:27.  No more forgetting.

2008

She is seven years old.  Her eyes shine blue beneath a swollen bruise, and dark bruises also mar her arms and legs.  Guarded, even at such a young age, she smiles hesitatingly at me, glancing at the drab concrete beneath her feet. 

We are outside, sitting on the cement steps in front of the PAC, a place where children who have been abused go to be assessed before being sent to various foster homes.  "So why did you come to talk to me today?" I ask her gently, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder.  She cringes, so I pull away.  "What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to tell Jesus I want to go to heaven."  She picks up a twig, fiddling it in her fingers.  She won't look me in the eye, but a shy smile is on her face.

I question her gently.  "Why can't you go to heaven on your own?"

"Because I sinned."

I smile at the girl encouragingly, getting out my Wordless Book and explaining to her how to ask Jesus to be her Savior.  She is afraid to pray on her own, afraid that she will 'mess it up,' so she follows the lead of my friend Cathy, her eyes squeezed shut as she talks to Jesus.  When she finishes, her eyes open, and she looks nervously into mine for the first time. 

"I did it."

"That's right.  You did.  And do you know what that means?  You are God's child now, and He is your Father, and He will always take care of you."

The mention of a father causes her eyes to drop again and then her expression changes.  "God is my Father?"  The thought must frighten her in a way, but give her strange assurance.  Surely this Father will be a better one that however many duds she's had in the past.  "God is my Father."

"That's right.  You're a child of God.  You're His little girl and He loves you."  I read to her John 1:12 and then ask her, "Do you have a Bible of your own?"

Her face falls.  "No."

Cathy runs inside the PAC and returns with a children's New Testament.  The girl thumbs through it, her eyes wide with excitement, and then her face falls.  "I thought it was bigger than this."

"It is bigger.  This is only half of the Bible, the New Testament.  Maybe when you're older you'll be able to get a full one."  I wish with all my heart I could give her both testaments.  The little thing she holds in her hand just doesn't seem like enough.

"Thank you," she whispers. 

"You are very, very welcome.  Do you have any questions or do you want to go back inside?"

"I don't have any questions."  She gets up slowly, cradling the Bible in her arms.  As she climbs up the concrete steps and walks out of the afternoon Texas heat and back into the air-conditioned PAC building, I reach out gently to stroke her blonde hair.  This time, she does not flinch.

She finishes the Good News Club with glowing eyes.  Fifteen minutes before, she had been whispering and fighting with the others... now she is listening attentively to the lesson.

I watch her as another little girl comes up to her and knocks the Bible out of her hands.  It clatters to the floor.  "Why do you have that?" she sneers, folding her arms across her chest.

The girl kneels to the ground, carefull picking up her Bible and stroking the cover with trembling hands.  She gets to her feet and hugs the book to her chest, giving the child a firm stare.  "Don't do that.  It's my Bible." 

"Whatever," the other girls says and flounces away.

I hold my breath, unsure if this new Christian will be able to take persecution after being saved for such a short time, but she continues rocking the Bible in her arms and watching the lesson, refusing to back down in her newfound faith.  She reaches a small hand up to brush the golden hair out of her face, exposing her black eye.

I am reminded again of this little girl's dark past.  What has she been through?  What has she endured in her short seven years of life?  Any day now, she will finish her evaluation and be sent to a foster home or to some decent relative... or if they can find no one to take her, she will be sent to a children's home.

I catch her eye from across the room and she grins, a new confidence in her face.

After class, everyone is leaving.  I walk up to her and touch her shoulder.  "Today's a special day.  You became a child of God today."

"And on Father's Day," she says with a quiet laugh.

I smile at her encouragingly.  "That's right.  I'm very proud of you.  Have a good day, Julie."

She looks at me, nods, and hugs the Bible closer to her chest before joining the line of children to go back to the dorms for the rest of the day.

The heavens are rejoicing right now.

Lavin, the fourteen-year-old girl I sponsor through Christian Relief Fund, has been sending me letters like crazy lately.  I realize that Christian Relief Fund will occasionally send one or two letters from the child at once because of the great distance between Africa and America, but in the last month, I've received four letters from Lavin.  Wow!

Lavin and I have a special bond because we were able to spend a week together when I visited her school in Kenya, Africa.  We sang songs, shared stories, played games, and connected in a way I never thought I would experience with her.  Because of that, our letter writing has deepened beyond what it was when we were mere acquaintances. 

Since I've been at college, my mom has been sending the letters from Lavin to me after they're sent to our home.  Recently, she said the letters have touched her heart so much that even she wishes I could just go back and see my sponsored child again.  I hope to visit Lavin one day, but first I must raise the funds I need in order to travel all the way to Africa and stay for at least two weeks at a time.  (I'm not sure how to raise three thousand dollars at the moment.) 

Today I'd like to share with you the sweet, sweet letters I've received from Lavin over the last couple of weeks.  (I didn't change any spelling.)

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August 2, 2011

Dear Emily,

How are you?  I hope that you are fine.  Here we are fine too.  I am thanking you for the letter that I have just received now.  I have two friends.  There name's are Doddie and Emily.  I miss you so much.  I love all of them.  I would just like to request [for you] to come back again and meet them too.

I thank God for giving such good friends.  I am praying for your families that may God be with them.  I am praying for your friend Rebekah [after her knee surgery, since I wrote Lavin a letter asking for prayer a while back] too.  The weather in Kenya is hot and cold.  When it is cold, we wear jackets and when the weather is hot, we put on light cloths.  My friends would like to see you or meet you.  I would like to write you a memory verse.

Memory verse:

My memory verse come from the book of Romans, chapter 3:18.  It says: Their is no fear of God before their eyes.

Psalm 100:1

Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the land.

Bye Emily

Your lovly daughter,

Lavin

I love you Emily.

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July 6, 2011

Dear Emily,

I hope that you are fine, you and your family too.  I miss [you] so much Emily and I hope that you will come.  Am so glad to you and you family and I hope that you are okay.  I am in standard 5 [fifth grade] and I am 14 years old. 

My favourite colour is green and brown.  My favourite number is 18.  And I want to tell you that I am doing well in school.  I am working hard.  I can remember the day that we went down to the field to play football and when we were dancing to school, we were singing. 

I can remember all the things we were doing in the school.  When I am going to sleep, I pray to [or for] you and your family.  When it is Sunday I went to church to pray and I must pray to [or for] you and you family.

I have a memory verse for you which comes from the book of Romans chapter 6:23.  It say For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Your loving daughter,

Lavin

I wished you all the best.

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May 1, 2011

Dear Emily,

Hi, how are you?  I hope you are fine.  Here with us we are fine.  I am working heared in school so that I can achieve my goals.  Am always glad to recieve your letters and my photo.  Am celebrating my birthday in 12th November.  I love you very much and God love you most.  May God give you a long life.

By.

Love,

Lavin

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Undated

Dear Emily,

Greetings, sister.  How are you?  I am doing fine.  Please give greetings to you family.

For me my family also give you greetings.  I miss you very much, Emily.  I have missed you and thought about you often for long, long time.  I am doing fine.

I'm just so happy to know that you are healthy and working hard in your school work.  I pray for you every day.  I love you, Lavin.  You are my sister in Christ.  I love to hear from you.  You are beautiful.  Read Romans 16:19.  My favorite thing is to write.  I write songs, stories, and poems.  Do you like to sing?  What is your favorite story? [The last four sentences are actually direct quotes from my last letter, which makes me chuckle.  Now I certainly know she studies my letters.]

God will bless you.

Love,

Lavin

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This may not be as adorable to you as it was to me, but it broke my heart.  It was so touching to read her memory of that day when we hooked arms and danced all the way back to her school after watching the "football/soccer" game, singing all the way.  It's so touching that she calls herself my daughter.  It's so touching that she prayed for my friend and that she knows the names of my siblings and friends (she's mentioned them in other letters).  I miss Lavin's smile, voice, and her hugs. 

