A Song for the Weekend

Do you ever have a song that has just grabbed hold of you and held you hostage?  This morning, Chris Rice's "Deep Enough to Dream" has arrested my soul and I find myself listening over and over to the lyrics.

One line that strikes me, in particular, is the imagery of the fly bumping the window for the hundredth time because "freedom calls from the other side."  That line has reminded me of how all of our spirits are held hostage here on earth until we are freed by Jesus. Jesus opens the window so we can fly free.

Today I find myself thinking of my Compassion children and how I yearn for their little souls to fly free with Jesus; to soar above their circumstances and to dream in the brilliant colors that Jesus has clothed them in. They are kings and queens, filled with inner beauty and light that no amount of poverty or circumstance can rob unless they give up hope. Let's help fill our children with the brilliant colors of Christ's love through our letters and support!

Need help getting started or know someone else who does? I have some free downloadable writing packets - print them, share them, use them and come back for more. Also, Compassion offers online writing--be sure to use that great, easy tool!

Jesus Loves the Little Children

"Jesus loves the little children...all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world!"

We used to sing that song in Sunday school when I was little. In fact, along with "Jesus loves me," it was the most frequently sung song by little children in the church as far as I can recall. I believed it then, as a small child, and I believe it now.

This morning I looked at my 3 year old son's sweet, innocent sleeping face and I thought about the millions of children living in destitute poverty across the globe. They are all equally innocent and deserving of love, yet they are there and I am here. I am able to wrap comforting arms arou

nd my little boy and reassure him, kiss his wounds, heal his heart. I won't always be able to do that for him but for now, at 3, I have his love and trust and his abiding faith that his daddy and I will care for him and keep him safe.

Unfortunately so many children do not have that magic elixer of a momma's kiss. Sometimes momma is already with Jesus, or sometimes hands that ought to be caressing, loving, healing are hitting in anger and frustration. So many parents can't reassure their little ones that it will be ok. For so many, it's a strugge to feed, clothe, house the precious little ones entrusted to them.

They are there and I am here. But I don't have to sit silently and mourn. I can make a difference. I can be the voice that cries out in the wilderness for these children. I can be the hope, the love, the healing voice they long to hear. So can you.

Yesterday in the mail I received the amazing gift of a lengthy letter from one of my correspondent children, Chavarro. It was an amazing letter, explaining to me that he would have a summer vacation (the letter was in May, so presumably his vacation has come and passed), and that he would spend it helping his mom at home. He likes pizza, hot dogs, and strawberry ice cream. He is a kid. Jesus LOVES him, and so do I. I try to bless him with photos, stickers, postcards, but mostly with words of love, hope, and encouragement. But it turns out, his words of love in return are an amazing blessing in my life and I find myself longing for letters from my Compassion children as eagerly as they long for letters from me!

I believe Jesus loves the little children, and I believe we are called to do the same. Please consider sponsoring a child and whispering words of hope into their life, and be amazed when you find that they bless your life even more richly than you could imagine!

A Gift from India

It's always a great day when I get a letter from one of my Compassion children, but yesterday was an EXCEPTIONAL day!! Not only did I get a letter from my sweet correspondence young woman, Florance, but it was a THREE PAGE letter!  Given that I have some sort of virus that has me really bed and couch-bound for the most part, at least my spirits were lifted up by her words!

I was floored that Florance took the time to write such a long and giving letter to me. I feel like I know so much more about her today than I did yesterday. Besides calling me "Aunty" (which made me feel incredibly special), she expressed concerns about the weather here, and expressed surprised that I mentioned in a previous letter to her that I worry about her.

She mentioned a small birthday gift we sent her back in April, with which she purchased a pedestal fan... her description of how useful that fan will be in keeping her home cooler during the unbearably hot summer months was humbling, to say the least. And to think I was complaining about a few days of rain...

If you've never sponsored a child but are considering doing so...don't even think about it, just do it!  God will provide the means, and I'm here to tell you, these children will bless your life in ways you can't imagine.

Bless you, Florance, and all of my compassion family--my prayers are with you all daily!

Radical Obedience

It's awfully easy to sit in our comfy homes and preach about helping the poor, don't you think? I don't advocate "guilt gospel," but it's easy for me to tell everyone around me to be kind to the poor, to give until it's uncomfortable, to sacrifice in order to help those who can't help themselves... all while I sip my $4 Starbucks in my air conditioned comfort.

