Christmas

Want to avoid the line at the stores?

Why don't we stop buying just to buy, and giving just to give & instead we change a life. You can purchase very SPECIAL gifts through Compassion International & do just that. You can make a difference in the life of a child living in poverty. Instead of buying something meaningless this Christmas, spend a little less on unnecessary things and make a true impact in someones life.

What's on your list that can be trimmed down so that you can replace it with a Compassion gift?

Poverty, Compassion, and Child Sponsorship

Credits to Kristin who posted this first

Art for Nanese

Since I have 2 photos of Nanese, I decided to add both photos to this project. She will get a larger art project because we will only have the pleasure of sponsoring her for 2 additional months. (Depressing! I LOVE her letters!)

Nanese will receive two very nicely drawn pictures of bikes. She expressed that she likes to bike and we are a biking family. I hope she enjoys her "art" package from the boys.

 

By the way. I couldn't resist asking Compassion if we had any letters in process. We do! Another letter from Nanese! I was disapointed to learn I still don't have any idea how Efrata spent her birthday money (although I for whatever reason will bet you she bought either a goat or food.) I sent the money in April. I had high hopes that we would have something coming by now but I understand that she lives in a completely different world than we do and things just don't happen at the snap of a finger. I'll try to have patience. As if I can do anything else about it.. I guess my only other option would be to buy a very expensive plane ticket and go to Ethiopia to find out myself. Hmmm..... Tempting.

Art for Ashenafi & Efrata

I cut this paper down the middle to seperate it and add it to the artwork made by the boys. These are photos of the kids working on their drawings and holding them up for the camera.

Ashenafi will receive pictures of soccer balls & ping pong, two things his packet says he enjoys. (We have not received a letter from him as it's only been a few weeks.) Efrata is going to get a picture of a flower & an airplane.

Hunter (my youngest) included a very sweet note on the back of both of these pictures.

Dear Ashenafi,
I like Soccer too. I drew something for you. I wish I could help your country. From Hunter.
(He really wanted me to add, we will send you money to help. Even though we WILL be sending him money, I decided against putting that in a letter.)

Dear Efrata,
I drew a plane for you. I wore a costume once. I looked like a pilot. My grandma has been in a plane. (So has his mom & dad!) Have you been in a plane? I haven't. From Hunter.

 

A boy named Achile

Posted with permission from a Compassion blogger, Rebecca,.
Here is her post about a boy named Achile who needs your help.

This is Achile:



Since the moment I saw his face I have been fighting the urge to jump on the next plane to Burkina Faso just so I can hug him.

I'm afraid that if I was wealthy my whole life would be spent flying all over the world to hold babies and hug children.

But this sweet eight year old boy, Achile, who I am sure would appreciate a hug, needs something that I cannot give him.

You see, Achile has a broken heart, and it needs to be fixed.

Achile is suffering from a heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot. Over the last 5 years he has suffered with pain, and has not been able to regularly attend school because of his condition.

Through his sponsorship with Compassion International, Achile has been receiving medical treatment in Burkina Faso, where he lives. Unfortunately the operation that can save his life cannot be done in his home country. He must travel to India for heart surgery.

The cost of this surgery, including travel, is $20,449.

This amount may as well be millions for a family living in extreme poverty.

But if we each give the little we can give, God can take that gift and multiply it. And his beautiful child, Achile, can have the opportunity to live his life. He can have the opportunity to run and play, to go to school, and to be a child.

If you would like to be part of God's blessing on Achile's heart, you can donate here. And I ask that as you go through your day, you remember a child named Achile.


** Note from Julie. This boy lives in a country were the families make an average of $300 US dollars a year. While $20,000 seems CHEAP for any surgery it would take 68 years for a family here to come up with that kind of money. That is if they don't eat, buy new clothing, or pay for school for 68 years

New sponsorship in Ethiopia!

Introducing Ashenafi!



Another new kid to write! Probably shouldn't call him a kid. He'll be 20 on June 26th!
His family duties are:
Washing clothes
Running errands
Cleaning
Carrying water
Gathering firewood
Kitchen help

He is in 11th grade and participates in church, bible class, and chior. His parents are alive but not together. His guardians are his grandparents. He likes to watch TV, play soccor, swim, and play ping pong. He lives in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia were typical income is $12 a month.