I'm not sure what I can do to raise the money to go back to Kenya, but I long to be back on African soil.  Someday soon, I pray.

If YOU are interested in starting up a friendship with a child living in an impoverished country and providing them with an education, food, and clothes, then consider sponsoring a child through Christian Relief Fund for $35 a month.

This is a speech I found that I wrote for speech class during my sophomore year of high school.  It isn't great writing, but it's definitely interesting.  I nearly forgot about this.  Surely something to think about.

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Lavin Atieno lives in Kisumu, Kenya. She is nine years old. Her father is jobless. Her mother makes only $22.50 a month. That is not enough money to keep one person alive, and yet Lavin’s mother has to find ways to support a family of three. Lavin lives in a single-room mud shack in the middle of the third largest city in Kenya. Without a sponsor to provide food, healthcare, and a proper education for her, Lavin would have no hope for a future.

I have sponsored Lavin since she was ten years old with my monthly allowance and because of this, I know that there is one more child in the world that has hope for a better life.

You or your family may sponsor a child- you may even sponsor more than one- but did you know that there are still millions of children around the world without food, healthcare, or an education? In fact, if they held hands, they would circle the globe. There are so many children all around the world that are suffering, but today I am only going to focus on Africa.

According to the World Population Prospects of 2006, which is the most recent census taken of the earth, there are approximately 400 million children in Africa from the ages of 0-14.

Let’s stop talking about this for a moment and talk about you. Do your parents use credit cards? Do you have a credit card? Did you know that as of June, 2008, the debt accumulated in America from credit cards this year equals 968,400,000,000 million dollars? That is a lot of money!

I believe that credit cards are unnecessary because they encourage immediate satisfaction and they put you in debt that is very difficult to work off. In fact, Governor Sarah Palin said at her vice presidential debate last week, and I quote, “We don’t need to live outside of our means.”

Now you may be thinking, “Thanks for the lecture, but what does any of this have to do with Africa?” Let me give you some facts.

According to the Christian Relief Fund, it cost $360 a year to sponsor one child. Do you realize that this is less than what some of you spent on your phone?

There is $145,260,000,000 in credit card interest per year owed to credit card companies.  If you would like to do the math with me, then you can divide 360 into 145,360,000,000. If you are using your calculator, you may want to divide 1,452.6 times ten to the eighth, because the number I mentioned earlier is too large to fit into a calculator screen. If you divide these numbers, it equals 403,500,000.

That means that 400,500,000 children that could be sponsored with only the interest owed to credit card companies in America every year. Remember how I said earlier that there are currently 400 million children in Africa. This means that if we stopped using credit cards, then simply the interest of our debt could feed all of the children in Africa.

In conclusion, I am going to give you God’s view on feeding the poor. James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows and keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

You may want to tell me, “Every time I get a World Vision magazine in the mail, or see a Compassion International video at a concert, I feel sorry for the children and maybe even say a little prayer for the children- that God will give them a meal today or provide them a place to sleep tonight.” Feeling sorry for the children is not enough. James 2:15-16 says, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes or daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about it, then what good is it?”

It is not up to us as Christians to simply pray. It is up to us as Christians to act upon our prayers. I am not going to tell you how to live your life, but I want to make you think on what I am telling you today. Which is most important: material possessions or children’s lives?

Lastly, I am going to quote Jared Diamond from the National Geographic magazine. He says, “Is the African continent doomed eternally to wars, poverty, and devastating diseases? Absolutely not,” and I believe this with all of my heart.

Isn’t giving up credit cards and living inside of our means worth it if because of it we could begin to heal a starving world?

I wrote this on October 6, 2009 after a tough day volunteering at a family homeless shelter.

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She stumbled into the room with frightened eyes. Three young children followed at her feet, somber and bewildered. She was high as a kite and couldn't walk straight, let alone think clearly. "I just don't know what to do anymore," she mumbled, coming to sit down in a chair. "I can't stay. I need a smoke. I can't stay in here." Trembling, she took her crying toddler by the hand and rushed out of the room, ignoring the pleas of my grandmother. "I need a smoke. I'll be back later. I can't take this right now."

Her other two children sat in silence, staring at me with forlorn expressions. I spoke to them with a huge smile on my face, pretending like nothing was wrong. Like their weeping mother hadn't just fled the room, leaving a trail of confusion behind her. Like there weren't any problems.

I try to make the class an escape for the kids, a place where they can go to laugh and play games and win prizes and have fun and learn about Jesus without having to think about the crappiness of life. For an hour out of the week, there are no problems.

My lesson was about how Jesus calmed the storm and how He could help them with tough stuff in life, just like He helped His disciples. Towards the end of the lesson, I said, "Raise your hand if you have ever been scared." My point was going to be that when you're scared, you can put your trust in Jesus and He will help you.

Everyone raised their hands, grinning sheepishly, except for the two children. "I don't get scared," the little girl said.

I smiled at her. "You NEVER get scared? I sure get scared sometimes."

"Well, I don't."

"Not even when you were little?"

"No. Never." She looked at me with defiance shining in her blue eyes, daring me to disagree.

"Wow, you must be really brave."

She nodded her head, completely serious. "I am."

Her younger brother peered at me through his bangs. "I don't get scared either."

I didn't press them any further. "Wow," I said. "These guys NEVER get scared. I've never heard of anyone who hasn''t ever been scared before." And then I went on with the lesson.

Later, we saw the mother outside, standing in the chilly autumn breeze. Terror was stretched across her face. "They're making us leave tomorrow," she said hoarsely. "I have to go back to hell."

We bid farewell to the mother and her children, watching as they stood close to each other, connected by a bond that only hard times could create. As I slid into my grandmother's car, we stared at each other for a moment, sharing a single thought, "Where else do they have to go?"

An abusive father? The streets? A crack house?

The mother is in a terrible situation. That's bad enough. But even worse, there are three little children caught up in the middle of their mother's problems. Who knows what they go through each day? Who knows what they see, what they hear, where they have to sleep at night?

The mother was on drugs. I realize that drugs aren't allowed in Faith City. But what about her kids? Where do her babies have to live after tomorrow? Who is there to look out for them when their world is crashing down around them?

"I'm not afraid." A protective wall was rigid in the little girl's eyes, separating her emotions from the world. She has no one but her two brothers and a mother who can't even walk straight. How can she rebound from problems that leave her drowning when nobody is offering her help?

As Christians in modern day America, how far do we need to go to protect these children? How long are we going to sit here and watch them take blow after blow after blow? How many blows can they bear until they shatter into a thousand pieces?

And why haven't we helped them before now? I can't help but wonder.

Lately I've been complaining about something. 

Our well is going dry, which I've mentioned before, and what water we have left has turned a cloudy brown color.  Some days are better than others, but recently, the water has been dirtier than ever.  Sand coats my shower drain.  When I turn on the sink faucet, water pours out and turns the sink brown in a matter of seconds.

The other day, I didn't realize the water had gotten worse, so I took a quick shower before going to bed.  The next morning, I noticed that the bristles on my hairbrush were stained brown.  Disgusted, I rubbed them clean, but when I ran the brush back through my hair, the bristles came back brown again.

I was horrified.

My hair was so covered in sediment that it felt stiff to the touch.  It felt like I had gone outside and bathed in a mud puddle.

Lately I've been complaining.  Our water situation makes me feel incredibly frustrated.  Not being able to wash clothes, dishes, shower... not being able to grab a drink from the faucet.  It's inconvenient.  Annoying.

And then today I was looking through some photos I took when I was in Kenya, Africa.  One picture in particular stood out vividly to me.  Do you see what is captured in this blurry photograph?

Women are gathering water from the puddles that line the side of the road.  They'll use this water for drinking, washing, bathing.

While I was in Kenya, I saw the water that pooled along the roads.  See for yourself:

It's filthy.  Feces, debris, and insects fill the water until it more closely resembles sludge.  People walk barefoot through this water.  Kids use the streets as a toilet.  Pigs, cattle, and dogs roam the slums, sharing the water as well.

