Outpourings of Love in Ziplock Baggies

My mailbox has been overflowing. Not with letters from my Compassion children, but with gifts of love from sponsors throughout the US, Canada, and Europe sending small bits of hope to their children halfway around the world with me via my luggage as I prepare to travel to Thailand in a few days.

With each arrival, it has been an honor to check off the name of the sponsor sending the gift and open the package to see the lovingly selected, packaged, and labeled gifts to their child. Each package has a distinct fragrance...one floral, one musty, one sweet...carrying the heart and flavor of the region and home from which it traveled. As I open each one I savor the sweet letters the sponsors have included for me, unnecessary but appreciated thank-yous, and much appreciated prayers, when it's really me who should be thanking them for the opportunity to witness such compassion. I smile at the items that sponsors have carefully chosen for their kids, each sponsor knowing the individual desires of their children from countless letters and prayers, trying hard to pack freighter-truck sized love into quart-size ziplock baggies.

Stuffed animals, bracelets, candy, cars, balls...all small items with a big message--"You are important. You are loved by me and by Christ. You matter. You can make a difference."

I have had several sponsors tell me that they appreciate that I am willing to carry these gifts to a country where I don't sponsor, on a trip that is business not pleasure, and when I will have very little free time. Oh, but what I want each of them to understand is that the blessing has ALREADY been far sweeter than the small amount of space dedicated in my luggage, than the few minutes it will take to travel the short distance from my hotel to the country office.

This outpouring of love in ziplock baggies has reminded me once again of the great love fostered by Compassion International, and of the great miracles God has worked to place me within almost-walking distance of the country office during this unrelated trip.

My trip to the Compassion office will be a short one--just long enough to drop off the packages--but I know that the impact these sponsors have had on me and on the children to whom these items are destined to reach will be eternal.