I believe that children in Ethiopia age out of the compassion program at age 22. I have 2 years to get to know him! Again we have been blessed!

May Package ready to go to our girls

Efrata's goodies on the left & Nanese's on the right.


I'm having a hard time NOT sending things more than once a month! Once monthly was my goal.. I should probably take on another child.. maybe that would slow me down. :)
This mailing contains a card, more stickers, photo's, and a world map. The map has both Michigan & their countries marked off. I am going to make a guess that Efrata doesn't know much about the World in general. I'm not sure about Nanese.

I would like to send paper dolls to Efrata. Does anyone know of a good place to buy them? Or a good place to print them??
BTW- I know I sent the same family photo to Efrata last time but this time I wrote about it on the back. The first photo was laminated.. this one is just printed on card stock paper.

I need suggestions for Nanese. She's much older & may not appreciate the little things that Efrata likes. It needs to be flat and no thicker than 1/4 inch... I need ideas!

ET 807 - (the Compassion project that Efrata is in)

Holeta Berhane Wengel Child Development Project - ET807


From my understanding this project was only started months ago, in December. I haven't been able to connect with anyone sponsoring a child in this project until now. On the 'sponsor site' I was found by the new sponsor of a girl named Maseresha. Maseresha is 6 years old, an orphan, and a lives with her aunt. She is adorable!

I'm writing this blog today to challenge my blog readers to find a sponsor for another child in this project.


Getahun
He is 8 years old. His name is Getahun and he is also an orphan... and is also adorable! (They make beautiful kids in Holeta, Ethiopia!!)
Here is a link: http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/waystosponsor/ChildBio.htm?Child=ET8070185 OR CLICK HERE


Shito
** Since this morning there is also a little girl from ET 807 in need of a sponsor. Her name is Shito and she is 6 years old and an orphan. She is living with a foster mom & dad. Here is the link: http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/waystosponsor/ChildBio.htm?Child=ET8070188 OR CLICK HERE

"Allow God to work through you and sponsor a child today!"

One Meal One Day

October 20th, 2010
The money saved when skipping lunch on this day is donated to Compassion International. http://www.onemealoneday.com/

"I'm in."
Are you?

Compassion Kids

Why sponsor a child?

Because they live in places like this and you can help kids like this.


Also, Sunday (April 25th) is World Malaria Day. World Malaria Day represents a chance for all of us to make a difference.


About Malaria from Wikipedia:

Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas (22 countries), Asia, and Africa. Each year, there are approximately 350–500 million cases of malaria, killing between one and three million people, the majority of whom are young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Ninety percent of malaria-related deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is commonly associated with poverty, but is also a cause of poverty and a major hindrance to economic development.

Go to this site to buy someone in need mosquito netting.

Package for Nanese on it's way to Haiti

The back of Hunter's picture is a letter from me.. but his picture was too cute to not share! (He originally wrote that he was 5 years old. Oops. He forgot he had a birthday a few months ago. Too cute!)

We have a new compassion friend!

Her name is Nanese Clerveau. She lives in Haiti. She will turn 20 on September 2nd and will graduate the program on September 1st. We don't have much time to get to know her, but will do our best while we can.

Nanese is in the 8th grade and attends Sunday school and V.B.S. At home her duties are to make beds, clean, and carry water. She enjoys biking, singing, and listening to music. She lives with both of her parents.

I don't know what effect the earthquake had on her village. She lives in Plaisance. According to Compassion's website this area was "moderately affected." There were loss of homes and life, but not to the extent of other areas.

Typical homes in this area are made of a wood floor, brick/block/cement walls, and a tin roof. The people speak Creole. The typical diet is maize, beans, bread, and bananas. Those who are employed earn about $31 a month. Her father is listed as a farmer, but not always employed.

If we can find someone who speaks creole prior to her leaving the program we have a possibility of continuing to be a part of her life through letters. Without this there is little chance of being able to continue correspondence.

We sent her an email through Compassion's website yesterday and we have a package to send out today. Emails still take a long time to get through because they need to be translated, but she should receive that a good 2 weeks before she recieves the package.

Child Sponsorship

Compassion International- "One Act" video
How letters & sponsorship saves lives

One Act from Compassion International on Vimeo.