I wouldn't subject my dog to the water those women were collecting.  Their water is filled with life-threatening diseases like cholera.  My water is a little sandy.  You know, I bet they would take the quality of water from my well and feel grateful.

At least I have other alternatives.  I don't have to drink our well water.  I use water bottles.  I can shower at grandparents' homes.  I don't have to use the dirty water coming out of our faucets.  Even if the water in my shower is sandy, I am still surrounded by access to clean, sanitary water.

I am so blessed.

When I'm thirsty, I can have a drink without worrying about cholera and parasites.  I can wash my hands and my clothes.  I still have water, even if it's not always the prettiest or most accessible. 

And in a matter of days, I'll be living in a dorm with total access to clean water again.  I'll be able to brush my teeth using water from the sink.  I'll be able to grab a glass of water during the night, wash my clothes, rinse off my dishes.  There will be a pool and a fountain outside.  How could I not feel incredibly blessed?

I don't ever want to forget how blessed I am with the gift of water, even when it doesn't always come in the way I want it.  The Lord has provided me with so much.  I take my blessings for granted so often.  My ungrateful attitude needs to change.  No more forgetting.  No more complaining.

It's time to be thankful.

U: Underdog you stand up for

Hmm, this is a tough topic.  I've always been one to stand up for the underdog.  When working at an inner city ministry (which is full of "underdogs" who are rejected by everyone around them), I usually picked the kid who was ignored or mistreated by the others.  I have a huge love for the people of Africa, an entire continent of underdogs who can't seem to get a break.

In movies, I always root for the underdog.  I think that's why I love superhero movies like "Spiderman" and "Captain America."  Weak, gangly underdogs always end up beating the bad guys.  I love that.

Honestly, I think most Americans tend to root for the underdog.  After all, America as a nation used to be an underdog. 

Think about TV shows like "The Biggest Loser," "America's Got Talent," and "American Idol."  We root for the nobodies and average joes.  That's why Susan Boyle was such a big hit.  She's a sweet older woman who doesn't look like she should be a celebrity, but she has the voice of an angel.

We like underdogs. 

So yes, I do tend to root for the underdog.  If I had to pick a specific underdog I stand up for, it would probably be kids who don't seem to have a chance in life.  They could be from Texas or Uganda.  It doesn't matter.  There are so many kids who aren't loved by their parents, who don't get the right education, who don't have anything to eat, who aren't even given a chance.  I have a passion for those kids.

Your environment doesn't have to define who you are.  Kids who grow up in the slums of Africa or my own city don't have to become prostitutes, druggies, or homeless.  They don't have to work a minimum wage job their whole lives or survive only on government aid.  The girls don't have to get pregnant at fifteen.  The guys don't have to join gangs.  They have so much more potential then what they believe of themselves. 

One of my favorite things in the world is to tell a kid who has never felt loved in her life, "You are special.  I am so proud of you.  God has huge plans for your life.  I love you, sister."  Immediately, you can see the positivity start to soak in like water into a sponge. 

All it takes is hope and a little encouragement. 

These kids are underdogs, but they don't have to always be at the bottom.  They just need to be given a chance.

What's an "underdog" you stand up for?

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Also, it's Jack's first birthday today.  Happy birthday, little buddy.  I'm sorry I'm not there to celebrate by giving you a big hug.

Day 17: What kind of impact do you want to make on the world?

I want to do something for the world.  I want to leave a mark somehow for the Lord.

So many people die without having done much with their lives.  I don't want to be someone who dies and is forgotten in a few years.  I want to make an impact before I go.  I want to do something worthwhile with the time that I have.

To my loved ones, I want to be remembered as being kind and self-sacrificing.  I don't want to be remembered as selfish or judgmental or bitter.  I want to be remembered as a girl who strove to be like Christ, even if I sometimes fail.  I want to make an impact on my loved ones for Christ in whatever way I can.

I want to make an impact on world hunger and do as much as I can for that cause before I go.  I want to put a dent in poverty.  So many kids are starving each and every day.  There are too many dying children.  This needs to end.  I'll use my life to try to end world hunger.  Too many kids die from starvation and preventable diseases each and every day.

Finally, I want to make an impact with my writing.  In many ways, my writing is my legacy.  I hope that someday, something I write will impact someone for the Lord.

What kind of impact do YOU want to make on the world?

Day 5: What in life is most beautiful to you?

I'm the one who made up these questions for the 30 Day Blogging Challenge, but I have no idea what to say in response to this question.  Why did I choose to ask this?  Why?

What in life is most beautiful to me?  Hmm...

I'm afraid that no matter what I say, I'm going to sound totally corny, so beware now.  I'm wracking my brain for something that will sound totally deep, but I don't think I'm going to come up with anything good.

Okay, after spending the last seven minutes wondering what in life is most beautiful to me, I've got it.  And I'm not just saying this to sound deep, because I don't think it's that deep at all.  This is the truth.

The most beautiful thing to me is compassion.  I love to see compassion and empathy in other people.  When I see a person make a sacrifice to help someone in need, I almost always get chills on my arms.  God has made us to have compassion on one another, but it's been forgotten so often these days.  I love hearing stories about children and elderly and those living in third world countries and basically anyone who reaches out to help another human being.  That is one of the most wonderful things in the world.

Compassion. 

Compassion is beauty to me.  When I see compassion in the hearts of those around me, their actions and lives have never looked more beautiful.

Here are today's questions.
1. What in life is most beautiful to YOU?
2. Where have you seen compassion lately?

Day 3: What are three of your biggest passions?

Before I answer this question, I'd like to put Jesus at the top of this list, but because that is an obvious Sunday school answer to this sort of question, I'm not going to include Him in my list today.  Just putting that out there.

Writing.
Writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.  I've wanted to be a writer since I was three or four years old.  I made up stories before I could actually read.  Nothing else on earth gives me that same feeling of excitement and joy than writing does.  It's truly a passion of mine.  If I go more than a day without writing, my heart starts to ache in my chest.  I feel like a day has been purposeless if I haven't written something. 

Writing is a love that God has given me.  Whether He's given me talent is up to you to decide, but even if I'm an awful writer, that's okay.  That won't change my passion for writing.  I know a lot of people find my passion for writing to be funny.  Most people hate it... like my friends, for example.  But I don't.  I have a love for writing the way some people love nature and the way some people love music. 

When I write, I create. 

Africa.
My heart hurts for everyone in the world who is struggling with poverty, but for some reason, a huge chunk of my heart lies with the people in Africa.  When I visited Kenya, my love for Africa expanded even more... and I didn't think that was possible.  The people I met were filled with joy and peace and beauty.  They taught me so much, even though they had so little.

No matter what I end up doing with my life, I know God is going to use me to help Africa in some way.  He's given me that love. 

Those struggling with self worth.
As a young teen, I struggled with depression, suicidal thoughts, and self injury.  I've been through those emotions and feelings of absolute hopelessness.  I was once a little girl who felt worthless and unlovable.  I hurt myself because I thought I deserved the pain.  I thought I deserved to die.  As I've grown older, the Lord has shown me how much worth I truly have.  I am His treasured possession.  At times, that is a hard thing to accept, especially after I've taught myself to feel stupid and ugly and without value. 

I feel a great empathy for other young girls who are struggling with these issues.  I know what it's like to feel worthless and I don't want any other girl to have to feel the same way.  It is sometimes difficult for me to forgive myself for the things I've done.  I've damaged God's temple.  I hated His creation when I hated myself.  When I have the chance to talk to girls who are struggling with the same things that I once struggled with, in a way, I feel redemption.  The Lord can use my most shameful and painful mistakes to glorify Him and help others. 

For the rest of my life, I want my struggles and past to be available for the Lord to use for His glory.  If there is a young girl who will be encouraged by my testimony, then I will be eager to share it with her. 

No girl should ever feel ugly or worthless.

Here are today's questions:
1. What are your three biggest passions?
2. Have you ever struggled with self worth?    
 

Day 1: What is a changing moment in your life?

