A Child Named Love

So, I've started listening to 89.7, our family friendly Christian radio station, here in Columbia. Last week they were talking about sponsoring a child from Compassion. http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm

At first I thought nothing about the information provided, or the things that they were talking about on the radio. Honestly, I was hoping they would hurry up and stop talking and play some music!! I got to work on Monday morning. I got in my car for my lunch break later that day and here they were talking about it AGAIN! I started listening to the stories and the testimonies of the people who have sponsored children from this organization in the past. Something started to tug at my heart. If you know me...I'm not even a "kid" person. It would be more like me to bawl my eyes out at "Old Yeller" or "Where the Red Fern Grows" as opposed to any movie (see I can't even recall the names of any) about a poor, starving, sad child. SAD, I know!! However, I really started hurting for the children these people were talking about. I decided to do a bit of research about the organization. I asked a few people if they had heard about Compassion or if they had ever sponsored a child. I realized that Compassion was more than just a company that took monthly payments from people and then used a small percentage to give to the needy and then made a profit off of the rest. I looked them up on BBB and read all the information I could find. 85% of the monthly contribution goes directly to the child you sponsor (in the form of food, health care, clothes, school supplies and tuition). The other 15% does go to the organization, to keep it going...and after researching and praying, I have no problem with this, because these people are serving the Lord. I am very sceptical and tend to keep a guard up when it comes to spending my money and who gets my money.........notice I said "my". After really praying and listening all week to, the week long rally, the radio station was doing for Compassion...it suddenly hit me. It is NOT MY money!! Every single penny that I have in my bank account is God's. He provided me with what income I do have. It may not be much and at times it may seem like we're stretching pennies...but we've got all that we need and God has been sooo good to us! It also hit me that I've been blessed with a talent (that I may not always think I'm GREAT at, but others sure do!) making cakes. The more I thought about it and prayed about it, I knew this was something I wanted to do. I will use my cake profits to support a child!! I have been making cakes like crazy and I'm sure I can keep it up or at least make a cake a month that will help support my child.
I went home on Tuesday evening and told Severyn. I asked him what he thought and if we could support a child on our 5 year Anniversary. I didn't want to give gifts this year, I just wanted to do something for someone else and for God's glory. We prayed about it together. Severyn got online and actually found the little girl we decided to sponsor.
Here is the cool part (for me anyway): Our little girl is from Haiti. She is 5 years old (one year old for every year Sev and I have been married). Her name? Love. That's right, I couldn't make this up. Her name is Love Woodshaina K Joseph. We became sponsors of Love on our 5 year anniversary. Here is the thing I love about Compassion. They are Christ centered. They focus on not only getting the child out of poverty and giving them what they need but they focus on telling the child about God. They provide church activities and services for the child. They hold vacation bible school for the children in the area. They give the children bibles and make sure they have a way to church. Love will be able to hear the word of God because of a small monthly contribution that Severyn and I have decided to give. Severyn and I can even visit Love! We hope to do this on one of our anniversaries in the future. I promise you, after doing all of this research and praying, my heart was broken.
I highly suggest anyone to look into Compassion and consider sponsoring a child.
It is $38 a month and this is actually until the child turns 18 or 22 (depending on the program your child is in). You can cancel, if you need/want, at any time...but I have faith that God will provide a way for Severyn and I to continue sponsoring Love until she is out of the program.
You and your child will become pen pals, they will write to you and you will write back :) I am sooo excited to get my first letter from Love. You will get pictures and send pictures. You will also have a name and a face of someone that really needs your prayers. You will have a translator that will read your letters to your child and will translate the letters your child writes you. If you get the chance to visit your child, the translator will also be there to help you speak to your child. I guess some people do it because it is a tax write off, but I didn't find that out until after the fact.
If you decide to sponsor a child through Compassions, please let me know :) I would love to hear about your child!! I know it's not for everyone, but I just wanted to share our story and our anniversary gift to one another!!!

I will post a picture of Love as soon as I can, I currently have one but I need to upload it!! Feel free to keep Love in your prayers :) I will also update my blog when I hear from Love or receive information about her.