Street Child in Bangladesh (Wikipedia)

It's a whole other story to be so RADICAL as to ditch the comfort all together--even for a short time--and BE those whom you advocate serving. That's exactly what Jesus did, and it's exactly what Sango UMC church pastor Rev. Willie Lyle did a couple of weeks ago.

I read about this because Rev. Lyle is the father of a fellow dancer and she posted it to her Facebook page. When I read the article I was so deeply touched and impressed by his story I asked her if I could share it this week on my blog. I feel it's related very intimately to the message of Compassion, even if indirectly.

Rev. Lyle had just accepted a new position at Sango UMC and had yet to assume the pulpit when had a dream. In that dream, God spoke to him and suggested a radical experiment--to give up the comfort of his home and lifestyle for a short time, to experience the lives of those that he often advocated helping.

Rather than brush the dream aside, Rev. Lyle decided to listen and on Monday, June 17, his wife left him in downtown Clarksville, TN to begin his (albeit short) stint as a homeless man. From streets to shelters to church pantries, Rev. Lyle learned a great deal about what life is like for those who are down on their luck in America. Even more striking, he learned how the homeless are treated by fellow citizens, even Christians. In his words, "Generally speaking, people are not kind to the homeless."

According to the Leaf Chronicle, on his final day on the street--which happened to coincide with his first day as pastor of Sango UMC--Rev. Lyle lay under an overcoat under a tree outside the church doors as his soon-to-be parishioners entered the building. Twenty people offered him assistance on their way inside. Still unshaven, but wearing a suit under the overcoat, Lyle approached the pulpit and began to preach. As he did, family members cut his hair and shaved off the beard. His metamorphoses was completed during his sermon, and he went from the homeless man on the lawn to the new pastor of the congregation.

This radical approach mirrors his servant attitude. He told the Chronicle, "We are going to be a part of the solutions to the problems we face in our community. We are going to get our hands dirty as we live like Jesus and help others...God looks inside at our heart and sees the truth."

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I'm inspired. Are you? Do you see how this relates to Compassion? We are called to sacrifice for His name. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Can we be RADICAL in our support of children in need? Please consider helping a child who needs you. www.compassion.com

For the whole story, please visit http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20130628/NEWS01/306280035/Sango-UMC-s-new-pastor-lives-homeless-man-before-installation?nclick_check=1

You can hear Rev. Lyle's June 23 sermon via podcast at http://www.sangoumc.org/finding-the-least-used-parts-of-the-body/

The Power of "Can"

Sometimes we forget the power of our words. This morning on the radio I heard a story about a boy with a learning disability--he couldn't listen to someone speak and comprehend very well--but he could read and understand perfectly. This boy was verbally tested by his school and placed in "special education" classes where he continued to do very poorly....until his freshman year in high school. During that year, a substitute teacher noticed something special about him and began to test him in different ways than anyone had before. After a series of tests administered in writing rather than verbally she said to him "I believe you are just as gifted as the other kids--you don't need to be in these classes. Why are you still in special ed?"

As a result of her confidence in him, the boy went back to his teachers and asked to be retested using written formats. He passed with flying colors and re-entered the primary classes at his high school. He graduated with straight A's, went on to receive a PhD, and is now a professor of psychology at a university.

The power of words is astounding. I wrote a brief essay once for NPR's "This I Believe" essay series called "I am a Dancer," where I describe how one sentence affected my perception of what I could do for nearly 2 decades.

I know my mom would never remember this, because she encouraged me to try ballet and gymnastics as a child, but when I was a little girl I overheard someone at church tell her that I didn't have the right "body type" for ballet. Essentially, I was too chubby. Overhearing that one sentence, spoken not out of spite I'm sure, but just an offhand statement that I am certain that mother didn't even know I overheard, resulted in years of an overwhelming belief that I "couldn't dance."

I could play music, I could march in a band--all things that require rhythm--but I "couldn't dance." For some reason that was a forbidden world to me all because of the power of words. Then one day words unlocked a magic door... My freshman year in college I had a roommate who loved to dance... One day she looked at me and said "come on, get up and dance with me!" I said to her "But I can't dance!" She laughed and said "Yes you can! I'll show you how! Anyone can dance!" Her words, "yes you can," opened up a whole realm of art previously closed to me.