A changing moment in my life was when I got to know the little girl I sponsor through Christian Relief Fund.  We'd corresponded through letters for two years, but when I actually met her in person, my entire world seemed to spin out of control. 

Lavin is beautiful, smart, and heart-breakingly sweet, but she lives in a world of poverty.  Everything around her seems dead set on keeping her poor and hungry and uneducated.  Her father died from AIDS years ago.  She lives in a mud shack.  Her one pair of school shoes (when I met her) was tattered and torn.  It was painful to see this little girl I had gotten to know surrounded by so much hurt and sadness.

When I agreed to sponsor Lavin, I agreed to take care of her as an adoptive parent of sorts.  I provide food, clean water, medical care, clothes, and an education to a little girl I've grown to love so much.  The picture to your left is of dorky-freshman-in-high-school me eagerly holding up my first picture of Lavin.

I remember the first time I saw Lavin in person.  I was standing in a crowd of uniformed children who were all chattering in Swahili and broken English.  "Do you know Lavin?" I asked them, searching the crowd for a familiar face... for the face of the child who called herself my daughter.  "Is Lavin here?"

"Lavin, Lavin. Where is Lavin?"  Voices ricocheted through the group of children and heads began to turn, searching for my sponsored child. 

Finally, a young girl with a painfully shy smile was nudged to the front of the group.  Lavin.  She looked at me with hesitant brown eyes, obviously unsure of what to say to me in person.

"Lavin, do you know who I am?" I asked quietly.

She nodded her head.  "Emily," she whispered.  I had sent her a few pictures of myself each year, which is how she would recognize me by sight.

We embraced.

By the end of that week, we weren't only acquaintances anymore.  Lavin wasn't just a stiff-looking child from a photograph.  She was my daughter, my sister, and my friend.  I loved her.  I loved to talk with her and sing with her and see the look of pride that fell over her face when other kids would watch her enviously.  Lavin's sponsor had come to visit her.

Sponsoring Lavin was a huge step in my life.  Meeting her was even bigger.

Lavin has taught me to be unselfish and joyful, no matter what circumstances have been thrust my way.  In her last letter to me, Lavin said she wanted to be a lawyer so she could stand up for the street children.  If that's truly what she wants to become, then I'll do whatever I can to help her get there.

I love Lavin. 

If you've met your sponsored child, you know the feeling.  If you don't sponsor a child yet, you can do so here, at Christian Relief Fund's website.

Here are today's questions for you to answer:
1. Do you sponsor a child? How has that changed you?
2. What's a changing moment in YOUR life? 
 

The other day, I talked about how precious life was and how we shouldn't ever waste it.  Today I'd like to expand on that topic a little more.  Your life is valuable.  You're precious to God.  But there are other precious lives that are vanishing every day, and that's what I'd like to discuss right now.

When I see images of the kids in third world countries who are dying from preventable issues such as hunger and malaria, my heart feels like it's literally splitting in my chest.  The children who have died and are dying from starvation and diseases were never even given a chance to survive.  They've been restrained within the barriers of poverty.  Their deaths were painful and easily preventable.  They died without being remembered.  They died without the world knowing they ever even existed.  It's like they've been invisible.

It really is.  Look at the photograph to your right.  Don't turn away because it makes you uncomfortable.  I want you to feel uncomfortable.  Allow your heart to start pounding in your chest.  Let chills rise on your arms.  Let your stomach churn and your hands tremble.  This child is dying.  If you're thinking to yourself, "Oh, that's so sad," but plan to do nothing more than think about this image for the next few days or weeks or even months, then this child is invisible to you.

If you see the World Vision ads that appear on the sides of your screen while you're surfing the internet and all you feel is a twinge of sadness before you move on to something happier and less uncomfortable, then these children have become invisible to you.  You're ignoring the deaths of precious children who have a Father in heaven who cherishes them and feels terribly grieved when they die.  These kids may not have anyone on earth who cares for them or remembers them, but Jesus Christ died for them too.

A dying child should make you leap from your seat with shock and horror.  It should make you shout, "No!  His death doesn't have to happen.  None of these deaths have to happen.  I'm going to stand up and do something."  Children are dying.  What are you doing about it?

I went to Kenya, Africa a couple of summers ago.  I saw many things that changed my perspective on poverty and sacrifice while I was over there, but an instance sticks out in my mind especially today.  A friend and I were taking some pictures of kids to send to those who sponsor them through Christian Relief Fund.  We would go down the long list of names and ask the kids who would crowd around us, eagerly waiting to help, to find the child we needed to photograph and interview.

At one point, we asked the kids to bring us a little girl.  I don't remember her name now.  I wish I did.  There were many names we read off that day.  The kids grew silent for a long moment until a young girl finally spoke up.  "She died," she told us in a somber voice.  When we questioned her, the girl's response was, "She died from chicken pox two weeks ago."

She died from chicken pox.

In the world today, there are still little children dying from chicken pox.

I remember that moment quite often.  Children are dying from preventable issues every single day without a chance to leave their mark on the world, without a chance to change someone's life, without a chance to learn or experience new things or to grow.  The lives of these children are truly a mist, likes James 4 discusses, but their tragic lives could be made longer than they are now.  We could be making a difference.

James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."  You've probably read that verse before, but take a moment to read James 2:15, 16, located a few verses down.  "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?"  What good is it?  When you see the images of starving children and feel bad or say a quick prayer for them, in all honesty, what good will that do?  What good is it?  What tangible difference are you making in their lives?

Here's a quote by A.W. Tozer that impacted my perspective on faith and prayer.  "...I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work... Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience."  Here, A.W. Tozer was talking about praying for revival, but the same concept works with praying for God to end poverty.  You may be praying for the starving children, but what are you doing to obey God's law?  What are you doing to help the orphans and widows in their distress? 

I read somewhere that if everyone in the word who claimed to be a Christian tithed 10% of their earnings to the church, then we would eradicate world poverty and AIDS in less than a year.

What are you doing to help the needy?

Every minute, more than 110 kids die from starvation, equaling about 160,000  a day.  Each minute, two kids die from malaria.  Every two minutes, a child dies from AIDS.  What are you doing to try to prevent these deaths and save the lives of these little children?  If you're not fighting for the destitute and needy, then it may be time to reset some priorities.

In the ten minutes it took you to read today's blog article, more than 1,125 kids have died from preventable issues.  1,125 babies who are treasured by the Lord. 

Life is precious.

It's time to stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves.

I found the pictures from this article here, here, here, and here.  

 

So over the last few weeks, I've given you some ideas of what to send and what to write to your sponsored child.  Today I'm going to tell you what you shouldn't send to your sponsored child.  Some conversation topics and little gifts are inappropriate or confusing for a child growing up in a third world country.  It can be difficult to know for sure what is taboo.

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Don't talk about...

1.) American pop culture. - Don't mention Miley Cyrus or Justin Bieber when you're writing a letter to your sponsored child.  Kids in third world countries aren't around much television.  The pop culture icons they do know will often be celebrities from their country, not from yours, or celebrities that were most popular ten years ago, such as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.  Don't discuss movies, television shows, popular songs, or celebrities with your sponsored child.  You will most likely confuse her or make her feel inadequate.

2.) Politics. - Even if you don't like our president, your child may have been raised to adore him.  Your child might feel suspicious of you if you talk negatively about your government.  And do not put down your child's government.  You could get your child in trouble for possessing letters that talk badly about their political leaders.  Controversial political topics such as abortion and gay marriage should be avoided in your letters as well.

3.) Using slang. - Avoid metaphors and figures of speech in your letters.  Your child probably doesn't speak English as a first language.  He won't understand.  American slang, such as "homeboy" or "What's up?" could even be confusing to your child.

4.) Your worries and concerns. - Remember that your sponsored child has lived a difficult life.  She has probably seen many of her family members and friends pass away.  She's gone hungry.  She lives in poverty.  She has a lot of worries.  If you talk about family members of your own who have died or are dying, you could cause your child to worry about you as well, a burden that she doesn't need on top of everything else.  Avoid talking about severe illnesses, death, and financial worries.

