As I keep listening... "Light a candle...for the children who need more than presents can bring"...I can't help but remember the moment I met Dayana on August 27, 2012. The way she came running into my arms the moment she saw me. The way she grabbed onto to me in the biggest hug I've ever felt in my life. The way she didn't want to let go of me. The tears in her eyes when we finally stepped apart. The way her gorgeous smile lit up her entire face the whole time we were together. The tears in her eyes and mine when we had to say 'adios.' The love she showed me just by being her.
The song continues "Light a candle for me, I'll light a candle for you..." I think of Dayana's letters; how she shows wisdom beyond her 11 years. The way reading her words can brighten even my darkest day. The way she is concerned about me and prays for me. Many people tell me what a difference I'm making by being a sponsor; that I'm "lighting a candle" for these children, but just as much as I may "light a candle" for them, they "light a candle" for me. They have made a difference in MY life too.
I can't express in words how much little Dayana has come to mean to me or how becoming a Compassion sponsor has changed my life. I do know, however, that I have received way more than I ever could have dreamed possible..."And with every flame that burns, we must somehow learn that love's the greatest gift that we could ever give"...God has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams through the love of these children! The love I have given to Dayana and all my sponsored children has come back ten fold, and I thank God for that reminder through this simple Christmas song.