In the years since I have taken lessons in ballroom, salsa, swing, contra dance, and Middle Eastern dance and have taught lessons in Middle Eastern dance and have led worship dance programsin church. I've danced on stage in at least 7 states. I'm no star, by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know one thing--I CAN dance.

Praise dance on Stage with the Alexandria Dancers (I'm on the front left)

Have you spoken words of life into your sponsored children lately? Have you told them they CAN defeat poverty? Have you told them they ARE princes and princesses, destined for the kingdom?

This I Believe--these children are VALUABLE to Christ Jesus. They CAN make a difference in their families, communities, and world! Let's speak hope into their lives today!

Using God's Gifts to Give Back

I'm so excited about today's blog post. Recently, I posed a question to sponsors on the OurCompassion forum asking how advocates, sponsors, and other compassionate people are using their creativity to raise money to meet their Compassion goals.

I was STUNNED by the many and varied ways that sponsors around the globe are using not only their unique talents, but also their sheer ingenuity to afford sponsored children and contribute to Compassion's other, equally important funds (for example, child survival, clean water initiatives, at-risk children, and malaria prevention).

The respondents graciously allowed me to share the ways they creatively fund raise on my blog, and I hope that by sharing our stories with you I will not only raise awareness for their stores, products, and efforts, but also spur you into ACTION using your own creative talents for Christ!

Without further adieu....

1.Donating proceeds from sales

There are many amazing people out there who are donating all or a portion of the proceeds from items they make and sell to Compassion.

Lizzie, a teenager and absolutely amazing role model, has an ETSY shop called madefromscratch4u.etsy.com where 100 percent of the net profit is donated to either the child survival program or is used pay for child sponsorships. Lizzie's shop features a wide variety of handmade items, from sponsor bracelets (featuring beads from the countries where sponsored children live) to crochet items.

Lizzie's Sponsor Bracelets for Compassion

Naomi, a fabulous photographer in Sacramento, California (whose photographs are so touching they brought tears to my eyes) donates a minimum of 20% of the gross of all sales to Compassion.  http://www.naomiharrisonphotography.com/giving-back/
Naomi also hosts Mother and Child mini-portrait sessions to benefit the Child Survival Program. http://www.naomiharrisonphotography.com/2013/04/30/sacramento-photographer-mothers-day-portraits/

Katie, operator of Churchill Crafts - beautiful baby gift items and handmade accessories, dedicates 100% of profits from her etsy store to Compassion sponsorships, child and family gifts, and birthday gifts for her sponsor and correspondence children.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChurchillCrafts

Fun and Fabulous baby items from Churchill Crafts

Jennifer N operates Shop with Compassion on Etsy - ultra creative and unique nursery book storage slings in gorgeous modern fabrics-- and  100% of her profits go towards sponsorships and child and family gifts, along with trips to visit her sponsored children via Compassion.

Awesome Nursery Book Storage from Shop with Compassion

Amanda Watts. has a facebook business, Watts Knots and Knicknacks (great name!) where she sells hats, bows, headbands, and other items. Portions of her sales go towards child sponsorships. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Watts-Knots-and-Knicknacks/259858294055808?ref=hl

Custom headband from Watts Knots and Knicknacks

Donna Kirckof draws members of her side-saddle forum on their horses at no cost with the no-obligation request of a compassion donation.

Michelle from Blogging From the Boonies has created watercolor paintings in exchange for $20 donations to Compassion.

Kayla tie-dyes T-shirts and sells them to raise funds for sponsorship.

And, finally, I operate an online ETSY store, Conspiracy of Love, where I sell handmade jewelry. 100% of my proceeds go to Compassion child survival program and  at-risk children's funds. I also make soaps and lotion bars for family and friends in exchange for donations. www.etsy.com/shop/ConspiracyofLove

Handmade jewelry from Conspiracy of Love

2. Write a book

Okay, so probably most of us can't do this... at least I know I can't. And I guess technically this is part of the list above, but I was so excited by this sponsor's contribution I felt it needed it's own category. Nineteen-year-old author Sydney Lorraine Danielle (yes, you heard me, 19 - crazy, right??) has just finished a young-adult fantasy adventure titled "This Deadly Quest," which will be available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon beginning August 2013. 100% of proceeds will be used for child sponsorships and birthday gifts. Pre-orders can be arranged via, isamscia@outlook.com. Sydney's website is www.isamscia.com.