5.) What your child would like you to send him. - While you might wonder what your child would prefer- stickers or a bookmark, it could put your child in a very awkward position.  He may have even been told by his sponsorship organization not to ask you for anything because you've already blessed him with so much.

6.) Poor scores on a child's report card. - Even if you are concerned about the low scores your child has received on a report card, don't specifically bring it up in your letters.  Your criticism could cause your child much embarrassment.  Your child will want to please you, but there could be serious factors in her life that are preventing her from making good grades in school.  If you're concerned about your child's school work, simply say something to the effect of, "Remember to try hard in school.  I know you're very smart and God has many plans for you, so you must always remember to do your best," and leave it at that. 

7.) Your material possessions. - Don't describe how many rooms you have in your house or your Christmas presents you received.  This will make your child feel much different from you and perhaps even alienated and un-special. 

8.) Your child's disease. - If your child has HIV or AIDS, don't bring it up unless your child speaks of it first.  HIV/AIDS can be a very embarrassing subject for your child to discuss. 

9.) Your child's deceased friends and family members. - Avoid making your letters something sad for your child.  Don't question her about the dead.  Instead, send her encouraging notes and Bible verses. 

10.) Talking about your child visiting you in the United States. - Even if you only say something like, "I wish you could come visit me in America one day," your child could easily take your words out of context and believe that you're coming to take him to America one day.  Don't give him false hopes. 

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Don't send your child...

1.) Money - Don't even send pennies in letters to your child.  What seems like a little bit of money to you is a lot of money to children in third world countries, and having pocket money can put them in danger.  Send money through your sponsorship organization.  They'll ensure that the money goes to help your child's family.

2.) Food - This can become bad through the mail, but it could also be confiscated by immigration or postal officials.

3.) Crayons - These can melt in the mail.

4.) Markers and Pens - If these break, they'll make quite a mess in the letter.

5.) Photographs of your house - This will cause your child to feel alienated from your life.  This also goes for taking photos of your bedroom or any rooms in your home.  Your kitchen may be the size of your child's home.

6.) Photographs of your material possessions - Don't take pictures of your TV, cars, or even your new bookshelf.  Things that seem small and fascinating to your life will make your child feel inadequate to you.

7.) Photographs of your fancy vacations - While I encourage you to send pictures of scenery and plants, don't send pictures of the nice hotel where you're staying or the pretty pools at the resorts. 

8.) Sharp Objects - Avoid sending pocket knives, pencil sharpeners, scissors, and fingernail clippers. 

9.) Breakable Items - While it might be a cute gift, avoid sending something like a mirror, which could easily break in the mail and become sharp and dangerous or a disappointment for your child to receive.

10.) Political Newspaper Clippings - If you saw a little newspaper article about your child's country's latest scandal, please do not send that.  You could get your child in trouble.

11.) Used/Soiled Clothes - While some sponsorship organizations will encourage you to send underwear or socks to your child, please don't send used clothes.  Make your gifts something special.  Wal-Mart or a dollar store will have inexpensive underclothes for you to send your child instead.

12.) Seeds - These could be confiscated before they ever reach your child.

13.) Expensive-looking Toys - If you send your child very nice toys in the mail, these will alienate him from his peers and make him a target of jealousy.  Give your child cute and small gifts, but don't give him anything that will make his school mates and neighbors turn against him.

14.) Expensive-looking Jewelry - Even if the pretty earrings you want to send your child are only cubic zirconium, they might be taken as something very expensive and cause your child grief.

15.) Things your sponsorship program ask you not to send. - Each sponsorship program is different.  Compassion International has a very specific list of things you are not allowed to send, while World Vision only asks you to not send a few things.  Be sure to read over the list on your organization's website to ensure that you won't be breaking any rules and your letter will arrive safely into your child's hands.

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I hope this list helped you.  Don't worry that your child won't like the little gifts or letters you send him.  Remember that you are providing your sponsored child with an education and food and medical care.  You are his hero.  He will be excited to hear from you, even if your letter might seem "lame" to your eyes.

 

Last week, I gave you twenty-five ideas of things to send in an envelope to your sponsored child.  Here are twenty-five more ideas. 

1. Personal Notes from Family Members- So you wrote a letter to your sponsored child.  Get note cards and pass them out to family members.  Make your child feel totally special when he gets a bunch of extra little notes in his envelope. 

2. Slap Bracelets- Kids love these things.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  The bracelets that look like straight, number-less rulers until you smack them against your wrist, and then they roll up and turn into bracelets.  You can get all sorts of designs and they fit great into an envelope.

3. Guitar Picks- Do you play the guitar?  A great way to show your child what kind of instrument you play is to send her one of your guitar picks.  At Christian book stores, you could even find guitar picks with Bible verses on them.  One idea is to punch a hole into the top of a guitar pick and run a piece of thread through the hole so your child can wear the pick as a necklace and think about you.

4. Stencils- Young children especially like this.  Choose stencils of simple items, like animals, shapes, and letters of the alphabet.

5. Colored Rubber Bands- Nothing is handier than a rubber band.  Especially a colorful one. :)

6. Comb- This is a great gift for little girls, but boys could use combs too.  You can purchase flat, inexpensive combs at most dollar stores.

7. Construction Paper- Send sheets of colorful construction paper for your sponsored child to use for school.  It's a guaranteed hit.  You could even ask your child to use one of the sheets to draw you a picture.

8. Stamps- Send flat stamps with ink to your child... or stamp small squares of paper with cute messages and pictures.

9. Stick Gum- Be sure to check with the organization you use for sponsorship.  Some organizations don't allow perishable items like gum to be sent to your child. 

10. Underwear- Folded flat into the envelope, it is possible to send underwear to your sponsored child.  It's much needed, too!  Get cutesy underwear: flowers and hearts for girls and turtles and race cars for boys.  Be sure to send new underwear, not used.  You'll want your gift to be special.

11.Pencils- For obvious reasons, be sure to send unsharpened pencils.  School accessories like pencils will be much-appreciated by your sponsored child.  Pencils are always needed for school... and possibly even for writing letters to you!  If you send your child a mechanical pencil and some lead, he may be amazed.  

12. Erasers- Send a flat eraser or two with your letter.  These will also be used for school.

13. Ruler- Be sure that it isn't metal with sharp edges or a thin, fragile plastic.  I would recommend that you send a sturdy plastic or wood.  Because envelopes are generally shorter than an entire foot, you may want to send a six-inch ruler.

14. Colored Pencils- This would be a great gift for your child's birthday or Christmas.  If your child enjoys drawing pictures for you and sending them with his letter, he will most likely adore some colored pencils.  Start with basic colors, like red, blue, and yellow.

15. Mini Craft Kits- You can find a ton of these at craft stores.  Send your child crafts made of foam, Popsicle sticks, or cloth.  Be sure to include instructions that will be easy for your child to understand.

16. Seasonal Trinkets- If it's Christmas time, send a paper snowflake.  If it's Thanksgiving, make one of those hand print Turkeys and send it to your child.  Small cross trinkets work for almost any season, and they'll be treasured as something beautiful by your sponsored child's family.   

17. Family Christmas Card- If your family is like mine, you send an annual Christmas card to friends and family, sharing a photograph of your family and a quick message that shares Christmas cheer.  Go ahead and send one to your sponsored child as well.  Make her feel extra special.  She'll love the family photo.

18. Blow Up Balls- Flattened beach balls and things like that will fit well into an envelope.  Your sponsored child, especially if he's a boy, will love this gift. 

19. Pages from iSpy and Where's Waldo Books- It may be horrifying to tear pages out of a book, but these are great games to send to your child.  They'll love to search and find all the different pictures.  You could even make it an ongoing game between the two of you and each take a turn finding a hidden object.

20. Beads- Some beads are flatter than others.  If you're feeling very creative, send some yarn along with the bead and let your child make her own bracelet!