3. Hosting Yard Sales

Many sponsors have hosted yard sales to benefit Compassion. I hosted one with another sponsor not long ago, myself, and was amazed at how much we were able to donate as a result. Yard sales are great, low-expense ways to rid your home of clutter and raise money for children who don't have the luxury of all that "stuff"!  Jesus told the rich man to sell all he had and give the money to the poor. The VERY least we can do is sell all the stuff we don't want and give the money to the poor, don't you think?

4. Host events

Lizzie, the same Lizzie mentioned above, rides her bicycle and encourages others to hold bika-a-thons to fund child sponsorships. You can support Lizzie's goal of reaching $1,000 through bicycling at http://gogetfunding.com/project/cycle4compassion

Lizzie cycling for Compassion

Casey, a skin care specialist, will be demonstrating "Water for Life" units in her spa studio and encouraging customers to contribute to the clean water fund at Compassion.

Michelle from Blogging From the Boonies hosted a (soggy) walk for Waters for Life where she was able to raise enough money for 26 water filters! See her account on her blog, here http://www.bloggingfromtheboonies.com/2012/07/walking-in-water.html. Michelle has also participated with her family in "One Meal One Day" where you donate the cost of skipped meals to Compassion. Read her account here: http://www.bloggingfromtheboonies.com/2013/03/thoughts-on-empty-stomach.html

5. Sell your blood

Okay, really your plasma. Honestly, I had never thought about selling plasma for Compassion. It would never have occurred to me. I remember friends in college who sold plasma for a little extra cash, but what a sacrifice to sell your own plasma for the benefit of Compassion! That's what Emily at OurCompassion did to raise money for sponsorships while she was in graduate school. The really cool thing is you're actually doing something good times 2...you're providing much-needed plasma AND donating money to those who really need it!

SO there you have it... I know there are a TON more wonderful examples out there, and I WHOLEHEARTEDLY thank those who sent me their creative fundraising ideas.

I hope you'll take this opportunity to visit the links I've posted, and to support the vendors listed above. Please consider them for Christmas, Birthday, Wedding, and Shower gifts this year to help them in their efforts to reach out to children in need! I also hope you'll be moved to use your own skills for God's honor! 

Follow Compassion to Nicaragua!

Wow, I have been so very busy that I've fallen behind a bit, I'm afraid! I have so many things to share in upcoming posts, including a sneak peak of an article I'm working on for the Compassion Advocate magazine discussing all the AMAZING ways Compassion sponsors are creating opportunities to raise money for children in poverty. I'm SO in awe of the wonderful things God is doing through people when they put their trust and creativity in His hands!

Today, however, is all about the work that a group of bloggers is doing on the ground in Nicaragua. Four of Compassion's staff bloggers are visiting the country and blogging daily about what they experience there in order to help share the ministry of Compassion. I hope that you'll join me in supporting them by following their posts and praying for them as they tour the country.

The blog post by LifeInGraceblog author Edie Wadsworth particularly touched me. Her vivid descriptions of a visit to a dump on day one, and her photographs of children sifting through layers of rubble to find toys to play with and items to sell left me considering the items I casually toss in the trash at home; the cavalier attitude I have when I pick up some unnecessary item at Target or Walmart.

And then I compare the graciousness of the residents eeking out a living in this trash heap--their willingness to invite in the bloggers from Compassion with an open heart--with my own hesitation to open my doors to my precious friends and family if the laundry is piled up or the dishes aren't done.

Sometimes priorities get all mixed up. Sometimes, though I don't want to admit it, I'm more concerned about what people will think about me based on the condition of my home, my landscaping, whatever meal I offer or some skill I perform instead of being concerned about what people think about the condition of my heart and my relationship with Jesus based on my actions.

When I take my eyes off of myself and focus my eyes on the people around me-the people who love me, the people I love, the people in this world who are desperately waiting for a word of peace and encouragement...then I find satisfaction. There I find Grace. There I find hope, mercy, and love. There I find Jesus.

Please pray for our bloggers in Nicaragua this week, and please consider sponsoring a child for only $38 a month. You can make such a difference in the life of a child.