21. Magnets- There are so many magnets available, and they fit quite well into an envelope.  You could purchase them as souvenirs when you go on vacation or buy magnets with Bible verses from the Christian bookstore.

22. Handkerchief- Fold up a pretty, delicate handkerchief for your sponsored child.  If you're extra creative, you could even try to handmake one! 

23. Bible Verse Cards- Share a couple of pretty Bible verses every time you write your child a letter.  Perhaps you could both try to memorize the verses together.  Write them on note cards so the child can carry the verse around with him to school and such.

24. Pre-Printed Surveys- If you're having trouble getting your child to reach out and talk about many things in letters, type out a survey asking easy questions like, "What is your favorite sport?" or "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  Your sponsored child can fill out the survey and send it back to you with her next letter.

25. About Me Cards- On a note card, ask an easy question, like, "What is the weather like where you live?"  On one side of the card, write your answer.  Your sponsored child can answer the question on the other side and send the note card back to you.  It's a great way to communicate and learn more about each other.   

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That's my complete list of things you can send to your sponsored child.  I hope some of my ideas helped you out a bit.  I know your child will be ecstatic, no matter what you send her.  Tomorrow I'll post the last article in this "Sponsoring A Child" series.  This post will cover the things you definitely shouldn't send your child. 

What is your sponsored child's name and age? 

I'm going to show you another picture I took while in Kenya, Africa. 

This photograph is simple, but beautiful, in my opinion.  The elderly lady in this picture was so sweet and gentle and soft spoken.  The creases and lines on her worn face only give her more grace. 

Whenever I see her picture, I know that she's been through many difficult times.  She's seen things I couldn't imagine.  She knows what it means to suffer, but she also knows joy. 

I pray for this woman and her family quite frequently, even though I never even learned the woman's name. 

You know, I think she's absolutely beautiful.

So you sponsor a child.  Perhaps you've communicated with your sponsored child through letters, but you want to send your child a little gift to show your love for him.  What can you possibly stuff inside of a small envelope?  You can't send a TV or a new outfit.  Only a few things can fit flat into an envelope.  Sure, you could go and stick random, useless items into an envelope that your child won't understand, like a Pokemon card or Barbie clothes.  Or you could choose to send creative, useful things that your sponsored child will love.  Let me give you a few ideas. 

1. Photographs - This should be an obvious choice.  Your sponsored child will long to see photographs of you and your family.  She'll want to know what you look like, what your parents look like, what your little brother or your kids look like.  Send pictures of your family, pets, weather, backyard, sky, grass, local birds, friends, neighbors, vacations, holidays.  Avoid sending pictures of your home, bedroom, and material possessions.  You don't want to make your sponsored child feel inadequate. 

2. Stickers - All kids love stickers.  Stick some stickers onto your actual letter, but send some sticker sheets to let your child use them on his own.  Send stickers of things that a child growing up in a developing country will understand, like animals and flowers and hearts and not necessarily transformers and Disney princesses.  If your child isn't white, you may not want to send a bunch of stickers of beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed fairies and princesses.  It might make her dislike her appearance. 

3. Silly Bands - I knew there had to be a use for these popular kids' bracelets.  Silly Bands easily fit into an envelope.  I used Silly Bands to spell out the letters of my sponsored child's name.  How special!

4. Bookmarks - Send bookmarks that feature pictures of animals, holograms, or sweet Bible verses.  This might even encourage your child to read more!

5. Postcards - When you're out on vacation, grab a postcard and send it to your child.  What a great way to let him know that you're thinking of him all the time, even when you're traveling.  He'll feel special that he has a postcard from somewhere new and exciting.

6. Hair Accessories - If your sponsored child is a girl, send colorful elastic hair bands, ribbons, and clips.  Make sure that if your child lives in Africa, she doesn't have a shaved head or short-cropped hair.
 
7. Homemade Drawings - Draw pictures for your child.  Draw your backyard, your pets, or even yourself.  Draw the foods you like to eat.  Draw your school.  Draw your hobbies, sports, and the instruments you play.  If you have kids, ask them to draw pictures to send to your sponsored child.

8. Paper Dolls - This is another good gift for little girls.  You can send dolls and little paper outfits for your sponsored child to play with.  You may want to laminate the doll itself, because it may become well-worn over time.  If you can find a doll with your child's ethnicity, that would be a bonus.

9. Puzzles - Purchase a small puzzle and take it out of the box.  You can tape the individual puzzle pieces to the back of your letter. 

10. Origami - Make your child an origami creature and flatten it into the envelope.  You could also send origami paper and instructions that are easy to follow.  That would be a fun craft for your child to do.

11. Coloring Pages - All kids like to color.  You could even send colored pencils along with the coloring page. 

12. Socks - Socks, especially those for small children, can be flattened out and placed into an envelope.  Most children will need socks.  This is a great idea for Christmas and birthday gifts.  Be sure to send a new pair of socks.

13. Colorful Ribbons - These will be pretty and eye-catching to your child.  If your child is a girl, she might even be able to tie the ribbon into her hair or use it as a bracelet.  If your child is a boy, he could use the ribbon as a bookmark.

14. Balloons - Obviously, you'll want to send the balloon flat, not aired-up.

15. Stick-On Tattoos - In some cultures, these might not be acceptable, especially for girls.  Be sure to send instructions on how to put on the tattoo.  Avoid sending tattoos that have inappropriate images.  Send innocent images, like a cross, smiley face, or animal.

16. Poetry - Write your child a poem.  Be sure to mention that you wrote it just for him!  You might even want to include his name within the poem. 

17. Band-Aids - You may want to explain what band-aids are for.  Use colorful, eye-catching band-aids rather than those with images of popular American icons, like Transformers or Superheros that your sponsored child might not be able to understand.

18. Buttons - Buttons are useful, flat, and cute.  Girls will especially love these.

19. Baseball/Soccer/Basketball/Etc Cards - Boys of all countries love sports.  You might be surprised about their knowledge of popular athletes.  They'll treasure sports cards.

20. Pressed Flowers/Leaves - You may want to laminate these so they won't crumble in the mail.  Pressed flowers and leaves can hep your child see what kind of plants you have where you live.

21. Magazine/Newspaper Cut-Outs - You might see an encouraging article with a targeted audience to children.  Clips from kids magazines are great things to send to your child, along with kid devotionals, Bible stories, and the little games you might find in the back of a newspaper.

22. Small Calendar Pages - A child might not ever have her own calendar.  Print out small pages and circle dates with American holidays and your birthday.  Be sure to send the calendar several months in advance in order for there to be time for your letter to be delivered.

23. Friendship Bracelets - Those little bracelets that are made out of colorful braids and string are small and pretty.  Explain to your child what a friendship bracelet is.  Perhaps you could wear an identical one to help you remember to pray for your child.

24. Print-Out Games - Go onto the internet and print out easy word puzzles, tic-tac-toe, and other easy games like that.  Kids love games.  Be sure to send some easy directions so they'll know what to do.  If you send a game of Hangman, you may want to re-name it something less gruesome, like Puppet.

25. Charm Bracelet and Charms - I've used this idea on my sponsored child, Lavin.  First send an empty charm bracelet.  Be sure that the links aren't too thick so that you can easily tape the bracelet flat against the back of your letter.  Throughout the next several letters, send different flat charms for your child to hang from her bracelet.  On important holidays and when you travel on vacation, you can send special charms to your child.

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I'll give you twenty-five more ideas of things to send to your sponsored child next week, along with a list of things that you definitely should not send to your child.  I hope this list has given you some ideas.

What is the coolest thing you've ever sent to your sponsored child? 
    
 

Earlier this week, I wrote an article sharing topics to write about when composing a letter to your sponsored child.  Today I'll be expanding a little more about things you should ask your sponsored child.  Each letter you send should contain a few basic questions for your child to answer.  Otherwise, his letters to you will probably look something like this:


Part of the joy of sponsoring a child is the relationship you will form together.  If you struggle to think of what to say to your sponsored child, imagine what he must feel!  He probably can't even imagine the life that you have.  You're probably wealthier than the wealthiest person he knows.  You live in a mysterious, rich place to children in third world countries.  When you ask your child simple questions, he'll be able to better know what to write about in his letters.  By asking specific questions to your child, you will also be able to figure out things about his life.

Be sure not to ask too many questions in each letter or your child might feel overwhelmed.  Keep the letter simple, asking only three or four questions at the most, but sharing a few things about your life as well. 

Here are some ideas of what to ask your sponsored child:

1. How old are you/what grade are you in? - Often, children will already share this, but if your child doesn't, go ahead and ask her.  Avoid asking what your child's birthday is, because birthdays aren't often celebrated or even known in third world countries.

2. How many people are in your family? - Ask about parents, brothers, and sisters.  Ask how many people live in your child's home.  If your child is an orphan, avoid talking much about the subject of his deceased family members.

3. Who is your best friend? - Every child has a best friend or two.  Your child will most likely be eager to tell you about the person she loves the most.  Ask why she loves her best friend.  Ask what they talk about when they're together.

4. What is your favorite game/sport?

5. What is your favorite class at school?

6. What is your favorite chore? - As odd as this may seem, many children in developing countries enjoy helping their families with basic chores.

7. What is your schedule at school? - Ask your child to describe his day at school.  What classes does he have?  What time does he wake up in the morning and go to bed at night?

8. What is the weather like where you live? - Is it hot, cold, rainy, dry?  What is your child's favorite weather?

9. What is your favorite Bible verse/story? - Be sure to share one of yours as well.

10. What is your favorite part of church? - If you sponsor a child with a Christian organization, then your child will most likely attend church.  Ask your child what she is learning.

11. What is your favorite food? - Be prepared to have to Google your child's favorite food.  It may be something native to his country, like ugali.

12. What is your favorite animal? - Nearly all children love to talk about animals.  You could ask other simple questions like that, such as your child's favorite color, flower, number, etc.

13. What does your house/school/church look like? - Ask your child to describe where he lives and goes to school.  You could even ask her to draw you a picture.  This will help you better understand the conditions in which your child lives. 

14. What are you learning in school? - See what kind of education your child is getting.  Avoid talking about grades and test scores so your child won't feel inadequate if she makes poor grades.

15. What are some of your favorite family memories? - Share a family memory or two of your own.  Getting your sponsored child to talk about family memories is a great way to catch a glimpse of his life and family relationships.

16. What do you want to be when you grow up?

17. What makes you laugh? - Your child may end up telling you some bizarre joke that you don't understand because of the culture difference, but this will also help you look into your child's life and personality.

18. Do you have any prayer requests? - While you should definitely be praying for your child already, your child may be struggling with some specific things that you could pray for.  Letting your child know that you're praying for her can also help strengthen your relationship.

19. Write a story together. - You and your sponsored child can each write a sentence or two of an ongoing story.  This is a great way to keep up an interactive relationship.

20. Play games together. - Start an ongoing game of tic-tac-toe or a word search.  This is another great way to bond with your child. 

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If nothing seems to work, perhaps you could print out a little survey that asks easy questions.  Your child could fill out the survey and send it back to you in a letter.  Write to your child with drawings and ask him to send drawings back.  Make note cards with a question and your answer on one side.  Your child can send the note card back to you with an answer written on the back.
 
What things do you ask your sponsored child?  What is the cutest thing your child has ever said to you in a letter?

Do you sponsor a child?  If so, you've probably been urged to correspond with your child through letters.  When I visited Kenya, Africa through Christian Relief Fund, I was given the opportunity to see the excitement of sponsored children when they received letters from their sponsors.  Letters make kids feel valued and loved.  Your sponsored child is eager to hear from you.  You mean the world to them.  Writing letters is very important. 

However, you might feel frustrated.  It can be hard to know exactly what to write to a child who lives across the world from you, a child you've never met before.  If you're not good at letter-writing in general, writing to your sponsored child might seem especially intimidating. 

But hey, no worries.  Today I'll go ahead and list twenty topics that you can write about in your letters.  Be sure not to write about them all at once, especially if your child is young and won't be able to read long letters.  Remember that you're writing to a kid who might not even speak much English.

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1. The Weather- Do you have different seasons where you live?  I often send Lavin- my sponsored child- pictures and descriptions of snow.  Where Lavin lives, it's either hot and dry or hot and rainy.  I talk about snow, sleet, wind, and the differences between summer, fall, winter, and spring.

2. Sports- What sports do you play?  What sports do you like to watch on television?  Remember that in foreign countries, different sports are called different names.  Lavin calls soccer futbol, so if I tell her my family watches football on TV, she might become confused.

3. Facts about your family- How many people are in your family?  What are your ages?  What do your parents (or you and your spouse) do for a living?  What do you call your grandparents?  How many of you live in one house?

4. Pets- In some countries, the idea of dogs and cats as pets might seem strange, but it can't hurt to talk about them.  Be sure to send pictures of your fuzzy friends. 

5. Holidays- What holidays are you celebrating?  During the Christmas season, talk to your sponsored child about your family traditions.  Send a sketch/photograph of stockings on a fireplace or of your Christmas tree.  Try not to focus as much on the material gifts, but on the traditions themselves.  Explain to your child about Thanksgiving, Easter, 4th of July, and other fun holidays your family celebrates.

6. Daily Schedule- What is a day for you like?  Talk about what time you wake up, what you eat for breakfast, where you work, where you go, what you do...  Let your sponsored child feel like he is experiencing a day of your life with you.

7. School Subjects- If you're a student, write a list of the subjects you learn at school.  Your sponsored child might be curious to see what you're learning as well.  Try to keep things simple, like Mathematics instead of Trigonometry and English instead of Reading Comprehension. 

8. Instruments you play- Music is a big part of most cultures.  Can you play the guitar?  Talk about your musical experience to your child.

9. Chores- As boring as this might sound to you, chores are something your child can understand.  Talk about common chores you have to do at home, like washing dishes or dusting.  Avoid talking about chores that involve modern technology, such as vacuuming.

10. Foods you eat- What is your favorite food?  Talk to your child about the foods you eat regularly and be sure to send pictures or drawings!  Believe it or not, but many children who live in third world countries have never heard of pizza or enchiladas.

11. Your best friends- Friends exist in every country.  Describe your best friends: what they look like, why you love them, what you do together.  Send a photograph of you and your friends.

12. Describe your garden/backyard- Talk about the trees and flowers you might have in your yard.  If you have a garden, then talk about the kind of vegetables you grow.  Many children in developing countries have their own gardens to care for, and they'll be able to relate to you.

13. Games- Tell your sponsored child about easy, little games you like to play (or liked to play as a little kid).  For example, tic-tac-toe, tag, hopscotch... all games that your child could understand and possibly even incorporate into her daily life.

14. Funny family stories- Did your little brother just stick his hand into the toilet?  Did your dad hide behind a door to scare your mom?  Share funny stories that are easy for children to comprehend.  Avoid telling actual jokes, as they can be difficult to understand in different cultures.

15. Vacation stories- Are you going out of town for a family vacation?  Tell your sponsored child where you are going.  Talk about the culture of the place you're going, what the weather is like, and what the scenery looks like.  Send a small souvenir from your vacation.  If you're going to a nice resort or somewhere fancy, be sure not to dwell on the material aspects of the trip.  Instead, talk about things your child will be able to relate to, like the flowers and language.

16. Hobbies- Do you love to write poems?  Write a poem for your child.  Do you collect buttons?  Do you love to read?  Are you obsessed with crossword puzzles?  Talk about your hobbies and quirks with your sponsored child. 

17. Small, random facts about you- Share your favorite color, flower, number, your birthday, etc.

18. Words in your language- If your child doesn't speak English, make little flashcards with easy words in your language (such as dog, cat, please, thank you, hello, etc.) on one side and in their language on the other side.  Your actual letter will be translated into the child's language.

19. Bible verses- Share encouraging Bible verses that are easy for your child to understand, such as John 3:16 and Romans 8:28.  You could even share short Bible stories with illustrated pictures!

20. Lighthearted prayer requests- Sharing prayer requests is a way that you can make your child feel like he is doing something for you after all you've done for him.  Mutually praying for each other is also a great way to create a bond between you and your sponsored child.  Be sure not to give any big and scary prayer requests.  Your child will have enough worries in his own life.  Ask for prayer about acing a hard class at school, ministering to a friend of yours who isn't a Christian, or healing from a broken arm.

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What do you and your sponsored child talk about?  

 

I took this week's photograph while I was in Kenya, Africa in July of 2009.  It's actually one of my favorite pictures that I took over there. 

This was taken through the window of a VCT clinic. 

I love the vivid colors in the photo.  The mother's dress is so beautiful, but so is the rich and beautiful shade of their skin.

Yes, the baby is crying.  He may have been ill, which was why they were in the waiting room of the clinic, or he could have easily been tired or hungry instead. 

My favorite part of this picture is the look on the mother's face.  She's smiling at her child like she is so proud of him.  Even though he's crying, she is eager for me to photograph her child because she loves him so very much.  A mother's love is a beautiful thing and I'm so honored I was able to capture that in this picture.

I could look at this picture forever.  So lovely.

So you've thought about it and you'd like to sponsor a child.  The initial process can seem overwhelming.  Do you want to sponsor a girl or a boy... or does it even matter to you?  Which country do you want your sponsored child to be from?  Do you want to sponsor a baby, child, or teenager?  What organization will you use?  All of these decisions can be nerve-wracking to make.

First of all, be excited about your decision!  Sponsoring a child is a huge blessing.  I have yet to meet anyone who has not enjoyed receiving letters and photographs from their sponsored child. 

However, before you sign up for sponsorship, remember that sponsoring a child is a big commitment.  Make sure that you're ready to take on the financial responsibility so your child won't have to lose his sponsor.  When you agree to sponsor a child, you're making a commitment not only to a humanitarian organization, but to that individual child.  You don't want to put a child's faith in you and have to back out after a few months. 

Let me tell you about my experience as a child sponsor.  I can afford to sponsor one child right now with the money I earn.  Her name is Lavin, and she lives in Kenya, Africa.  She's currently thirteen years old.  I was given the opportunity to meet Lavin in person when I traveled to Kenya, Africa with a group from my church.  Sponsoring Lavin has been a huge blessing in my life.  She has such a sweet spirit and I absolutely love to receive letters and drawings from her.  I sponsor Lavin through an organization called Christian Relief Fund.

If you're ready to commit to being a child sponsor, I'd like to give you some pros and cons from a few different humanitarian organizations.

Compassion International
Compassion International is probably the most well-known Christian humanitarian organization that offers child sponsorship.  Compassion is currently helping over a million children in twenty-six different countries.  Compassion focuses specifically on providing aid for children. 
Pros: If you choose to sponsor a child with Compassion, you'll have a vast selection of children to choose from.  Compassion is widely-used and supported by many famous bands and magazines.  Compassion also provides opportunities for you to visit your sponsored child.
Cons: Compassion's size is also its biggest flaw.  Compassion isn't as personal as some sponsorship programs are, so you may have difficulty communicating regularly with your child or going out of your way to provide extra blessings for your child's family.  Compassion does not always communicate with sponsors as well as smaller, more personal organizations. 

World Vision
World Vision is another large Christian humanitarian organization.  Something neat about World Vision is that it partners with actual natives of each country and focuses on building communities.  World Vision is helping over 100 million people in 100 different countries.  My family sponsored a child through World Vision until she graduated from the program last year.
Pros: When you sponsor a child, you may be receiving information about that individual child, but your sponsorship will be helping the child's entire community.  World Vision provides many jobs and resources for communities.  The organization does not leave a community until it is self-sufficient.  World Vision sends regular yearly updates about each sponsored child.
Cons: The biggest issue I had with World Vision was its lack of providing a very personal relationship between a sponsor and the child.  I didn't receive personal letters from my child, but instead would receive question-and-answer surveys.  World Vision encouraged my family to sign our names on World Vision Christmas cards and calendars rather than write personal letters.
 
     
Christian Relief Fund
Christian Relief Fund is a smaller, less known Christian humanitarian organization, but its smaller size is one of its charms.  CRF is offering aid in thirty-three different countries.
Pros: CRF focuses on helping families and communities along with children.  It uses micro-finance loans to assist struggling families.  It provides aid to orphaned children.  It also focuses on providing schools, churches, medical care, and nourishment to communities.  CRF's small size helps it to be very personal with sponsors and children, allowing sponsors to go out of their way to bless a child's family.  CRF encourages sponsors to write frequently and send personal letters to their sponsored child.  It also provides hand-written letters from each child.  Not only can you sponsor a child through CRF, but you can also sponsor an entire family or even a school!
Cons: Because CRF is so small, you don't have such a wide range of children to choose from like you do with bigger organizations.  At times, it can take nearly a year to receive any information from your child, but at other times, you might receive an update every couple of months, depending on the reliability of your sponsored child's school.

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There are other humanitarian organizations that offer the opportunity to sponsor children.  I'll go ahead and list a few below, although I won't give pros and cons about each organization because I don't have any personal experience with them. 

Child Fund International - CFI helps more than 15 million children in thirty-one different countries through sponsorship.  They focus on providing sponsorship for a child from birth to adulthood.  They work with a child's community to create an environment where growing children can thrive.

PlanUSA - PlanUSA provides sponsorship for 1,500,000 children from forty-eight different countries.  They focus on creating communities that emphasize each child's rights and dignity.  They strive to provide basic needs and strong relationships within each child's community. 

Save the Children - STC strives to teach families how to help themselves.  They work with governments and community leaders to provide safe living environments for children.  They also focus on providing immediate relief to scenes of disaster and conflict.  Save the Children is not affiliated with any religion.

The Rafiki Foundation - The Rafiki Foundation is focused on African widows and children.  They create Rafiki Training Villages in ten different countries in Africa.  The villages provide living, educational, and medical facilities to poverty-stricken widows and children.  The Rafiki Foundation has given homes to more than 200 orphaned children.

Christian Aid - Through Christian Aid, you can sponsor a missionary who is serving in a foreign country.  Your sponsorship will provide means for a missionary to share Christ's love with the world.  Christian Aid has provided assistance to more than 800 missionaries in 122 different countries.

Reece's Rainbow - Reece's Rainbow is an organization focused on providing adoptive families for orphaned and abandoned children who suffer from Down's Syndrome and other disabilities.  They have found adoptive families for more than 350 disabled children.  You can donate specifically to a child's adoption fund, which will help provide prospective parents with the means to continue with the expensive adoption process.  You can also become a child's Prayer Warrior.  You will receive a photograph of the child and a bookmark to keep in your Bible, and without having to send money, you can commit to praying for the child every day until he or she is adopted.

SOS Children's Villages - SOS is currently providing homes for more than 80,000 orphaned children in 500 villages and 132 different countries.  SOS takes a unique approach, giving an orphaned child an SOS mother and fifteen SOS brothers and sisters within an SOS Village of similar "homes."  SOS strives to create strong family relationships in each child's life.  Sponsors are providing a child with a place inside a SOS Village, where they will receive a loving family, education, medical care, clothing, and food.

Christian Foundation for Children and Aging - CFCA is helping more than 300,000 people in 23 different countries.  They uniquely allow you to sponsor either a child, youth, or an elderly person.  You can sponsor a child or a youth and support them as they grow up, like you can with many humanitarian organizations.  However, you can also sponsor an elderly person and help them live out their remaining years with dignity and care.

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I hope this article helped you.  By reading facts and information about various organizations, perhaps you were able to find the one that fits exactly what you are looking for.  Sponsorship is a wonderful blessing for the life of the child, but it will be a blessing for your life as well.

Do you already sponsor a child?  Have you sponsored one in the past?  What organization have you used?